Showerthought: I started picking colors from photos of my actual client's stuff

I was stuck on a logo for a local coffee shop, and my usual palette tools weren't clicking. So, I opened a photo I took of their main counter (it's this worn, dark wood) and used the eyedropper in Photoshop to grab three colors straight from it. I got a warm brown, a cream from a mug, and a green from a plant they have. It just felt right and the client loved it because it matched their real space. Has anyone else tried pulling a palette directly from a client's environment instead of a generator?

2 comments

2 Comments

tyler_baker16h ago

Ever just steal colors from real life?

rowan_thomas12h ago

Oh man, I'd say it's not stealing at all. It's more like borrowing from the biggest, best source there is. The real world has color combos you'd never dream up on your own. I keep a folder on my phone just for pictures of cool paint chips, or moss on a wall, stuff like that. It's the best way to make things feel right, you know? Calling it stealing makes it sound shady, but it's just smart.