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A Century of Color Trends and Color Combinations

Historic and Modern Color Palettes

By , About.com Guide

A Century of Color Trends and Color Combinations
Just as we often find ourselves using the same fonts over and over, many designers are stuck in a color rut - using and reusing the same old color palettes. Try the color palettes presented here to jazz up your designs or to create specific moods.

Each color combo is based on actual historic and modern formulas used in posters, packaging, ads, and other design work over the past century. Pick a palette based on specific colors and its color wheel companions or devise a look that echoes the colors of the Victorian Age, the psychedelic sixties, or shades of mother nature. Although presented in CMYK formulas, you may prefer to pick PMS colors or Web colors that match or nearly match the CMYK combinations for similar effects.

The color combinations presented here (list after the book list) come from The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations by Leslie Cabarga (compare prices). It contains over 500 historic and modern color formulas in CMYK. Instead of only little blocks of color Cabarga shows simple layouts that use varying amounts of each color. These layouts make it easier to visualize how a design will look using the three to seven colors in each palette. Follow his lead or rearrange the colors in any way you please. I've used a similar sample layout to show one color scheme in each of the era palettes.

A Century of Color in Books

Some of the books listed below also provide not only pleasing palettes but hints and tips on why certain colors and color combinations are appropriate, based in part on their traditional or cultural color meanings and symbolism.

While color has experienced trends where certain shades and specific combinations were favored and others discouraged, today almost anything goes if it is appropriate for the audience and the project. The trick is finding the color combination that speaks for the client and to the intended audience.

Check your local bookstore or favorite online bookseller for all of these books about color selection:

  • The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations: 500+ Historic and Modern Color Formulas in CMYK
    by Leslie Cabarga
    North Light Books
    ISBN 0891348573
    (source of the color palettes found in this article)
    compare prices
  • The Designer's Guide to Global Color Combinations: 750 Formulas in CMYK and RGB from Around the World
    by Leslie Cabarga
    North Light Books
    ISBN 9781581801958
    compare prices
  • The Designer's Toolkit: 1000 Colors, Thousands of Color Combinations
    by Graham Davis
    Chronicle Books LLC
    ISBN 9780811863056
    compare prices
  • Process Color Manual, 24,000 CMYK Combinations for Design, Prepress, and Printing
    by Michael Rogondino
    Chronicle Books
    ISBN 0811827577
    compare prices
  • Pantone Guide to Communicating With Color
    by Leatrice Eiseman
    Hand Book Press
    ISBN 0966638328
    compare prices
  • Interaction of Color
    by Josef Albers
    Yale University Press
    ISBN 9780300146936 (2009 Edition)
    compare prices
  • Color Harmony Workbook: A Workbook and Guide to Creative Color Combinations
    by Lesa Sawahata
    Rockport Publishers
    ISBN 9781592533299 (2007 Edition)
    compare prices
  • A Book of Colors: Matching Colors, Combining Colors, Color Designing, Color Decorating
    by Shigenobu Kobayashi
    Kodansha International
    ISBN 0870118005
    compare prices
  • Designer's Guide to Color 5
    also editions 1, 2, 3, 4,
    by James Stockton, Ikuyoshi Haishoku Shibukawa
    Chronicle Books
    ISBN 9780811857345
    compare prices

Color Palettes Based on The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations

Palettes by ColorPalettes by Era
Red/PinkVictorian
Yellow/GoldArt Deco
OrangeAtomic Age
BlueThe Sixties
Green/Teal90s and Beyond
Purple/Lavender
Brown/Tan/Beige
Gray/Silver
Black/White
More Color Palettes
Patriotic Pantone PalettesLimited Colors
EarthyDark Blue Web
Color in Desktop Publishing & Design
Color Meanings:Symbolism of Color and Colors That Go Together
Color Basics for Print and Web:Color Wheels, RGB, CMYK, Specifying Color
Color Calibration:The Colors You See, Scan, Photograph, and Print
Color Printing:How to Get Good Color Printing
Pick Your Path to Desktop Publishing
Get Started:Basic Guidelines and Requirements for Desktop Publishing
Choose Software:Desktop Publishing and Design Software
Make Something: Things to Make Using Desktop Publishing
Tips & Tutorials:How to Do Desktop Publishing
Training, Education, Jobs:Careers in Desktop Publishing
In the Classroom: Back to School With Desktop Publishing
Use Templates: Templates for Print and Web Publishing

Readers Respond: Does Color Symbolism Matter in Graphic Design?

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