Week 3 (Color Theory)

Color.

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It plays a vital role in design and everyday life.

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It can draw your eye to an image…

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evoke a certain mood or emotion… even communicate something important without using words at

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all.

Color Theory

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So how do we know which colors look good together, and which ones don't?

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The answer is simple: Color theory.

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Artists and designers have followed color theory for centuries, but anyone can learn

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more about it.

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It can help you feel confident in many different situations, whether it's choosing colors for

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a design, or putting together the perfect outfit.

The Basics

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All it takes is a little insight, and you'll be looking at color in a whole new way.

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Let's start at the beginning—the very beginning—with a refresher on the basics.

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Remember learning about primary and secondary colors in school?

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Then you already have some knowledge of color theory.

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Red and yellow make orange; yellow and blue make green; and blue and red make purple.

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If we mix these colors together, we get even more in-between shades, like red-orange and

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yellow-green.

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All together, they form what's called a color wheel.

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(You can probably see where it gets its name.)

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Now, let's take it one step further with hue, saturation, and value.

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These are terms you might not encounter in daily life, but they're the key to understanding

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more nuanced colors—like all those little paint chips at the home improvement store.

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Hue is the easiest one; it's basically just another word for "color."

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Saturation refers to intensity—in other words, whether the color appears more subtle

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or more vibrant.

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Value has to do with how dark or light the color is, ranging from black to white.

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As you can see, this gives us many different shades, from a deep reddish brown… to light

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pastel pink.

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So how do we put this all together to create professional-looking color schemes?

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There are actually tried and true formulas based on something called color harmony that

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can help.

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All you need is the color wheel.

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The easiest formula for harmony is monochromatic because it only uses one color or hue.

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Just pick a spot on the color wheel, and use your knowledge of saturation and value to

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create variations.

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The best thing about monochromatic color schemes is that they're guaranteed to match.

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An analogous color scheme uses colors that are next to each other on the wheel, like

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reds and oranges... or cooler colors, like blues and greens.

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Don't be afraid to play with the palette and create your own unique interpretation.

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That's what these formulas really are: starting points to help guide and inspire you.

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Complementary colors are opposite each other on the wheel; for instance, blue and orange...

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or the classic red and green.

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To avoid complementary color schemes that are too simplistic, add some variety by introducing

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lighter, darker, or desaturated tones.

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A split-complementary color scheme uses the colors on either side of the complement.

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This gives you the same level of contrast, but more colors to work with (and potentially

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more interesting results).

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A triadic color scheme uses three colors that are evenly spaced, forming a perfect triangle

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on the wheel.

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These combinations tend to be pretty striking—especially with primary or secondary colors—so be mindful

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when using them in your work.

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Tetradic color schemes form a rectangle on the wheel, using not one but two complementary

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color pairs.

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This formula works best if you let one color dominate while the others serve as an accent.

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There are a few classic do's and don'ts when it comes to color.

Tone Down

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For instance, have you ever seen colors that seem to vibrate when they're placed next to

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each other?

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The solution is to tone it down—literally—and there's a simple way do it.

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Start with one color, and try adjusting its lightness, darkness, or saturation.

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Sometimes, a little contrast is all your color palette needs.

Readability

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Readability is an important factor in any design.

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Your colors should be legible and easy on the eyes.

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Sometimes that means not using color—at least not in every little detail.

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Neutral colors like black, white, and gray can help you balance your design, so when

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you do use color, it really stands out.

Tone

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Every color sends a message.

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It's important to consider the tone of your project, and choose a color palette that fits.

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For example, bright colors tend to have a fun or modern vibe.

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Desaturated colors often appear more business-like.

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Sometimes it just depends on the context—you'd be surprised how flexible color can be.

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You can find ideas for color schemes in all kinds of interesting places, from advertising

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and branding to famous works of art.

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You can even use a web resource to browse color palettes or generate your own.

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Even experienced designers take inspiration from the world around them.

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There's nothing wrong with finding something you like, and making it your own.

Conclusion

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Everywhere you look, there's color, color, and more color.

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It can be intimidating to use it in your work, but it doesn't have to be.

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Just keep experimenting and remember what you've learned about color theory.

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Soon, choosing great-looking colors will feel like second nature.

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We hope you enjoyed learning the basics of color.

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Check out the rest of our design topics, including typography, images, composition.