“Man needs colour to live; it’s just as necessary an element as fire and water.” — Fernand Leger
Perhaps that statement from the French artist might be a bit hyperbolic. Few could argue, though, that a life without colour would be rather dismal. Colour is happiness. It’s sunshine, lollipops and rainbows.
And we are beginning to see it reviving all around use. The most difficult part of winter for me, besides the lack of invigorating sunlight, is the boring blandness of the monochromatic palette. Therefore as spring arrives, how awesome it is to see the emerging colours — buds and blooms infusing the landscape with passion and vigour. The liveliness captures the spirit and we fill with energy.
Colours in spring and summer are everywhere, beginning with pretty crocuses and greening trees, through to perky daffodils and glorious tulips then finally the riotous kaleidoscopic hues in lush gardens.
It’s probably the vibrant crimsons and golds of the autumn leaves that make summer’s demise more palatable than it would be otherwise.
Colour is clearly a welcome part of existence. We appreciate it’s natural beauty outdoors and make use of it to warm our indoor world as well.
My husband and I recently renovated a couple of rooms in our house. One of the most thought-out aspects of the remodel was obviously the colour scheme. Choosing the paint for the walls is an important decision since you’re going to be living with that shade for a while. It creates the mood for the environment — calm and soothing, rejuvenating and vibrant. You need to consider the usage of the room, whether it will be a gathering place for socializing and entertaining, or a quiet shelter.
Once that’s settled, then decisions will be made on the accents. This means finding complimentary tones that blend, yet add interest.
It might surprise you to know that online graphics services are so versatile they can even inspire you in this creative project. On iPHOTOS.com for example you can find an amazing assortment of pictures with accompanying compatible swatches.
These can obviously be used in web design to coordinate colours for a more aesthetically-appealing result (a topic I will be covering in a future blog). According to Buffer 90% of an assessment for trying out a product is made by colour alone.
However, these images would also help you make essential choices for many other design projects — from quilting to home decor. Virtually any place where you want to ensure a nice blend of colour.
The pictures in the collection can also guide you if you are creating printed products with the photo portion to coordinate any other colours you might use in the design. If the item is attractive people will be more inclined to look at it longer. Matching the hues will go a long way to making that happen.
Here then is the unique collection offered at iPHOTOS.com which will enliven your designs with colour. The ways in which you do this is only limited by your imagination:
