MAT-135 :: PROJECT 2 – Color Study

Project 2 – Color Study

15% of Semester Grade


Overview

This assignment is designed to help you understand color. Specifically, you will learn how to identify and apply multiply different color schemes to a single layout so that you can see how color affects work differently. 

Before beginning, you need to have already been present for or watched the Color Lecture:  

To begin, you will choose one of your refined studies from the “Project 1 Design Foundations Book” to explore. It can be from Phase 3 or 4, and you can ONLY use line art (nothing with photography). Create a new file with 14 artboards at 7″ x 7″ each, allowing several inches in between each artboard. Copy all objects from the original comp in its original AI file, and then use the “Edit > Paste In Place” command to paste into the first artboard. Group objects in this comp and then apply Live Paint Bucket color to it. Select this group and then choose the “Edit > Paste on all artboards” command. Now you will have multiples to work with in your color exploration.

Explore the following color schemes doing 2 of each:

  1. Monochromatic (one color with tints and/or shades)
  2. Grayscale (no color saturation, only tones of pure black and white)
  3. Complimentary (2-color compliments)
  4. Triad (3-color triangulated on color wheel)
  5. Tetrad (4-color, 2 sets of compliments)
  6. Analogous (2, 3, OR 4 colors adjacent on color wheel)

You will select 5 of the best (no category duplications, though) to place on your final 11″ x 17″ layout.

You can watch and introduction to the assignment that will give an overview, show how to set up files, show how to use Live Paint within groups, show how to create swatches from an external sources like http://paletton.com,  and go over some former student examples for reference. It is 38 minutes long:


Template File

You can use this template file to place your five best works into a single layout:

Color Study Template.ai

Be sure to change each “Study Name” instance to the actual study name, such as “Complimentary: Two-Color”, “Analogous: Three-Color” etc.


What’s Due

Upload your digital file in the class Canvas Project-2 discussion.

Write or record-and-post a short statement about your work, explaining the color schemes you chose to represent and why.


Former Student Examples

Digital Art, Design, and Communication Education