Step 4: Flat Colors

Next are the flat colors. These will be the “base” colors of your character before we get to the highlights and shadows. Consider the color scheme of your character. Amos' main colors are reddish-orange and navy blue, and accent colors include green and yellow. This is an example of a split complementary color scheme, which includes colors that are close in hue in addition to a color that is opposite in hue. Other color schemes include monochromatic, analogous, complementary, triadic, and tetradic. Consider color theory and what kind of emotions those colors evoke in someone looking at your character. For example, the blue in Amos' cloak is often associated with trustworthiness, loyalty, and wisdom, good traits for a protagonist like Amos to have or aspire to.

Also consider contrast. Does your character design have a good variety of light and dark values? If the colors seem like they are blending together, you can use a saturation filter to make everything black and white. If they are practically the same shade of gray when viewed this way, consider making one darker and the other lighter.