Color Palettes with CMYK Formulas
These color palettes feature shades of blue. Although I've made a few suggestions here and there about the 'amount' of each color to use, experiment. For best results don't use even amounts of each color in the palette. Choose one or two dominant colors and use the rest for accents. Keep in mind that due to the differences between color in print and on the Web that these colors may not appear the same on paper as they appear here on the screen.
These aren't just random color combinations. Each of these are based on actual historic and modern formulas used in posters, packaging, ads, and other design work over the past century. For a much more comprehensive selection of color combinations refer to The Designer's Guide to Color Combinations by Leslie Cabarga.
C90M50K30 | C70K25 | C10K40 | C100K40 | C100M90Y90
These blues and gray create a dark, conservative look.
C100M75 | C80M5Y10 | C65M3Y10 | C15Y5 | M40Y75 | C100M50 | C40K100 | White
Brighten this combo of shades of blues with a dash of orange.
C100M40 | M47Y100 | C10M95Y5
Shades of the sixties with blue, orange, and pink.
M50Y100 | C100M37K15 | C25M10K4 | White
Vary the look here by using orange as the accent or the medium blue as the accent.
C60M20Y5K10 | M75Y80 | White
It's still orange and blue but with a more subdued look. A dash of bright white keeps it from being too subdued.
M9Y45K5 | C95M80Y30K15 | C45M40Y10K5 | M80Y100
More attraction between yellow and blue (both a light and a darker blue) with a dash of orange thrown in.
C60M100 | C30M50 | C15M25 | C70M50Y25K10 | C100M85Y35K15 | C40M20Y10K5
Show your passion for purple and your bias toward blue with this cool color palette.
C35Y7K3 | C55Y10K5 | C80Y15K7 | C100Y20K20 | Y100 | M40Y35 | C40K100
Accent these blues with a dash of yellow and pink.
Brown joins blue-green shades in this color palette of the Atomic Age. [See more Atomic Age era color palettes]
Eight - count 'em - eight brights and browns make up this nature-inspired palette - including a bright and a light blue. [See More Earthy Color Palettes]
Color Meanings and Mixing Colors
Discover the cultural meanings for these colors and more ways to mix and match colors.
More Color Palettes
Explore more color palettes to evoke a certain mood or make a color statement.
Use Swatch Books
Use PANTONE Color Guides to get just the right shades for your color palettes and to find CMYK-PMS color equivalents.
