Building and presenting color palettes

Navigating the world of color is a complex and wonderful thing. Here is an initial palette of tones for a client's branding system. As with so many projects, the client has a preconceived notion in their head. My job is to present a cogent group of tones and prioritize them for each potential use.

Building the palette requires a lot of trial and error. Instead of starting with the usual Pantone books, look around at what catches your eye in your environment. It could be something such as Fall aspen leaves on a rock in a stream—setting up a gold, rich gray, blue and silver theme. Clothing or fashion spreads—not the images so much as the pockets and bands of color created by the process.

When developing a system that may be handed to people with absolutely no sense of design—choose wisely.