Color Masterclass: Simple Steps to Create Vivid Art 
Victo Ngai, Illustrator
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1. Introduction
1:47 -
2. What We'll Cover
6:49 -
3. The Power and Pitfalls of Color
5:53 -
4. How to Talk About Color
2:42 -
5. Principle 1: Relativity
3:16 -
6. Principle 2: Consistency
3:05 -
7. Principle 3: Value Contrast
4:13 -
8. Principle 4: Accent Color
3:20 -
9. Principle 5: Ratio
1:55 -
10. Color at Work: Masterpieces
6:44 -
11. Color at Work: Client Project
4:04 -
12. Prepare Your Piece
7:42 -
13. “Steal” a Palette
11:51 -
14. Personalize Your Palette
10:12 -
15. Refine Your Palette
10:48 -
16. Finishing Touches
7:02 -
17. Export Your Piece
3:00 -
18. Final Thoughts
0:41 -
19. Explore More Classes on Skillshare
0:33
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Project Description
Share your color palette or finished piece!
Follow along with Victo's process to "steal" a color palette and apply it to your own sketch. To get started, choose a piece with a clear background, middle ground, and foreground, and pull it into your digital illustration program of choice.
As you work, consider:
- What feeling do you want your piece to evoke?
- Where did you look for color inspiration? What appeals to you about the palette you chose?
- How many colors did you start with? How many did you end up with?
- How are you using the principles of color to move viewers' eyes around your piece?
Whether you're gathering inspiration or you've already colored in your piece, share your progress in the project gallery. We can't wait to see what you come up with!
Resources
- Download the Color Vocabulary Cheat Sheet
- Download Chinese translations for all lessons
Connect with Victo
Victo's favorite tools & references
- Reference books: Pattern: Kimono & Pattern: Chinese Textiles
- Computer monitor hood
- Color calibration tool: Datacolor Spyder5PRO
- Check interactions between your colors: Color Interactor
- Create & test color palettes: Adobe Color
- Color palette inspiration: Color Collective
- Color palettes for artists & designers: Color Hunt
- How I learnt about color theories and made my best color palettes in one month (article by Sandoche Adittane)
- 11 Optical Illusions Found in Visual Design (article by Balraj Chana)
- Optical illustrations change how we see (TED Talk by Beau Lotto)
- Blending Modes Explained – The Complete Guide to Photoshop Blend Modes
- Difference Between sRGB, Adobe RGB, ProPhoto – RGB and CMYK
- Adobe RGB Versus sRGB Color Space – Which Should You Choose?
- Website of contemporary artists mentioned in the class: Tomer Hanuka & Julia Noni
Explore more classes on Skillshare
- Make Art to Drive Change: Mirko Ilic on Color, Type, and Icons — Mirko Ilic
- Graphic Illustration: Boldly Design with Color and Shape — Olimpia Zagnoli
- Expressive Illustration: From Ideas to Execution — Roman Muradov
- Fundamentals of Photoshop: Color, Swatches, and Blending (Photoshop IV) — Meg Lewis
- Exploring Your Illustration Style: Exercises to Push Your Work — Ryan Putnam
Resources
Student Projects
