Tuesday, October 27, 2015

OUGD404 - Study Task 02 - How Do You Read: Colour Relativity

Using the knowledge gained in colour relativity from today's session, Study Task 03 requires the use of pantone reference guides to identify a colour that will work harmoniously in conjunction with an colour considered by ourselves to be bad; the aim is to try and alter the perception of a colour not liked by ourselves through the addition of another colour and the visual perceived as a result of the combination. 

The two colours are to work along-side black, and must be a scheme suitable for the purpose of being effectively featured in a simple children's book.

Using the Pantone 4 - Colour Process Guide, I firstly found the black to be used within the scheme - Pantone DE325-1 U




Having found the black, I then set of to find a hue of my least favourite colour - this being green. Although I appreciate this colour in the outdoors and where appropriate, Green is not a colour I favour when used in interior settings or design generally. I like to think of green as an exclusively outdoor, natural colour. 




The hue of green I was drawn to was Pantone DE302-3 U, shown above third down on the right of the guide. I chose this bright, vibrant tone - considering its use within the children's book - as a result of its vivid, artificial visual presence. I then began to consider the third colour to be featured in the scheme, taking into account the theory learnt within the day's session.

To explore potential colour combinations, I visited the Adobe Kuler website and searched for my selected green tone's code. The search supplied me with a "Bright Graphic" colour scheme, in which I identified a colour I believed would work effectively within the scheme: Pink.
















The colour combination of pink and green as a scheme works effectively as a result of how these two colours interact visually. Pink is a low saturation of red, a tone with a greater light value. The combination of green and red, these being contrasting colours, creates an intense tonal energy that can be difficult to perceive visually as a result of the enhanced brightness of the hues. By using a tint of red, being pink, the harsh tonal energy is reduced - therefore producing a more harmonious aesthetic. 

With pink identified as my third and final tone to be featured in the colour scheme, I explored bright tones of the colour in the Pantone guide, selecting Pantone DE141-4 U as the tone of choice. The three-colour scheme is exhibited below:













Now, with a effectively selected and considered colour palette, I have decided to produce a mock-up cover for a children's book using the colours selected with this point of delivery in mind. My concept for the cover/hypothetical story was to take the traditional "monster in the closet" ideology and transform in into a much friendlier notion in which a moral message to refrain from judgement can be communicated - teaching the young audience a valuable life skill whilst appealing to the parents. I decided to feature the renowned childhood myth of "The Boogeyman" to establish an iconic presence that could to be related to by all. My strategy in adapting the frightening connotations of this was for the visual to depict two hands holding, one in the pink and one in the green, with black typography communicating the title - which I have made "My Friend The Boogeyman." Both the title and associating visual help to reinforce and enhance one another in establishing the child-friendly story and tone of voice the book would have. 

To illustrate the cover, I began by drawing a hand reaching out on paper, before scanning the image and importing it to illustrator. 




I then traced this image in illustrator using the brush tool, tidying and smoothing any necessary lines thereafter. Once complete, I added the black colour to create a filled vector image. Next, I duplicated the image making it green, and the other pink.



Following this I brought both the pink and green hands into a square layout, as this was my desired book scale / format. I then rotated the green hand before interconnecting the two hands at the fingers.


To complete the mock-up, all that was left to do was supply the composition with the title. Having quickly explored children's book covers online, I decided to use a bold, rounded and soft typography, suitable in its communication to a young audience. The final mock up is exhibited below:





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