DMF Assignment #3, Scratch Project

This week in DMF we have been working with Vector graphics and flat color. In these pieces I was working with a specific set of perameters; flat color, limited paletter, clear shapes. What I played with mostly on this assignment was underlying messages. I found that even with very geometric shapes and sharp colors, I can still create analytical pieces that are creative and constructive.
I hope you like them. :)

1. How are they different from working with continuous tones?
I found that these pieces were different becuase the flat color made everything much sharper. For example, the gradients are simpler and there is a lot less variation in color. Each piece has a distinct shade (and one background is gradient). Initially I thought that a limited palette would be, well, limiting! But I found that working within a distinctive palette made the graphics more striking. I discovered elements that might have otherwise been subtle, had I not stayed within those boundaries.
2. How did you choose which colors to work with?
I never had specific colors in mind. What I tried to do with each piece is to push myself by choosing a random color to start with and then maintaining that color as the hub of my palette. An example of this is my last piece, which says "Freedom has many shapes". The background is not a particularly attractive color. ( I referred to it earlier as vomit mustard.....). But when I started to envision my graphics, I chose the paler gold and black because I thought they looked complimentary. Now that I see my finished piece, I wouldn't change the colors. They have grown on me.
3. Did some color combinations work better than others?
Yes, several color combinations worked better than others. I found that after I chose an initial palette, that I had to be very selective about which colors I chose and where I applied them. One thing I found that helps with color combinations is brightness/contrast. I used this tool to manipulate the hues of these pieces, so that they would have a more unique and eye-catching effect.