How To Use Your Color Palette
“I love my color palette, but how do I use it?”
We sometimes get so entranced with colors that then when we have to actually use them we get confused. I hope this little guide helps!
For collateral design purposes (and this includes when I create content for social media and printed assets like business cards or flyers), I usually use the following rule:
10% of your designs should use your core brand color
30% of the design should use your secondary brand color
60% of the design should use the most neutral color in your brand palette
Think of the brightest colors in your palette as a certain dress you use for special occasions, or that accessory that completes an everyday outfit but makes it totally you without overdoing it.
Reserve the darkest tone for lengthy texts, for bold backgrounds. For things that you really want people to read.
Use the transition tones to create diversity and depth. So that these tones are associated with your brand and overall aesthetic. Stop for a moment and think about what you are trying to say with the color that you are using instead of it looks nice.
Pick one or two of your colors as accent colors and use them intuitively. To draw attention, to create focus and to add meaning. Play with them and never stop creating.
Your lightest or most neutral color will be used a lot to make the other tones in your palette stand out and to create a literal canvas for you to create your content on.
YOU CAN SEE A FULL EXAMPLE OF HOW I APPLY THIS HERE!
