1.04 Colour Palette Analysis

 

The colours chosen in the final concept pieces reflect cosiness. The overall colours of the environment are cooler toned, but warmer neutral and greens are also focal points of the environment. 

I experimented with a variety of palettes but found that this combination of colours worked best for portraying a sense of cosiness. Other combinations felt jarring, but I found that these pieces held an intrinsic charm that the others didn't have. Initially I thought that purely warm tones would likely be what I would need to create a cosy vibe, but through my colour exploration I found that certain cool tones can still be comforting when well placed and balanced. 

The warmer accent colours, such as the oranges and reds in the house and the orange toned earth are made to draw the attention of the player rather than overwhelming a player. Since cosiness often draws upon the enjoyment of small, simple moments I found that this was the most effective way to create cosiness through the choice of colour. 

Overall, there isn't a particular colour that necessarily creates a sense of cosiness (although there are definitely colours and palette I would shy away from), but rather the overall cohesion of the colours and the intention behind placing certain colours in certain places. Contrast, when used strategically, can be very effective. When looking into colour design for a cosy game, it is much easier to say what not to do, rather than creating a rigid template for what you have to do. 

In designing a cosy environment, I would not include:

• High saturation and vibrancy across the whole environment.
• Certain high vibrancy colours can be used sparingly, but when the whole environment is incredibly saturated it creates an overwhelming, chaotic and high energy composition. This makes the environment overstimulating and jarring rather than cosy
• Too many cool and "sterile" colours
• Whites, cool greys and cool blues wouldn't be good to include in a cosy environment because it will create an unwelcoming environment. These particular palettes lack character.
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• Too many dark and heavy colours
• Even in darker style cosy games like dredge the colours can be tied to nostalgic feelings. In small doses, darker blacks, purples and mahogany colours can elevate the environment, but when you overwhelm it, instead of being cosy, it can be detached and oppressive. Players are more likely to expect horror elements when an environment is oversaturated with these kinds of colours, which will lead to uneasiness. If this is the intended design, it can be very effective, but as a general rule a cosy game should contain too much.
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• Too much contrast
• Like I said before, some contrast is good because it creates visual interest. Overusing these elements can create visual tensions, which makes the scene overstimulating. Cosy design relies on visual harmony, not visual harm. 
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• Overly digital colours
• If the colour rarely occurs in nature, it might be best to avoid. It makes the scene very artificial. 
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• Monotonous palette
• Too much contrast is bad, but so is too little contrast. There isn't enough visual interest to stimulate the player. It makes the scene lifeless and monotonous even when using warm colours. 
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