Color Theory for Designers
Extracted from: hhttps://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/
Color theory is a science and art unto itself, which some build entire careers on, as color consultants or sometimes brand consultants. Knowing the effects color has on a majority of people is an incredibly valuable expertise that designers can master and offer to their clients.
There’s a lot to it, though. Something as simple as changing the exact hue or saturation of a color can evoke a completely different feeling. Cultural differences can compound those effects, with a hue that’s happy and uplifting in one country becoming depressing in another.
Warm Colours
Warm colors include red, orange, and yellow, and variations of those three colors. These are the colors of fire, of fall leaves, and of sunsets and sunrises, and are generally energizing, passionate, and positive.
Red and yellow are both primary colors, with orange falling in the middle (making it a secondary color), which means warm colors are all truly warm and aren’t created by combining a warm color with a cool color. Use warm colors in your designs to reflect passion, happiness, enthusiasm, and energy.
RED (PRIMARY COLOR)
Red is a very hot color. It’s associated with fire, violence, and warfare. It’s also associated with love and passion. In history, it’s been associated with both the Devil and Cupid. Red can actually have a physical effect on people, raising blood pressure and respiration rates. It’s been shown to enhance human metabolism, too.
Red can be associated with anger, but is also associated with importance (think of the red carpet at awards shows and celebrity events). Red also indicates danger (the reason stop lights and signs are red, and that warning labels are often red).
Outside the western world, red has different associations. For example, in China, red is the color of prosperity and happiness. It can also be used to attract good luck. In other eastern cultures, red is worn by brides on their wedding days. In South Africa, however, red is the color of mourning. Red is also associated with communism.
Red has become the color associated with AIDS awareness in Africa due to the popularity of the [RED] campaign.
In design, red can be a powerful accent color. It can have an overwhelming effect if it’s used too much in designs, especially in its purest form. It’s a great color to use when power or passion want to be portrayed in the design. Red can be very versatile, though, with brighter versions being more energetic and darker shades being more powerful and elegant.
The bright red of the illustration on the homepage of Nacache Design’s site gives the page a ton of energy and vibrancy.
The muted red on the Startup Lab website is energetic without being aggressive.
Build in Amsterdam’s website uses a vibrant red accent color that draws attention to the middle of the page immediately.
Orange
(Secondary Colour)
Orange is a very vibrant and energetic color. In its muted forms it can be associated with the earth and with autumn. Because of its association with the changing seasons, orange can represent change and movement in general. Orange is also strongly associated with creativity.
Because orange is associated with the fruit of the same name, it can be associated with health and vitality. In designs, orange commands attention without being as overpowering as red. It’s often considered more friendly and inviting, and less in-your-face.
hristopher Kimball’s Milk Street’s subtle use of orange as an accent color shows it can be used in more elegant and conservative designs.
Bitter Renter’s bright and bold home page takes full advantage of the energy that orange can provide to a design.
Build in Amsterdam’s website uses a vibrant red accent color that draws attention to the middle of the page immediately.
Yellow
(Primary Colour)
Yellow is often considered the brightest and most energizing of the warm colors. It’s associated with happiness and sunshine. Yellow can also be associated with deceit and cowardice, though (calling someone yellow is calling them a coward).
Yellow is also associated with hope, as can be seen in some countries when yellow ribbons are displayed by families who have loved ones at war. Yellow is also associated with danger, though not as strongly as red.
In some countries, yellow has very different connotations. In Egypt, for example, yellow is for mourning. In Japan, it represents courage and in India it’s a color for merchants.
In your designs, bright yellow can lend a sense of happiness and cheerfulness. Softer yellows are commonly used as a gender-neutral color for babies (rather than blue or pink) and young children. Light yellows also give a more calm feeling of happiness than bright yellows. Dark yellows and gold-hued yellows can sometimes look antique and be used in designs where a sense of permanence is desired.
Deskpass uses a slightly darker yellow, giving it an eye-catching but slightly muted look.
Kettle’s not-quite-true-yellow is lively and vibrant without being overwhelming.
Susa Ventures uses a goldenrod hue as an accent color in their typography to great effect.
Cool Colours
Cool colors include green, blue, and purple, are often more subdued than warm colors. They are the colors of night, of water, of nature, and are usually calming, relaxing, and somewhat reserved.
