|
|
 |
| Select the color of text and decorations considering their conspicuousness as well
as attractiveness. Their layout on the image is also an important factor. |
|
You may hesitate to select the most suitable color when laying out text, a message
box, or decorations. After deciding on the color, have you ever felt that a different color would have been
better? Have you ever thought that every color is good? Especially for text, your color selection should
be both attractive and noticeable. Such a method of selecting color for text is explained below. |
|
|
 |
|
|
When selecting a color to be used, first try one of the colors in
the original photo. This is the same method you would use to coordinate clothes of a similar color.
Use the most predominant color in the photo, and the image will have unity. For example, lay out the
text and the decoration on the original Image A. In Image B, they are green, which is a color similar
to that of the eyes in the original photo. Image B seems to appear comfortable and to have a sense
of unity.
Are there any other matching colors? Not in this photo. Because the main color is sombre and quiet in Image A, a similar
color is acceptable. Images C and D have colors different from the original eye color, so their ambiences are different from
that of Image B. Images C and D are also attractive. In this way, similar colors (here sombre, subdued colors) may be considered
to have the same color tone.
In short, text and decorations in an attractive photo should have a similar color or be in the same color tone. In
Image E, the color and tone of the text and decoration are totally different from those in Image A. Image E does not seem
comfortable and lacks unity. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| A This image includes predominant green
eyes. |
|
B If the text and decoration are set in
a color similar to that of the eyes, the image seems comfortable. |
|
 |
|
 |
| C,D If the same color tone as
that of the eyes is used, the combination is attractive. |
|
 |
|
 |
| E,F If
both the color and tone are different, the image does not match the original ambience. |
|
|
|
| Letters and symbols such as arrows, which have meaning, should be
recognizable at a glance. Therefore, the text color should be selected for noticeability as well as
attractiveness. In Image A, the text is the same color as that of the sky, so the color is matching
but it is not easily seen or conspicuous. In Image B, the text is white and conspicuous. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| A The
text is the same color as that of the sky. There is color balance, but not conspicuousness. |
|
B The
letters are both white and conspicuous. |
|
|
|
Visibility is the level of ease with which shapes can be recognized.
High level visibility refers to a good combination for recognizing shapes clearly. Below are several
combinations of text and background colors. Classify the sample combinations into high-level visibility
(easy to read) and low-level visibility (difficult to read).
When classifying the text and background, you should know that high-level visibility includes a large difference in
the lightness of the text and background colors. If the text were converted into gray scale, the group having high visibility
has an obvious difference. Therefore, when using text, you should establish a large difference in the lightness of the text
and background colors, which produces a high degree of visibility. |
|
|
 |
| Here
are several combinations of text and background colors. Which one is the easiest for you to read?
Probably 1, 3, and 4 are the easiest to read. |
|
|
|
 |
| Convert
the above samples to grayscale. 1, 3, and 4, which are easy to read, have a large difference
in lightness. |
|
|
|
|
In summary, a similar or the same color tone should be selected
for text and decorations laid out on the photo based on the predominant color used on the original
photo. In addition, you should set a large difference between the lightness of the text and the background
colors. This is a fundamental point.
You may manipulate the color of the text or decorations, or you may process the original photo. The example of the
eye image was originally darker, as shown in Image C, below. Even if green text, the same color as that of the eyes, is used,
its visibility may be low in some parts. Therefore, the area around the eyes is processed to be lighter in order to increase
the difference in lightness for greater visibility.
Considering the above discussion, if you do not want to have your text or decorations stand out in a photo, select
colors with low visibility.
Text visibility depends not only on color but also on the thickness of the letters. This will be explained another
time. |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| C Using
dark color text on this photo produces low visibility. |
|
D Process
the photo, and the text and decoration become more noticeable. |
|
|
|
If a photo consists of similar colors, the text cannot be seen if they are both
the same color. What color is the best choice in such a case?
First, try black or white. Especially for photos with vivid and strong colors, the result will be uninteresting if
another color is used directly. The colors clash. Black and white have no hue, so they are versatile and fit in with most
any color. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| A White
copy matches a strong color. |
|
B Use
black if the background is light. |
|
|
|
| If you are not satisfied with black or white, or if the photo is
not so colorful, you might try using a color for the text. In such a case, try a color similar to one
of those in the photo or the same tone with a large difference in lightness. You will see that such
a combination will be pleasing and will match the photo. |
|
|
 |
  |
| C A similar dark blue color is used to match the bluish shadow of the ice. |
D White text is good. A dark color of the same tone (earth color such as
in leaves or soil) as that of the road is also good. On the image at right, the color of the
copy is the same as that of the trees in the distance. |
|
|
|
Not all photos are suitable for laying out text and decorations.
For example, it would be difficult to lay out text or decoration on Images A and B, shown below. They
are typical images.
Image A has parts with different degrees of lightness. In such a case, conspicuous text or decorations in the light
part cannot be easily recognized in the dark part. Image B consists of many different colors and has no space for text or
decoration. Although the word "shopping" is laid out on Image B as a trial, it is difficult to read.
In this case, the best solution is to select another photo. But, if you want to or must use the original photo, try
several different ways of layout to increase visibility. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
| A The
light levels vary within one photo. You cannot read the text everywhere. |
|
B The
colors and light levels are completely mixed. When laying out the text, you cannot read it easily. |
|
|
|
|
The most popular method of increasing the visibility of text and
decorations is to change the color of the text or decorations halfway, as shown in Image C. Another
way is to use a black or white frame, as shown in Image D. However, both of these methods help make
the photo unattractive and unsophisticated. You should consider trying to use a process that makes
the photo both attractive and visible. For example, instead of using a simple frame of black or white,
white shadow is used in Image E, and the letters appear to float. Image F has a white blur as though
light were being emitted. In Image G, the color of the background behind the text has been adjusted
for visibility.
To make text and decorations more conspicuous, make them three-dimensional or add a texture using the layer effect
in Photoshop, as in Image H. Try not to make them more conspicuous than the original photo. |
|
|
|
|
 |
C The color of the letters and the decoration
are changed halfway. The image does not seem sophisticated. |
|
 |
D A
frame is used. The text becomes more conspicuous, but the image is not really satisfactory. |
|
 |
|
|
 |
E Part
of the background color is adjusted for visibility. |
|
 |
F The
text and decoration are blurred as though they are emitting light. |
|
 |
G A
shadow effect is created for the text and decoration, making them not only more conspicuous but
also three-dimensional. |
|
 |
H The
layer effect has been used to give the text and decorations the texture of glass. |
|
|
|
|
