Color trends are constantly changing, and designers need to stay ahead of them. How would you describe your style? Is it colorful or minimalist? Or maybe somewhere in between? Whatever your preference, incorporating color into your illustrations is a great way to add personality to your work.
The Importance of Color
Color is an important part of any design process. It’s what makes things pop out at us when we look at them. We see colors as more than just shapes and lines they help form; they have meaning that goes beyond their physical properties.
When designing something, it’s important to think about how people will view it. How does this object make someone feel? What emotions does it evoke? When we use color in our illustrations, we can create a sense of movement, energy, and excitement. This helps give our designs visual impact and appeal.
Certain colors evoke certain emotions such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, etc. By choosing colors that correspond to these feelings, you can better communicate your message.
So pick your colors and color scheme carefully depending on the message you want to portray. An easy way to keep track of the color palettes and trends you are using is by creating a moodboard first that you can always refer back to.
Here are 14 color trends to pay attention to in 2022.
14 Color Trends You'll Want to Start Using
Like most things in life, color trends come and go. As a digital designer, illustrator or just someone that loves to draw it is your job to stay on top of what is topping the charts.
1. Bold but Flat Colors
Bold colors are back! They were popular in 2017 but faded away after that. Bold colors are great for creating a strong statement. However, if you overdo it, it can become too loud and overpowering.
Image Source: FreePik
If you want to incorporate bold colors in your digital designs, try using them sparingly and in a flat manner. Flat designs often feature clean lines and minimal design so they suit the explosive nature of bold colors, adding an extra dimension to your illustration.
You can also use bold colors to emphasize key points in your illustration. For example, if you have a product that has a lot of features, then use bold colors to highlight those features.
2. Primary May Just be Perfect
It’s no secret that primary colors are very bright and vibrant. So when you choose a combination of primary colors, you get a lot of punch with such a simple composition. 
Image Source: Unsplash
When we say primary colors we don’t necessarily mean the stereotypical red yellow and blue colors you see above. You can use pastel versions of the colors or change the vibrancy and use darkened tones.
However, this doesn't mean that you should only use primary colors. It's okay to mix primary with secondary and even tertiary colors. This will give your work a softer feel and make it less intense. It just depends on what you want your audience to feel…
3. Faded Retro Colors
Retro colors are a throwback to the past. They are simple and clean. While retro colors may appear old-fashioned, they still have their place in modern designs.
Image Source: Pinterest
To create a retro style, start with a solid base color and then apply a gradient. Gradients are a great way to add depth to your design and bring about a feeling of nostalgia and familiarity.
4. A Limited Color Palette
A limited color palette means you're using fewer colors than usual. For example, instead of using four colors, you could use just one. Or you could use three colors instead of six. 
Image Source: Pinterest
The benefits of a limited color palette are that it makes your design more simplistic and cleaner, without detracting from the illustration itself.
5. Color Contrasting, Hyper-Saturated Style
Put aside traditional color combinations. Hyper-saturated styles are all about contrasting the unexpected. They feature lots of bright colors against a dark background that are actively competing against each other for the viewers’ attention.
Image Source: Unsplash
This is a good option if you want to convey excitement and energy. If you use hyper-saturated colors, you need to think about how you can balance out the intensity of the colors.
6. Jewel Tones Are In
Jewel tones are warm hues that are often found in nature - in particular - in gemstones. They are usually associated with earthy tones such as browns, greens, reds, blues, and blues. They are considered highly saturated but are more subdued than the bold colors we see on a daily basis.
Image Source: Pinterest
These colors are great for creating serenity, calmness, and sophistication. Plus they are often associated with royalty!
7. Futuristic Metallics
Metallic colors are striking. They stand out from other colors because they reflect light differently and appear as though they are shining.
Image Source: Unsplash
Metallics are perfect for futuristic designs, yet they give off a retro feel. They help to ground the design or illustration and make it seem more realistic. The benefits of using metallic colors is that they are easy to read and can blend well into most backgrounds (if you wish).
8. Pastels, Pastels, Pastels & More Pastels
Pastels are a classic choice. They are easy to use and versatile. There are many different types of pastels. Some are matte, others are glossy, some are loud, some are soft. But pastels are always sweet.
Image Source: Free Vector
Pastels are great for creating subtle highlights and a sense of calmness in your illustration. They are also a great option for backgrounds. The benefit of using pastels is that they don't take up much 'space' on the canvas.
9. Color Blocking
Color blocking is when you use two or three complementary colors together to ‘block out’ certain parts of your illustration in order to draw attention to it.
Image Source: Unsplash
When you blend together complementary colors you create contrast. The idea behind color blocking is to make sure that each element stands out. By doing so, you create a strong visual impact. When choosing which colors to block, keep in mind what type of effect you want to achieve.
10. Light & Calming Watercolors
Watercolor is an excellent medium for illustrating landscapes. It's a very naturalistic medium that lends itself perfectly to depicting nature.
Image Source: Unsplash
When using watercolors, try to avoid making things too busy. This will only distract the viewer. Instead, focus on creating a calm scene. You can experiment with watercolors using Rebelle 5.
11. We Love Color Gradients
Color gradients are a great way to add interest to your illustrations. They are especially useful for adding depth, texture and dimensionality to your work.
Gradients are created by blending between two or more colors. For example, you might start off with a lighter shade of gray and then gradually move towards a darker shade or as seen below you start off in pink and blend gradually to blue.
Image source: Unsplash
Gradients are a great way of adding variety to your art while allowing you to have some control over the overall look of the piece.
12. Make it Natural
Using natural and earthy color tones is a great way to illustrate nature. Earthy colors include browns, greens, and grays. These colors are typically found in nature. They are commonly used to depict trees, grasses, and rocks, but don’t have to be. You can use natural colors for anything in your illustration.
Image Source: Pinterest
It is our current concern with the environment and with sustainability that is bringing these colors back into style as we yearn to go back to basics.
You can also use this technique to give your illustration a feeling of realism.
13. Forget Complementary Colors, Analogous Colors Are In
Analogous colors are similar colors next to one another on the color wheel. Think of analogous colors as being like siblings. For example (and as depicted below), red, red-orange, and orange are analogous colors.
When we are talking about analogous colors we are typically only talking about three colors. But, it can go up to four or five colors depending on the complexity of your illustration.
Image Source: Unsplash
Complementary colors are opposites of each other on the color chart. Complementary colors tend to clash with each other. Whereas similar analogous colors tend to go well together.
14. Modern & Muted Colors
Muted colors are those that lack vibrancy. They are often described as having a soft feel. Muted colors can be used to express feelings such as sadness, melancholy, and depression. However, there are exceptions. Some artists use muted colors to convey happiness and joy.
Image Source: iStockPhoto
It's important to remember that not all people experience emotions in the same way. So, if you're trying to portray a certain emotion, don't rely solely on the colors you've chosen. Use multiple techniques to get across the message you want to communicate.
Often we expose ourselves to an overwhelming amount of information and content on a daily basis, muted colors contrast that, giving our eyes something soft and inviting to look at.
In conclusion, we hope these trends help you improve your skills when it comes to coloring in illustrations. There are many different ways to approach the subject.
Experimenting with new styles and techniques is how you learn to become a better artist or designer.
However, it doesn’t hurt to draw inspiration from the masters and to follow the trends they are setting!
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Guest Post written by Darya Jandossova Troncoso, Chief Editor at MarketSplash