Blue is the only primary color within the cool spectrum, which means the other colors are created by combining blue with a warm color (yellow for green and red for purple).
Because of this, green takes on some of the attributes of yellow, and purple takes on some of the attributes of red. Use cool colors in your designs to give a sense of calm or professionalism.
Green
(Secondary Colour)
Green is a very down-to-earth color. It can represent new beginnings and growth. It also signifies renewal and abundance. Alternatively, green can also represent envy or jealousy, and a lack of experience.
Green has many of the same calming attributes that blue has, but it also incorporates some of the energy of yellow. In design, green can have a balancing and harmonizing effect, and is very stable.
It’s appropriate for designs related to wealth, stability, renewal, and nature. Brighter greens are more energizing and vibrant, while olive greens are more representative of the natural world. Dark greens are the most stable and representative of affluence.
The Rhythm of Food’s site uses a bright kelly green that’s ideal for a site that ties together food and information.
HelloMind’s bright green background is youthful and gives a sense of growth (in line with their product for improving your brain function).
Anna Rosa Krau’s website has a soft sage green background, which works almost as a neutral for this portfolio.
Blue
(Primary Colour)
Blue is often associated with sadness in the English language. Blue is also used extensively to represent calmness and responsibility. Light blues can be refreshing and friendly. Dark blues are more strong and reliable. Blue is also associated with peace and has spiritual and religious connotations in many cultures and traditions (for example, the Virgin Mary is generally depicted wearing blue robes).
The meaning of blue is widely affected depending on the exact shade and hue. In design, the exact shade of blue you select will have a huge impact on how your designs are perceived. Light blues are often relaxed and calming. Bright blues can be energizing and refreshing. Dark blues, like navy, are excellent for corporate sites or designs where strength and reliability are important.
Versett uses a bright blue as the primary color on their website, along with a number of other bright hues to differentiate different sections.
The bright blue background of the Future of Design Survey results website homepage stands out, and is then used as an accent color throughout the rest of the site.
Deep Mind’s website uses various shades of blue for its background, giving it a trustworthy, authoritative feel.
Purple
(Secondary Colour)
In ancient times, the dyes used for creating purple hues were extracted from snails and were very expensive, so only royals and the very wealthy could afford them.
Purple is a combination of red and blue and takes on some attributes of both. It’s associated with creativity and imagination, too.
In Thailand, purple is the color of mourning for widows. Dark purples are traditionally associated with wealth and royalty, while lighter purples (like lavender) are considered more romantic.
In design, dark purples can give a sense wealth and luxury. Light purples are softer and are associated with spring and romance.
The site for the One Shared House documentary uses a vibrant shade of purple and hot pink accents to give a sense of energy, creativity, and imagination.
On Content Stack, reddish purple works great as an accent color against a neutral background, and draws attention to important page elements, like buttons.
Neutrals
Neutral colors often serve as the backdrop in design. They’re commonly combined with brighter accent colors. But they can also be used on their own in designs, and can create very sophisticated layouts. The meanings and impressions of neutral colors are much more affected by the colors that surround them than are warm and cool colors.
Black
Black is the strongest of the neutral colors. On the positive side, it’s commonly associated with power, elegance, and formality. On the negative side, it can be associated with evil, death, and mystery. Black is the traditional color of mourning in many Western countries. It’s also associated with rebellion in some cultures, and is associated with Halloween and the occult.
Black, when used as more than an accent or for text, is commonly used in edgier designs, as well as in very elegant designs. It can be either conservative or modern, traditional or unconventional, depending on the colors it’s combined with. In design, black is commonly used for typography and other functional parts, because of its neutrality. Black can make it easier to convey a sense of sophistication and mystery in a design.
Many of the images on Timothy Saccenti’s portfolio are dominated by black, which is also the color of the transparent menu, giving the entire site an edgy, modern feel.
The black hue used here along with the animation gives it an edgy, almost creepy feel.
Minimal design with black used as an accent color gives Heco’s site a super modern feeling.
White
White is at the opposite end of the spectrum from black, but like black, it can work well with just about any other color. White is often associated with purity, cleanliness, and virtue. In the West, white is commonly worn by brides on their wedding day. It’s also associated with the healthcare industry, especially with doctors, nurses and dentists. White is associated with goodness, and angels are often depicted in white.
