Tips & Inspo

Peach Fuzz is so 2024 that it started in 2023. This year's selection for Pantone Color of the Year may be the most reflective of current color trends since Rose Quartz+ Serenity in 2016. If Viva Magenta (2023) and Veri Peri (2022) were trend-setting, Peach Fuzz is at least partway up the popularity curve. We've been seeing soft tones, nature hues, desert color palettes, and pretty, vintage shades for a few years. Think sage green, blush pink, bird's egg blue, and sandy tan. Peach Fuzz fits inside that comforting, clean, slow-motion moment. Pantone Color of the Year 2024 Since 1999, [...]

I'll admit. Turquoise isn't a color I reference often in projects for my Virginia advertising agency. I'm a little burnt out on the tone — after the surge in the 2010s. During that time, it was a trendy addition for the "pop" of color. For instance, a room would be designed in chocolate brown and turquoise would be added as a playful element. Later, Turquoise and Red filters flooded Instagram and most photo editing apps — creating high-constrast, bright visuals. Currently, color combinations are nuanced with an appreciation for careful layering of textures and tones. Turquoise Pantone Color of the Year [...]

Something about autumn shivers inspires a little spookiness. In designs, I like to balance bright with dark and pops of color with murky tones. Halloween is the perfect time to bring out this visual tension. Autumn Color Ideas Spooky color ideas don't always have a place in the advertising world. But, October lets us indulge a little the the campier hues. When I create these color roundups, I use hex codes because I tend to work most in web design. If you’re designing in Canva or Illustrator, you can download my images. Then, just use the color picker tool to [...]

Whenever my clients ask for an infographic, I usually ask, "Why?" The most common reasons are that they: Want to add visual interest to a design (such as a brochure, information packet, or a webpage) Plan to share it on social media Hope infographics can boost traffic, data retention, etc. Most small businesses use infographics to build brand awareness, engage customers, or generate website traffic. However, many businesses struggle to understand the basics of how to make an infographic. Building a better infographic starts with understanding the "info" part. What is an Infographic? Designers draft visual images, such as a [...]

When Pantone first released Emerald as the color of the year for 2013, I was surprised at its vibrancy. In my mind, the tone is darker because my brain aligns with the lowlights of the gem. I see dark green satin or mossy, muddy tones. However, they selected a classic fashion jewel-tone version of Emerald — a series of colors that dominated fashion, beauty, and home design during the 2010s. This particular shade of green looks almost preppy — somewhere between a Kate Spade Green and Kelly Green with a touch of blue. Emerald: The Pantone Color of the Year [...]