Color, Color, Color, Color

Written By Sean Adams

Color palette for Sobre el cine: Almodóvar

I used this title as an homage to one of my favorite books, Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats. However, the title page has a different amount: Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats, Cats.

Now, to the subject. A year ago, Domestika asked me to make a course about Color. Yes, I love that idea as a movie version of The Designer’s Dictionary of Color. They sent me some examples of other courses by three of my favorite people, Chip Kidd, Michael Johnson, and Sagi Haviv. All three were, as expected, perfect. It made me pause and reconsider, however, as they all looked fantastic. Chip is always dapper. Michael is the model of a great designer, and Sagi is like a movie star. But I planned on wearing a sheet over my head, so no problem.

I structured the course around the power of color and how to work with it fearlessly. There are so many rules about color: don’t mix green and hot pink, don’t combine brown with red, make sure the colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel, and so on. This course would avoid these and allow viewers to have fun without judgment. I included a few assignments, including the design of a film festival poster. I designed a few and made the assignment my dream projects.

Today, the course is live. The Domestika people know what they are doing; how they edited my ramblings into something with logic is a true talent. Check it out. Then, do something utterly intense with color. You’ll get a response.

https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/5147/sean_adams_1

Sean Adams

Sean Adams is the Dean of Visual Art and Communication at ArtCenter, founder of Burning Settlers Cabin studio, and on-screen author for LinkedIn Learning/Lynda.com He is the only two term AIGA national president in AIGA’s 100 year history. In 2014, Adams was awarded the AIGA Medal, the highest honor in the profession. He is an AIGA Fellow, and Aspen Design Fellow. He has been recognized by every major competition and publication including; How, Print, Step, Communication Arts, Graphis, AIGA, The Type Directors Club, The British Art Director’s Club, and the Art Director’s Club. Adams has been exhibited often, including a solo exhibition at The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Adams is an author of multiple magazine columns, and several best-selling books. He has been cited as one of the forty most important people shaping design internationally, and one of the top ten influential designers in the United States. Previously, Adams was a founding partner at AdamsMorioka, whose clients included The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Disney, Mohawk Fine Papers, The Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Richard Meier & Partners, Sundance, and the University of Southern California.

www.burningsettlerscabin.com
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