HOME
PROJECTS
ABOUT
CLIENT RESOURCES
Colors
by G. Peterson
3/30/2008
Even though colors are not the be-all and end-all to our mapping efforts, they are frequently the first thing to get lambasted when we present our work to others. If you want people to pay attention to the underlying message of your map, then picking out a pleasing color scheme can make all the difference. And, of course, if your main message
is
the cartographic product itself, then color-picking is of primary importance. With all this pressure to use nice colors, it is helpful to know that there are lots of places to look for inspiration and guidance in this arena.
Here are a few of my favorite color-sites. Don't forget that these sites can be used for more than just coloring the attributes of various map layers. You can also use them to pick color palettes for the entire layout including titles, borders, and backgrounds.
Let me know
if there are any websites that you think should be included here.
Color Brewer
is unique in that it is a GIS-specific color picking tool. You can add pre-defined color palletes to a map dynamically to see how they differ in a real-map setting.
Colour Lovers
has an active user community that uploads color schemes and commentary on them, among other things. Its one of those sites that has many layers. You can quickly go to the palettes section and get a color scheme for your next map or you can browse the comments and learn about color critique, etc.
kuler
is another great source for palettes and critical feedback.
Interactive Color Wheel
is a nifty java applet for picking colors via an HSV color wheel.
Tiger Color Color Theory Basics
teaches you about the color wheel and methods for combining colors based on the wheel.