Choosing colors tutorial (Patreon)

Patron Kim asked me to tell you more about how I choose the colors for a realistic looking brick wall. Choosing colors comes naturally to me (and it will to you too eventually!), but I can explain my process if you're interested. 

A color wheel can be a useful tool for choosing color combinations that are fitting and harmonious. By using a color wheel, you can easily identify complementary colors (colors that are opposite each other on the wheel, like yellow and blue or red and green), and colors that are next to each other on the wheel, like different shades of red.

So to focus now on bricks: there are two main colors for brick work: there are yellow ones and reddish brick walls. (Of course there are many other shades and hues that can be found in bricks, ranging from light to dark and including colors like orange, brown, and gray.)

When I choose the colors for a red brick wall, first of all it can be helpful to gather visual references such as photos or real-life examples to study the colors. On my pallet I choose colors that are close together on the color wheel, like reds, oranges and browns. The danger of using different shades of red however is that the whole becomes flat-looking and dull. Thats why it's important to strike a balance between using enough variation. 

So in the example below you can see that I used some green color under the window sills (a complementary color to red) to create more interest. 

For a yellowish brick wall (see example) I use three different shades of yellow (like ochres and browns) but I added a complementary brick color: paynes grey. This grey color has a little bit of blue in it.

So the trick is to use both complementary colors and different shades of the same color. Use enough variation but avoid overuse because too many different shades can ruin your design. 

Hope this was helpful. 

Astrid