Neopolitan Palette and 9 ways to Use Color Palettes

Chocolate, Raspberry, and vanilla macarons provide the tasty inspiration for this color palette.

As a color enthusiast, I believe that color is an end to itself. Color is its own reason for existing. Or another way to say it: because things can be colorful, they should be. I mean, just look at the delicious macarons in this neopolitan palette. In theory, they would be just as tasty without their colors, but I somehow doubt it, at least for me. When I saw these, it took me back to when I was kid and we would visit the grandparents. My grandma always had giant bowls of neopolitan ice cream waiting for us as soon as we arrived. It didn’t even matter if it was almost dinnertime.

As an adult, I’m not even a huge fan of the flavor of neopolitan ice cream (give me Java Chip, please!) but these colors still give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Vanilla, Strawberry and Chocolate in the same bowl spell love to me.

Why make Color Palettes?

I realize that not everyone quite knows what to do with the endless number of color options available, so that’s part of why I like to create color palettes. Putting colors into a palette narrows down the options, and makes it easier to coordinate colors together.

If you are someone who doesn’t always feel confident picking colors, don’t fear! Just head to Pinterest and search “color palette” and you’ll find endless inspiration. Or, check out my palette page here. It’s not endless, but it’s lots of fun!

How to use Color Palettes

You’ve used color palettes many times before, even if you didn’t realize it. There are almost as many ways to use color palettes as there are colors! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use a color palette in real life.

1. Pick yarn colors for a woven wall hanging or crochet project. I have a friend who’s a yarn artist and she loves to start with a color palette.
2. Design a logo or branding. Designers use palettes to define the colors of a brand. (Think Google or Facebook.) But you can be your own designer, for your blog, your business cards, or your shop. Simply find a color palette that expresses your intentions, and use it to build your brand. (This blog’s palette is called Limeade, with light greens and grays.)
3. Decide on paint colors when you’re redecorating your home. Ever wonder why it’s so hard picking wall colors? Because you need a palette!
4. Create an art project. (More on this next week.)
5. Pick papers for scrapbooking and card making. If you’re a scrapbooker, you’ve probably been exercising your color skills longer than you realize. A good color palette is what makes a page (or card) look cohesive.
6. Build a capsule wardrobe. I think capsule wardrobes are fascinating, but I have yet to attempt one. Maybe once I find the right palette, it will be easier.
7. Plan an event. Is your church or school having a lunch or conference? Deciding on a color palette will make you look like a decorating pro!
8. Coordinate outfits for a family photo. This is another example of using a color palette in your head, even if it wasn’t intentional.
9. Print it out and use it as its own piece of art. Or better yet, a collection of several palettes!

If you’re looking to make something out of a color palette that you love, check back next week for a simple art project tutorial. It’ll be super fun and anyone can do it.

I’m sure there are other ways to use color palettes that I’m not even thinking of. Let me know if one comes to mind!