Please tell me what makes a GREAT tartan design.

[McMurdo]

I actually think that tartan designers of old pick colours that they could reproduce locally using the elements around them. I completely agree with you regarding logos and Mecedes is a great example of strong design, the same can be said for Shell, Coca Cola and others. However I still believe one of the first considerations for the artist be it graphic art or not is colour.

My point is you need a place to start any design, personally when I start a design I do have to at least consider colour.

[Lyle1]

I actually think that tartan designers of old pick colours that they could reproduce locally using the elements around them. I completely agree with you regarding logos and Mecedes is a great example of strong design, the same can be said for Shell, Coca Cola and others. However I still believe one of the first considerations for the artist be it graphic art or not is colour.

My point is you need a place to start any design, personally when I start a design I do have to at least consider colour.

Of course color is important, but are you choosing colors because they visually work for your design, or are the colors chosen because those colors have some symbolic meaning? You can do both, but the symbolic meaning of a chosen color does not guarantee that the color will be good for the design.

[McMurdo]

Of course color is important, but are you choosing colors because they visually work for your design, or are the colors chosen because those colors have some symbolic meaning? You can do both, but the symbolic meaning of a chosen color does not guarantee that the color will be good for the design.

I've never designed a tartan before I was talking about design in general. The colours I choose have everything to do with good design not some symbolic meaning.