Color Theories for Graphics Designer

Warm Colors #

Warm colors

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

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.

ORANGE (SECONDARY COLOR) #

orange

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.

YELLOW (PRIMARY COLOR) #

yellow

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.

Cool Colors #

coolcolors

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 COLOR) #

green

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.

BLUE (PRIMARY COLOR) #

blue

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.

PURPLE (SECONDARY COLOR) #

purple

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.
Neutrals #

neutralcolors

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

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.

WHITE #

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.

GRAY #

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.

BROWN #
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.

CREAM AND IVORY #

ivory

Ivory and cream are sophisticated colors, with some of the warmth of
brown and a lot of the coolness of white. They’re generally quiet, and can
often evoke a sense of history. Ivory is a calm color, with some of the
pureness associated with white, though it’s a bit warmer.

In design, ivory can lend a sense of elegance and calm to a site. When
combined with earthy colors like peach or brown, it can take on an earthy
quality. It can also be used to lighten darker colors, without the stark
contrast of using white.

BEIGE AND TAN #

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.

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:

Red: Passion, Love, Anger

Orange: Energy, Happiness, Vitality

Yellow: Happiness, Hope, Deceit

Green: New Beginnings, Abundance, Nature

Blue: Calm, Responsible, Sadness

Purple: Creativity, Royalty, Wealth

Black: Mystery, Elegance, Evil

Gray: Moody, Conservative, Formality

White: Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue

Brown: Nature, Wholesomeness, Dependability

Tan or Beige: Conservative, Piety, Dull

Cream or Ivory: Calm, Elegant, Purity