How I Choose The Colour Palette for My Artwork
Whenever I start a new illustration, I always begin with colour. That might sound unusual —most artists start with composition or an initial draft idea —but for me, colour is where the whole idea begins. Before I've decided on the composition, the artworks purpose (pattern, art print etc.), or even exactly what I'm going to paint, I'm already thinking about how I want it to feel. In this article I’d like to take you through how I choose the colour scheme for my artworks.
When I was developing my art style, I didn't have much confidence in my drawing. I often traced subjects from photos I'd taken so I could spend more time experimenting with colour. Although tracing is no longer part of my process (I'm happy to say I now draw everything by hand!), I’m glad that’s how my journey started because it gave me the freedom to play with colour composition.
I’d say how I use colour in my work is a firm part of my art style and signature as an artist. Colour is one of the biggest ways I communicate emotion in my artwork, and as I like to create a feeling of comfort, joy and calm in my work, I naturally gravitate towards warm yellows, peachy pinks and vibrant oranges to communicate that feeling.
Below I’ve done my best to describe my process step by step, I hope you find it helpful!
What Emotion Do I Want My Art To Convey?
The first step to deciding which colours to use, is thinking about how I want my audience to feel when looking at my work. Do I want them to feel happy, calm, shocked or melancholy? This is usually the first driver in my illustrations. From there I get experimenting, sometimes I'll even write one word beside my sketch like —"joyful," "nostalgic," or "cosy"—to remind myself what feeling I'm trying to create in my illustration.
I Start Colour Swatching
The next step is my favourite!
To do this I use art paper that I’m not precious about, to avoid that feeling of wasting good quality paper or pages in my art books. Now that I have the emotion of the illustration in mind, I get started with colours that reflect this. At this point you’re not looking to create the “perfect” palette, mix any colours that come to mind and play with combinations you may not have tried before. At this stage keep the palette wide and varied, because our next step will be all about editing this down.
Finally, I Work on Limiting My Palette
At this stage I usually have a whole page of colours to choose from (maybe even a few). Now you want to look at the colours you’ve swatched and decide on which combinations suit your work best. With every piece I work on, I aim to limit my colour palette. How challenging that is often depends on the subject I'm illustrating. For example, if you’re painting the interior of a restaurant, your palette may be wider. But if it’s a pattern design with one motif, you may have no more than 2-3 colours. As a rule, I generally aim to use no more than five colours in each piece, as I think a limited palette helps create a more cohesive, polished final illustration.
TOP TIP: Keep note of how you are mixing your colours, so you can re-create them later
The last thing to remember is have fun! At the end of the day, there isn't a "right" colour palette for any artwork or subject. The colours you choose are part of what makes your work unique. Some of my favourite illustrations have come from experimenting with combinations I’ve never tried before, it’s also what helped make pink a signature in my work. So don't be afraid to play, make mistakes, and trust your instincts—you might just discover a palette that becomes part of your signature style.