Significance of Colors on Design
How Graphic Designers Can Use Color to Affect a Viewer's Perception
Mar 18, 2009
Effective Graphic Design relies on the considered interaction of various elements to convey a message or emotion.
Composition, imagery, color and font are just some of the elements that can affect the way that a message is perceived by the viewers. People make very quick assumptions based on visual cues and these cues can be used to reinforce or alter the way that a written message is understood by those viewing it.
Color can have a strong emotional effect on a viewer. Nature uses color to transmit a range of different messages and Graphic Designers can also use this technique to evoke subconscious reactions from their audience.
Blue
Blue is widely seen as the corporate color and can be used in a range of tones to convey the feeling of stability. This maybe in no small part to it being generally regarded as being the 'safest' color with fewest cultural differences attached to the significance of blue.
Some examples of large corporates that use shades of blue include AT & T, IBM (nicknamed 'Big Blue') and Microsoft.
Red
Red is a very stimulating color that can invoke feelings of excitement and confidence amongst the viewers. Being the color of blood, it is sometimes culturally regarded as the color of life and is seen as a lucky color in China.
In the traditions of Heraldry, red symbolised courage and bravery and the color is often paired with black for a very strong result that has instant visual impact.
Coca Cola is probably the best known proponent of the use of red in their branding, and bebo and YouTube are two more modern brands that both take advantage of the visual impact of combining red with black.
Green
Green is a soothing color and is gaining in usage and significance with an expanding global concern over environmental issues. It can make designs seem fresh and natural and when combined with organic imagery, the message may become overtly aligned with 'pro-green' interests.
The use of green can be seen at Starbucks and Cafe Press, neither of which are overtly jumping on the green band wagon, though Starbucks may benefit from the underlying message that their coffee is fresh and natural.
Notes on Other Colors
- Orange is often used to symbolise value for money goods and so can be a useful color choice for Graphic Designers producing designs for value products. This may explain why Google's free Blogger service uses a strong orange logo.
- Pink is a very feminine color ideally suited for designs and products aimed at the female market. Mattel's Barbie doll's branding couldn't get much more pink.
- Purple is traditionally regarded as a regal color and can be used to give the sensation of luxury to a design.
- Yellow, when combined with black, produces one of the most high contrast color combinations and that explains why this colorway is often used in warning signs that require high impact.
Remember Color Blindness
It should be remembered that some of the points made only apply to viewers with 'normal' vision and those with different types of color blindness may perceive colors differently.
There are a number of tools to help Graphic Designers understand color blindness, including etre's Color Blindness Simulator which allows Designers to upload jpgs of designs to see how they may appear to a viewer with different vision.
Color should be used carefully and with consideration, but Graphic Designers shouldn't be scared to experiment and perhaps use color in unexpected ways when the context suits such experimentation.
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