Easy Colour Theory Tricks To Elevate Your Graphic Designs

Every successful design has a story behind it. A colour story that is. 

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When you look at a design or an image, one of the first things you notice is the use of colours. You perhaps wonder why each colour was chosen, what makes them stand out from the rest, or even; why do these colours make me feel a particular type of way? Colour is a powerful tool within the fundamentals of design and, if understood and used correctly, can be manipulated to make any image have more influence.

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Keep reading to learn what colour means to both the design and the viewer’s eye and how it can inspire a better image.

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The Basics of Colour Theory

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Choosing the right colours for your design is half the fun as it can make any page look eye-catching and worthy of checking out. However, this practice is also insanely easy to mess up. Every colour tells a different story, and when applied in the proper context, the overall design can evoke a feeling in the viewer. However, when misused, the initial message will get lost in a sea of colours that do not match together.

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Before you start picking random colours for your design, learning the basics of colour theory can help you better understand why certain pigments get grouped and why so many companies of the same branch tend to use a similar assortment. 

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Colour Terminology 

• Hue - the colour or shade itself; like blue or aqua
• Chromaticity - the quality and purity of the colour; without its brightness
• Saturation - the strength or weakness of a colour 
• Value - how light or dark a colour is
• Shade - the mixture of pure colours to which only black is added
• Tone - the mixture of pure colours to which only grey is added
• Tint - the mixture of hues and white

What Does Each Colour Mean?

• Red - energy, passion, hunger, immediacy
• Orange - success, health, creativity
• Yellow - optimism, warmth, joy
• Green - freshness, growth, tranquillity 
• Blue - trust, intelligence, calmness
• Purple - luxury, power, ambition
• Pink - sensitivity, innocence, kindness
• Black - mystery, strength, formality
• White - purity, cleanliness, safety
• Brown - dependability, security, resilience
• Grey - elegance, knowledge, dignity
• Gold - extravagance, excess, tradition

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Colour Schemes and Palettes 

Ever wonder why some colours work together, and others just clash? A big reason for this is how they are related to one another. The colour wheel easily displays the relationships between each colour, showing the connection between tone, shade, and pigment.

At the beginning of your designs, it is helpful to know the four main types of colour relationships, as they are widely used and effective in every finished product.

• Monochromatic - the different shades, tones and tints deriving from a single hue. This colour scheme is the easiest to create and the hardest to mess up as the palette derives from the same hue. Be careful, though; this colour palette can also appear monotonous if overused.

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• Analogous - the colours located next to each other on the colour wheel. This colour scheme is often seen in film posters to grab attention, offering a seamless and peaceful harmony. An analogous palette is most effective when used in groups of three, where the colour in the middle is considered a ‘main’ colour. An example is yellow-orange, orange and red-orange.

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• Complementary - colours that are at opposite ends of the colour wheel. For example, red and green or yellow and purple. This colour scheme is very different from monochromatic and analogous as it aims for the most dramatic contrast. Yet, the outcome isn’t harsh or eye-straining as it still communicates a sense of balance within the juxtaposition of warm and cool tones.

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• Triadic - deriving from the Latin word trias, meaning groups of three, this colour scheme relates to the distribution of three equally distant colours on the wheel. For example, red, yellow and blue; this unique palette creates diversity amongst the design with no clear superiority of one colour, encouraging a sense of balance once again. This scheme takes a little longer to refine as it involves a more significant amount of hues, so just remember, PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!

Colours in Logos

Think of any business logo and its colours. It could be anything from McDonald's to Rolex. You can see that both logos contain different colours while they differ in products and clientele. Going back to what each colour means, you better understand why these colours are chosen for each respective brand. The colour red evokes hunger and immediacy and is thus abundantly used for fast-food chains. Gold undoubtedly portrays a sense of wealth and excess, as seen with many luxury brands like Rolex and Porsche.

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Colour impacts our minds and decisions, so it’s only natural that this feature is one of the leading contenders for design. Colour helps achieve both the message and the flow by examining the various palettes and signifiers it provides. By putting these skills into practice, you will be amazed at how quickly you can improve your designs.

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