Historical Colors

[Mauricio]

Hi Everyone! I was wondering what colors could you use that would be historical colors. Thank you.

[Yossarian]

Blue... No, yellow!

Can you be more specific?

[Mauricio]

Sure! I'm working on a brochure for a museum of the history of a city and I wanted to use historical colors for the background of the brochure but couldn't really come up with what colors would be good. I thought maybe of orange but wasn't sure if that would good. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.

[Virgo Nightingale]

I'd look at the history of the city itself as inspiration for colors. Fishing industry? Gold mining? Steel mills?

[Mauricio]

Thank you.

"Alexandria was a tobacco trading post, one of the ten busiest ports in America, a part of the District of Columbia, home to both the largest slave-trading firm in the country and a large free-black community, a Civil War supply center for Union troops, and a street-car suburb for Federal workers. Alexandria was also the hometown of George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Jim Morrison and Mama Cass."


I guess I could do something with it having been a tobacco trading post.

[davefl]

Originally Posted by Virgo Nightingale

I'd look at the history of the city itself as inspiration for colors. Fishing industry? Gold mining? Steel mills?

Spot on. Direct association in layout will help create a more authentic aesthetic!

[PrintDriver]

Quite honestly?

You have to consider the era the museum itself depicts. If it spans eras from settlement to present day, wander through the museum and see what the exhibit designer has chosen as a color motif. You may find it changes by era but there should be an overall unifying theme. It would be best to stick with the existing motif, including any iconography used, rather than try and come up with something new and different. You want the collateral to match the venue.

Edit; unless this is a school project and the museum doesn't really exist....
If it doesn't really exist, you should maybe do a web search for one that does...as I recall, Alexandria has at least one major historical museum.