In much of the East, however, white is associated with death and mourning. In India, it is traditionally the only color widows are allowed to wear.
In design, white is generally considered a neutral backdrop that lets other colors in a design have a larger voice. It can help to convey cleanliness and simplicity, though, and is popular in minimalist designs. White in designs can also portray either winter or summer, depending on the other design motifs and colors that surround it.
Black & Wood uses white as both a background and an accent color (in their typography, for example), giving the site a very clean feel.
Dwell uses white as an accent color on their splash page, a very unique but effective choice for something that includes a CTA.
Gray
Gray is a neutral color, generally considered on the cool end of the color spectrum. It can sometimes be considered moody or depressing. Light grays can be used in place of white in some designs, and dark grays can be used in place of black.
Gray is generally conservative and formal, but can also be modern. It is sometimes considered a color of mourning. It’s commonly used in corporate designs, where formality and professionalism are key. It can be a very sophisticated color. Pure grays are shades of black, though other grays may have blue or brown hues mixed in. In design, gray backgrounds are very common, as is gray typography.
The mostly white background of Nuno Coelho Santos’s website contributes to the modern aesthetic.
Dwell uses white as an accent color on their splash page, a very unique but effective choice for something that includes a CTA.
The gray background on the For Office Use Only website is so subtle it almost appears white, and gives the site a very modern feel.
Brown
Brown is associated with the earth, wood, and stone. It’s a completely natural color and a warm neutral. Brown can be associated with dependability and reliability, with steadfastness, and with earthiness. It can also be considered dull.
In design, brown is commonly used as a background color. It’s also seen in wood textures and sometimes in stone textures. It helps bring a feeling of warmth and wholesomeness to designs. It’s sometimes used in its darkest forms as a replacement for black, either in backgrounds or typography.
Green Rebel’s website uses brown for much of their typography and graphics throughout, as well as in some of the textures, lending an organic feel.
The cream background and brown typography of Yasuhiro Yokota’s portfolio site is warm and earthy, while still serving as just a good a backdrop for design work as shades of gray.
Off & On Barber Shop uses various brown elements for the bulk of their site, giving it an old-fashioned feeling.
Beige and Tan
Beige is somewhat unique in the color spectrum, as it can take on cool or warm tones depending on the colors surrounding it. It has the warmth of brown and the coolness of white, and, like brown, is sometimes seen as dull. It’s a conservative color in most instances, and is usually reserved for backgrounds. It can also symbolize piety.
Beige in design is generally used in backgrounds, and is commonly seen in backgrounds with a paper texture. It will take on the characteristics of colors around it, meaning it has little effect in itself on the final impression a design gives when used with other colors.
The tan accent color used on this site is entirely unexpected and gives it a Mid-Century Modern look.
La Pierre Qui Tourne’s website uses a variety of shades of tan for their primary color palette, alongside some great brights for a very fun feeling design.
People Map’s website uses a more gold shade of tan, giving the site an upscale feel, especially when combined with the site’s typography.
Sweet Magnolia Gelato’s rich cream background is a perfect neutral for a warm and inviting design.
Sweet Magnolia Gelato’s rich cream background is a perfect neutral for a warm and inviting design.
The barely-there ivory background of Stefanie Bruckler’s portfolio site is a welcome change of pace from the typical neutral gray, giving it a timeless look.
Considering how odd the film The Lobster is, their use of a pale off-white background for the website is an unexpectedly subdued choice that feels very modern.
In Brief…
While the information contained here might seem just a bit overwhelming, color theory is as much about the feeling a particular shade evokes than anything else. But here’s a quick reference guide for the common meanings of the colors discussed above:
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Red: Passion, Love, Anger
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Orange: Energy, Happiness, Vitality
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Yellow: Happiness, Hope, Deceit
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Green: New Beginnings, Abundance, Nature
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Blue: Calm, Responsible, Sadness
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Purple: Creativity, Royalty, Wealth
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Black: Mystery, Elegance, Evil
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Gray: Moody, Conservative, Formality
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White: Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue
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Brown: Nature, Wholesomeness, Dependability
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Tan or Beige: Conservative, Piety, Dull
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Cream or Ivory: Calm, Elegant, Purity