Color Mastery in Packaging Box Design

When designing packaging boxes, color techniques should pay attention to the following points: first, the correspondence between color and packaging materials; The second is the contrast between color and color itself. These two points are key in the use of color.

(1) Zhaoying

So, how should we talk about the correspondence between color and packaging materials? Mainly through the external packaging color, it can reveal or reflect the internal packaging items. At the first glance of the outer packaging, people can basically perceive or associate what the inner packaging is. For this issue, the author has mentioned it several times in previous articles, but if we can walk into the store and take a look at the goods, many products do not reflect this kind of correspondence. Make it difficult for consumers to think from the surface to the inside about what the packaged item is. Of course, it cannot have a positive promotional effect on the sales of the product. The color of normal external packaging should grasp this same characteristic to varying degrees;

(1) Moving forward from the industry, the normal use of colors in food packaging, such as goose yellow and pink, gives people a sense of warmth and closeness. Of course, among them, tea uses a lot of green, beverages use a lot of green and blue, alcoholic beverages and pastries use a lot of bright red, children's food uses a lot of rose color, daily cosmetics use rose color, pink white, light green, light blue, and dark coffee as the main colors to highlight the warm and elegant atmosphere, clothing, shoes and hats use dark green, dark blue, coffee or gray as the main colors to highlight the calm and elegant beauty.

In terms of performance characteristics, as far as food is concerned, cake Dim sum are mostly made of gold and light yellow to give people an impression of fragrance; Beverages such as tea and beer often use red or green colors, symbolizing the richness and aroma of tea; Tomato juice and apple juice often use red, which indicates the natural properties of the item. Although some packaging may not appear to use colors with similar product attributes from the main color tone, upon closer inspection, if the design of the packaging is based on the pen of one's own hand, then there must be symbolic color blocks, dots, lines, or concentrated content highlighted by that color in the image of its outer packaging. This should be everyone's proud work. There are many examples of packaging for clothing, makeup, and even wine.

(2) Comparative relationship

Moreover, the contrast between colors. This is the easiest thing to express in many product packaging but also very difficult to grasp. In the design, it comes from a master, and the wound effect of packaging is like a spring snow, otherwise it's like a lowly person. In Chinese calligraphy and painting, there is often a popular saying that goes, 'dense but not breathable, sparse but galloping.'. In fact, it refers to a comparative relationship. In packaging design, this contrasting relationship is very obvious and common. The so-called comparisons generally include the following aspects: the contrast of color depth, the contrast of color intensity, the contrast of color point and surface, the contrast of color complexity, the contrast of color elegance and vulgarity, the contrast of color usage, and so on.

(1) The contrast of color depth used.

This is currently the most frequent and widely used color in packaging design. It is very common in many graphic designs (referring to posters, hanging paintings, or graphic design). The so-called contrast of depth and shade should refer to the clever combination of two colors, depth and shade, in a design to create a harmonious visual effect. Usually used for large-area light colored flooring, with dark colored compositions applied on top, such as light yellow flooring, patterned with coffee color, or using light yellow or white pattern lines in coffee colored blocks; Or use a light green base; A dark green composition; Pink flooring; A composition in bright red; A light gray base; Soap black composition, etc. These are contrasts of color depth used in packaging design, which can be applied to some cosmetics packaging or some Western wine packaging, especially the most common in Western wine packaging. China's Changyu wine and Shuanghui style sausage, as well as Xijie's meat product packaging, are mostly expressed in this form. This packaging form is also common in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. The visual effect it presents is bright, simple, gentle, and elegant.

(2) The contrast of light and dark colors (also known as contrast of depth) is also an important reproduction technique in the use of packaging colors. This kind of contrast between light and heavy often highlights a solemn and profound theme pattern with a light and elegant base color, or within a solemn and profound theme pattern (often with color block patterns as the main focus). The theme and name of the packaging material, as well as the trademark or advertising slogan, that expresses a light and simple elegance. Conversely, there is also a large area of heavy and deep pigment as a base. Use light and elegant color tones, or concentrate on a certain color block or decorate some patterns comprehensively. In this type of contrast between light and dark colors, pigments generally have coordinated color contrast and warm and cool color contrast. The technique of coordinated color contrast is often light green to dark green; Light to dark coffee; Pink contrasts with bright red, while the contrast between cool and warm colors is often black and white, red and blue, etc.

(3) The point to surface contrast (or size contrast) used in color is mainly used in the design process of a packaging image, which involves the contrast of pigments from a center or concentrated point to the overall image, that is, the contrast between small and large areas of the image. In daily life, especially in washing and makeup products, we can see that on the packaging box of a product, the entire area is clean and tidy, with a very obvious heavy colored small square (or oval or small round) appearing in the middle. Then, the theme of the brand and name of the packaging content is reflected from the picture of this small square. This is not only a combination of point and surface, but also a contrast between large and small, occasionally transitioning from point to point.

(4) The contrast between complexity and simplicity in color usage. We can see the unified "100"

Instant noodles, on the packaging bag, the lower half is the actual pattern of each mixed instant noodle, while on the top of its picture is the entire clean big green and red color, and then the "100" is prominently highlighted. Look at the cover of the 66th issue of "Packaging World" magazine (also known as the book's packaging). Using a large area of real grass woven photos as a backdrop, it appears very complicated, even including the four words' packaging world '. However, in the center of the main image, there is a clean circular blank space. Indicate in it that 'this magazine will expand its edition and capacity in 2000' and 'you are welcome to subscribe at the local post office'. It's so simple and straightforward, yet ingeniously and independently highlighting the most important ideas that the magazine needs to express. The author has also seen a dumpling packaging bag and a seasoning packaging bag in a store, where the entire picture is made of green, black, and * colors interwoven with each other, wanting to express both the trademark and the name, as well as the accompanying pattern. However, due to the large area of complex design that has no practical meaning, the hidden patterns appear, diluting and overwhelming the main subject that should have been explained above, causing a sense of oppression and annoyance in people's psychology, which naturally affects sales.

(5) The elegant contrast of color usage is mainly to highlight vulgar characters and contrast their elegance. And this vulgar way of expression is carried out using the "dirty" and disorderly colors (in fact, it is unique and some Western oil paintings are very much about this expression - that is, modern abstract art). This composition is either a symbolic revelation of the theme, or a service to the theme of "highlighting the lotus flowers".

Make it a little red among the flowers. On a packaging screen, it appears as if a pile of messy colors have been haphazardly applied or thrown onto it. Then quietly aside or cleverly place the theme of the pattern in it. This is a very interesting thing. In addition to packaging, even book binding (zh ē n), advertisements, posters on promotional posters, and leisure programs on television have attempted this.

Contrast in color usage. This contrast is essentially a contrasting effect formed by the differences among multiple pigments themselves. This contrast effect is usually manifested by the contrast between light and dark (or the contrast between yin and yang), such as the Chinese concept of lightness; The contrast between warmth and coldness, such as the contrast between red and blue; The contrast between movement and stillness, such as the contrast between elegant and calm backgrounds and lively and lively patterns and text; the contrast between light and heavy, such as the contrast between deep and light pigments, and so on.