What are the most common color challenges in graphic design competitions?

3 Color Accessibility and Contrast

One of the biggest challenges that graphic designers face in competitions is ensuring that their colors are accessible and readable for everyone, especially for people with color vision deficiencies or low vision. Color accessibility and contrast are essential for creating inclusive and effective designs that communicate your message clearly and accurately. You need to use colors that have enough contrast between the foreground and the background, as well as between different elements of your design. You also need to avoid using colors that are too similar or that can cause confusion or discomfort for some viewers, such as red-green or blue-yellow. You can use tools like WebAIM's Contrast Checker or Color Safe to test and improve your color accessibility and contrast.

4 Color Trends and Innovation

Another challenge that graphic designers face in competitions is staying on top of the latest color trends and innovation, while also being original and creative. Color trends are influenced by various factors, such as social, cultural, economic, or environmental issues, as well as by the media, technology, and art. Color trends can help you create designs that are relevant, appealing, and modern, but they can also be overused, outdated, or clichéd. You need to balance your use of color trends with your own style and vision, and avoid copying or following others blindly. You can use tools like Adobe Color or Coolors to discover and generate new and inspiring color palettes.

5 Color Consistency and Branding

Another challenge that graphic designers face in competitions is maintaining color consistency and branding across different platforms and media. Color consistency and branding are important for creating a coherent and recognizable identity for your project, as well as for building trust and loyalty with your audience. You need to use colors that match your message, values, and goals, and that are consistent with your logo, typography, and other visual elements. You also need to use colors that adapt well to different devices, screens, and formats, and that are suitable for printing and web. You can use tools like Color Hunt or ColorZilla to find and save your color codes and values.

6 Color Experimentation and Feedback

The final challenge that graphic designers face in competitions is experimenting with different colors and getting feedback from others. Color experimentation and feedback are essential for improving your skills, finding new solutions, and learning from your mistakes. You need to try different colors and combinations, and see how they affect your design and your audience. You also need to ask for feedback from other designers, clients, or users, and listen to their opinions and suggestions. You can use tools like Dribbble or Behance to showcase your work and get feedback from the graphic design community.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?