Studio Update: Playing Catchup

First off, a new banner for my writing samples page. Why pacyderms? I'm working on a parade of these guys for another project so I had a group ready to go. Hey, their ears form little { }'s around their faces so that's kind of about writing, right?

I turned in a second font review for PCWorld downloads at the end of the week. This time the subject was Phatzzo— another Ray Meadows design updating the look of early computer fonts.

Two updates back I said I'd show you how I chose a shade of oakmoss for the Trés Ravenna logo. Thanks to raster graphics this is easy to do. Open any image in a photo editing program that will allow you to color sample a pixelated image—like Adobe Photoshop. Zoom in close. Use the eyesdropper tool to load individual pixels.

See the range inside the white circle? That's where I sampled. Look at all those soft greens! When I found a tone I liked, I saved it as a swatch in the program's color palette. Then I noted the color ratios in both CMYK for print and RGB for on-screen work. Fine-tuning comes later, this is a fast way to get a range.

Want to see more great palettes? I recommend a visit to the ColourLovers blog. All types of designers post their favorite combinations here along with essays about color and culture. You can register and download ones you like or even upload some of your own. Here's hoping it inspires you to see new color everywhere.

P.S. I love comments. To make a comment here, click on the Post a Comment link below, but be aware that the Submit button—labeled Create Post—sits at the top of the comments page along with a Preview Post button. Why is that? I don't know…but no amount of begging has moved that button any closer.

Comments

[Mandy]

How did you know those greens were hidden in there?

[Kate]

Good question. I didn't find them until I zoomed in with Photoshop, but I was hoping they would be there. You can train yourself to see hints of color inside what you think is one vast color. Stare at a zucchini long enough and you'll see the greens break down.

Knowing your garden, Mandy, I'm sure you'll be staring at a lot of zukes this summer.