: How to test if a specific color is harmonious within a new color pallete I'm trying to harmonize colors, I understand the basic theory, but when it comes to a complex palette, like for branding,

Posted in: #Branding #ColorTheory #InterfaceDesign

I'm trying to harmonize colors, I understand the basic theory, but when it comes to a complex palette, like for branding, website and multiple applications, how can I test if a color is out of the harmony? sometimes I do visually but I get stuck on how to improve or make sure all the colors are the best as possible to what works according to the theory.

Instead of creating the color palette first and then try to force the design into it (this technique I have seen with illustrators), is there a way to make sure a color is harmonious?

This was my process:

I took a look on the UI colors and started a new website using same of the colors from it, It ended up looking very dead***.

I've done some color research and I came up with some references.

We liked these illustrations and photos to use as a reference for our new photos and color pallets. I started to visually stealing these colors from the compositions and trowing these colors in a new landing page

However, the UI of the product looked too different. So I tried throwing some grey blues or removing it completly:

So my question is, how do I make sure that the UI colors are matching harmonically (especially the greys) the colors I picked on both the product UI and the website? When I go to Kuler I can't compare all these colors at the same time, so I get lost.

I think the bluewish UI might look the most closer to the new landing page / website, however I think we might have a problem in terms of usability (it might be too distracting when with too much blue on the grey).

Adobe software (photoshop, indesign, AE, illustrator) might be the closest type of UI that I'm working with but It seems that they use warmer greys and it doesn't matter what kind of of product they are using they always use the same greys

Note:All I am trying to create a new brand with consistent colors but thinking about usability and UI first.