Intermediate-advanced color scheme/theory tutorials?

[Earthling]

Does anyone have good links to color theory tutorials for spriting/tileset creation that go beyond just "triad/tetrad/analagous" basics? For example, a while ago I found this tutorial (can't remember URL now) that said the darker you go the more blue you should add to the shade color, and the lighter you go, the less saturated your color should be. This kind of information is surprisingly difficult to find if you just search "color theory".

Basically, I'm looking for information that's mechanical, in terms of huge, saturation, value, etc, that would describe how to create a good color scheme like professional rpg game tiles.

 

[coyotecraft]

I can try writing a tutorial this weekend and post it once I can connect my laptop to the internet

 

[Earthling]

Wow, thanks, coyotecraft!

A few things I'm trying to figure out:

How much bluer should each shade be (does it depend on the hue? For example, let's say we have base color + 3 more shades in even increments from base color to almost-black. Or does the blueness increase, first one +3, the next one = previous one + 6, etc? Do the blueness increments go evenly (ex: each darker shade + 3 blue)? Would those increments be the same if your base color is red as if it's yellow?)

What about the light side? Does it act the same just going away from blue?

What about the base colors you are picking (ones w/o shading)? Should you sift hue, saturation, and value in the same direction to make it interesting? Or do you need to shift it, but not in the same direction or it'll look flat or something?

 

[coyotecraft]

It depends on your style and how much you want to limit the number of colors. The blue , IMO is more for outside tiles as ambient lighting. I'd have to look around but its something you see more of in forests but not caves or interiors.
And you don't want your tiles to have more contrast than the sprites. But there are a few different ways to create a clear separation and you can always make final adjustments.

 

[coyotecraft]

I'm assuming you know how warm and cool colors create depth. Some people use purple.
Just off the top of my head...
Muddy dull colors are easier to combine than bright saturated ones. For that reason your blue shadows will be on the grey side if you were to pick colors by hand. But using blending modes, some colors have a way of picking themselves.

Since we're dealing with tileset I guess I don't have to worry about skintones. It's more about getting the right lighting than the right color. Even though color is light.
I could help more if there was a particular look you want to achieve.

 

[Earthling]

Something like this, maybe?

http://www.famitsu.com/images/000/085/2 ... 7bb1f1.jpg

 

[Earthling]

I've been playing around w/ auto-generating a color scheme based on shades are more blue. Having weirdness happen with 3 most-blue rows. The lights look kind of gray there.

I guess it makes sense, because what I do is modify the blue part of RGB first, then I modify the saturation and value/brightness of HSV/B. So when the color is already blue and you lessen the blue, it brings the RGB values together resulting in gray. The problem is that the other colors look nice (I think...), so it's like, I can fix the 3 blue rows, but that will probably mess up the other color gradients. Unless I do something weird like "if the hue is between A and B, do this other thing instead"

More pastel version w/ a bit of a hue offset:

 

[coyotecraft]

VX and MV use painted tiles. More than 80+ colors, not something you'll achieve using a limited color palette.
I was expecting more "How do I choose the right green colors for this tree" or "what earth colors should I use" but honestly I don't think I could explain it. It's just something I think you develop an eye for and learn to do intuitively.

Like, areas exposed to the most light will be paler. Err, Higher Value & less saturation. I don't think you really need to hue-shift spot lights. But I'm usually creating that with white + lower opacity or white + overlay mode so I'm not really paying attention close attention to the numbers.

 

[Earthling]

Oh, ok. Thanks, Coyotecraft!