Color Schemes in graphic design class for logo design project

I recently discovered the awesome online app coolors.co and just had to make a quick post about how to use this amazing program to help students understand and choose color schemes for various projects. Students can even use this program on their phones or an ipad.

So how does it work?
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Simply go to https://coolors.co/ and click on the blue button to start. For my graphic design classes, each student was provided with one specific hex code (the 6 digit number after the hashtag under each color). Students had to enter that hex code as one of their necessary colors. The rest of the colors were decided by each student. I had students lock their required color and then press the spacebar on their computers to generate random colors. If a student saw a color they wanted to keep, I had students lock that color and continue pressing the spacebar. For students that wanted more control, I allowed them to find and adjust the colors using the adjust feature (see below). Students can adjust hue, saturation, and brightness.

Once students chose their final color schemes, I had them record the hex codes in their logo design packet. Interested in seeing my logo design packet? Click the link or image below to view and download. This .pdf is currently free for all teachers personal and classroom use. 

2020_logo_design_packet1.pdf
File Size:	930 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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I have found using this packet to be very beneficial for students to slow down and think like a real graphic designer. In case you are curious, I give each student an assigned "company". This makes it more real-world too-- sometimes students get a company that really strikes a cord with them and others get something they think is boring. All of the companies I provide to students are made up and each student does a different design (no one has the same company assigned to them). But this emulates how it is to be a real graphic designer! Students are also put into small groups for the "pitch" stage. The other students in the group act like the "client" and give feedback on the 3 drawings eventually helping the designer decide which logo is strongest and what their final logo design will look like.

Interested to see some of my graphic design 1 students logo designs utilizing their color schemes? Check out my gallery below.