Free Website, Printing and Graphic Design Tips

Black is black…except when it’s not. Color is an integral part to any successful website, logo or type layout. Consider using colors and  art at less than their 100 percent values. For instance, a black symbol used at 50 percent of its color value, would appear as gray. When combined, a color and its tinted equivalent can have a striking effect.

In the above example we see green used at 100 percent (also referred to as “solid” color) to display a cell number and email address (lower right hand corner of card). That same green is used at 20 percent to create the two large script letters in the background. As a result, it would appear that we have used two different colors.

This simple process, of using one ink color at different percentages, can create the look of a multi color business card when, in fact, only two colors have been used (black for the band and green at 100 percent and 20 percent). If you were to eliminate the black and make the band green the card would print using only one color. Using one color is even more economical than two.

This technicque is really less about economics and more about adding style to your text and images. The tinted script letters shown above could also have been printed in 100 percent green but would not have had the same end effect as printed them as a tint of green. Consider using tints when working with logos made of text only or when you want to add an image or symbol to the background of another.

Be aware that when colors overlay they will combine in the overlapped areas and the dominant color (darker) will prevail. For example, in the business card image above if the black band were the same color and tint as the large script letters and the large script letters were black, you would see the black letters showing through the light green band. Not necessarily the effect you were going for.

Experiment using tints in your designs. They can add a layer of  visual interest to almost any application.