Take control with colour in digital art & illustration

Illustrator Dan Stafford shows how balancing colour is the key to amazing compositions.

Three golden rules

Colour is a slippery creature to wrestle, and there are three principles to be aware of when attempting to tackle this pig. Firstly, remember that individual colours aren’t as important as their relationships with surrounding colours. That’s what creates chemistry within an image. Secondly, juxtaposing colour with breathing space is essential for a well-balanced image. And lastly, a game of colour-picker-lucky-dip can sometimes yield fantastic results.

Choose a reaction, then a colour

Always remember that colour elicits a physical response in the viewer. Decide on the reaction you want, then choose a palette that you think will attack the right nerves in your audience’s eyes.

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