Is it hard to pick the right color? Yes, if you are on a game show and each color holds a different value of money with the highest amount being $1 Million. Whew! That’s challenging.
Color shouldn’t be that scary or challenging. Why? Because you can always change your design and trust me designs, decorations, outfits are all changeable.
However, I am here to ease your fear and reassure you that you can do this. Here is an easy process to help you pick the “right” color. If you have not already, please make sure you have read, Learn How To Mix and Match Color in Two Easy Steps.
Option One: Just Pick A Color
The first step is to pick your main color. What feeling are you looking to portray? For example, I always want my bedroom to feel tranquil (blue) because It’s my sanctuary, and I want to be at peace when I lay down. Primary colors are great for toddler birthday parties! It makes it feel fun. Now if I want a classy party then black and white! Or, if it’s a summer fun party, you better believe there will be orange somewhere.
After you pick your main color, get that wheel out and pull out your color scheme, shade and tint included. You can have two three or four colors in your scheme. Just knowing what colors look good together helps you focus in on really pulling off your look.
Option Two: Use A Photo As Inspiration
Have you ever been lost in a photo or a painting and wished you could be there? Okay, allow me to tone down my creative person dial because that might be too much. Do you have a favorite outfit, vacation spot, picture anything that you like to look at? Maybe you think it is gorgeous, or it puts you in a certain state of mind. Have you ever wanted to bring the relaxing feel of a nice hotel room into your house? Here is a great way to incorporate those colors into your color scheme.
I use ….Canva! No surprise there.
Honestly, this site is for graphic design, but this color palette generator is perfect if you need some suggestions on color based on an image you like. You take a photo, any photo you would like, and it turns it into a color palette. I chose a picture of the roses my husband gave me. It was a sweet gesture, so let’s say I want to capture that “sweet” feeling in my design. I also want to show you how you can use an ordinary photo in your color scheme.
1. Select Your Photo
What you do is upload a photo. It doesn’t have to be professional. This photo was taken on my iphone.
2. Upload or Drag and Drop
You can upload or drag and drop an image in the box. I promise you it is really easy.
And it pulls the dominant colors out for you. And now you have a color scheme based on a picture you like! Again, it isn’t a perfect science, but maybe you have a favorite pattern, and you want to know how to pull it together. I like that yellow, but perhaps I want it a bit brighter (hello tint!) I would make my dominant color the light grey and then make a more brilliant version of the yellow an accent color.
That’s a very brief and I hope straightforward tutorial on picking your colors! I am virtually handing you a diploma and shaking your hand because you now understand how to pick the right color in a way that perhaps you never thought. And you can throw around some fancy terms (based on the previous tutorials) in your conversation by saying, “I was going for a triadic scheme with secondary colors.” Now you sound fancy, lol!
Stay tuned as I am working on a tutorial titled “How To Design With All Those Colors You Picked Out!” That is probably your next question, and I think I can help with that. Happy creating!
