by chema.foces

Shades of the Unexpected

What makes a color "unexpected" is a difference from the norm or a breaking of the rules. Consider, for example, a fiery red nimbus cloud amongst common white ones, an impatient yellow blossom amongst green buds, or an anomalous brown nut amongst its candy-covered companions. A mismatched color can jolt the viewer into a new way of looking. It can offer:

a rhythm to the palette a lively surprise a sense of depth or substance a punchy contrast a delightful idiosyncrasy an inspirational boost a festive mood unexpected warmth a "not too serious" tone a fun nuance a reason to smile

by jpmatth

An anomalous pile of blue sticks next to an orange-leafed tree in an autumnal glade served as the inspiration for the "Stick Figures" palette.

by ISphoto

A green and red cactus in a Kingman, Arizona parking lot served as the inspiration for the "Cactus Erroneous" palette.

by cobalt123

[Read the entire article in my guest blog at ColourLovers.com.]