When designing packaging boxes, color techniques should pay attention to the following points: first, the relationship between color and packaging materials; The second is the contrast between color and the color itself. These two points are the key to color application.
Color and Packaging Correspondence
So, where should we start with the correspondence between color and packaging? Mainly through external packaging colors, it can reveal or reflect the internal packaging items. It enables people to basically perceive or associate the inner packaging with what it is at a glance. We can walk into the store and take a look at Huohe, but many products do not reflect this kind of caring relationship. Make it difficult for consumers to think about what packaging items are from the surface to the inside. Of course, it cannot have a positive promotional effect on product sales. The normal color of the external packaging should grasp the same characteristic to varying degrees;
(1) From the perspective of the industry, the normal use of colors for food packaging, such as goose yellow and pink, gives people a warm and approachable feeling. Of course, among them, tea is often used in green, beverages are often used in green and blue, alcoholic beverages and pastries are often used in bright red, children's food is often used in rose color, daily cosmetics are commonly used in rose, pink white, light green, light blue, and deep coffee colors, while clothing, shoes, and hats are mostly in dark green, deep blue, coffee, or gray.
(2) In terms of performance characteristics, as far as food is concerned, cake Dim sum are mostly made of gold and light colors to give people an impression of fragrance; Tea, beer and other beverages are often used in red or green colors, symbolizing the richness and aroma of tea; Tomato juice and apple juice are often used in red, indicating the natural properties of the item. Although some packaging may not appear to use colors with similar product attributes from the perspective of the main color tone, upon closer inspection, if the design of the packaging is done by one's own hands, there must be a symbol of a clear pen in the picture of its outer packaging, such as a color block, color dots, color lines, or concentrated content highlighted by that color. This should be everyone's proud work.
The Contrastive Relationship between Colors and Colors
Moreover, the contrast between colors. This is the most easily expressed yet very difficult to grasp thing in many product packaging. In design, it comes from a master, and the wound effect of packaging is like spring and snow, otherwise it is like being inferior. In Chinese calligraphy and painting, there is often a saying that goes, "dense but not breathable, sparse can run horses.". In fact, it is a kind of comparative relationship. In packaging design, this contrasting relationship is very obvious and common. The so-called comparisons generally include the following aspects: color contrast in depth, lightness, point and surface, complexity, elegance and vulgarity, contrast, and so on.
(1) The contrast of color depth used.
This is the most frequent and widely used color in current packaging design. The so-called contrast of depth and light should refer to the clever appearance of two colors in the design of a picture, creating a more coordinated visual effect. Usually, a large area of light colored base is used, while a dark composition is used on top of it, such as a light colored base, a coffee colored base is used for composition, or light yellow or white pattern lines are used in coffee colored blocks; Like using a light green base; A dark green composition; A pink base; A composition in bright red; A light gray base; The composition of soap black, and so on. China's Changyu wine, Shuanghui style sausages, and Xijie's meat product packaging are mostly expressed in this form. The visual effect it presents is bright, concise, gentle, and elegant.
(2) The contrast of light and weight (or depth contrast) in the use of colors is also an important technique for reproducing packaging colors. This kind of contrast between light and heavy often uses a light and elegant background to highlight a heavy and profound theme pattern, or in a heavy and profound theme pattern (often with color block patterns as the focus). The theme and name of the packaging material, as well as the trademark or advertising slogan, are light and elegant. On the contrary, a large area of heavy and deep pigments can also be used as a foundation. Use a light and elegant color tone or focus on a certain color block or decorate some patterns comprehensively. Generally, pigments have coordinated color contrast and warm and cold color contrast, and the method of coordinating color contrast is often light green versus dark green; Light color for dark coffee; Pink is often compared to bright red, while the contrast between warm and cool colors is mostly black and white, red and blue, etc.
(3) The contrast (or size contrast) of color use is mainly used in the design process of a packaging image, which involves the contrast of pigments from a central or concentrated point to the overall image, i.e. the contrast between small and large areas of the image. In daily life, especially in washing and makeup products, we can see that on the packaging box of a product, the entire area is clean and tidy, with a very obvious heavy colored small square (or elliptical or circular) appearing in the middle. Then, from the picture of this small square, the theme of the brand and name of the packaging content is reflected, which is not only a combination of points and surfaces, but also a contrast between large and small, Occasionally, there are also comparisons that gradually transition from point to point.
(4) The complexity and contrast of color usage. We can see Unified 100
On the packaging bags of instant noodles, there are various physical patterns on the bottom half, while at the top of the screen, there is a clean and bright green and red color, with the word "100" prominently highlighted. It is so simple and simple, yet ingeniously and independently expresses the brand of instant noodles. The author has also seen a packaging bag for a type of dumplings and a packaging bag for a seasoning in a store. The entire picture uses green and black pigments and interweaves with each other, appearing in one picture. They are forced to express the trademark impatiently, but also want to express the name and accompanying patterns. However, due to the complex design of the large area without any practical significance, the hidden patterns appear, and all the main body that should have been explained above is diluted,, This kind of packaging creates a sense of oppression and annoyance in people's minds, which naturally affects sales.
(5) The elegant contrast in color use is mainly to highlight common characters and contrast their elegance. And this vulgar way of expression is carried out using the "dirty" and disorderly colors. This composition is either symbolically revealing the theme, or serving to "set off the lotus flowers" for the theme.
Make it a little red among the myriad flowers.
(6) Contrast in color usage. This contrast is essentially a contrasting effect formed by the differences of multiple pigments themselves. The usual way to express this contrast effect is: the contrast between light and dark (or the contrast between yin and yang), similar to the light image in China; The contrast between cold and warm, the contrast between red and blue; The contrast between movement and stillness, the elegant and calm background, and the lively and chaotic pattern text: the contrast between light and heavy, the contrast between deep pigments and light pigments, and so on.