Using color on survey plats?

Until somewhat recent we were REQUIRED to sign in blue ink across our stamped seal.

Does anyone have advice on using color in general? 

Is there a resource out there, I prepare color drawings and have a lot of freedom but feel like I could do better if I had some guidance on how to pick color schemes.

Red for design and green for built did not look so nice for example. 

Our topographic surveys use a variation of standard utility mark colors. These lines are also easy to distiguish by weight and type.

As has been said, maps that are recorded are black and white.