ABSTRACT
Color can convey symbolic meanings that add depth and resonance to characters and stories. An animated character can literally start out "blue", then turn green, and red in rapid succession. Color changes describe a character's emotional state even when they appear outside of a story context. Colors can stereotype as easily as character designs. A yellow sun shines in a bright blue sky, a gray thundercloud hovers over a wine-dark sea, and white snowflakes tumble across a velvety blue background punctuated by yellow light shining from chill-gray cabin windows. One of the signature-style goofs from the "Decade That Taste Forgot"- the 1970s, was the use of blazing-hot, fully saturated, split-complementary colors in large areas. A violent repeated pattern was often applied in a contrasting and equally saturated color. The art director determines which color dominates each sequence and indicates transitional colors that help maintain continuity when the scene shifts to a new location.
