Graphic designers, marketing professionals, and entrepreneurs will find use in "The Fundamentals of Understanding Color Theory," an article by Kris Decker from Vistaprint's graphic design service, 99designs. The term "color theory" covers many things; it can be a practical guide to color mixing and the visual effects of color combination, the study of how people perceive color, the analysis of what certain colors communicate, and more. Pointing out that consumers decide whether or not they like a product within 90 seconds, and that decisions are largely based on color, this light-hearted, beginner-friendly article provides an overview of how to best utilize all aspects of color theory to build a brand. It explains two models for color mixing - additive for digital content and subtractive for print - and the importance of understanding the difference. The article also discusses how to use the familiar color wheel to understand the concepts of primary, secondary, and tertiary colors; aspects of color such as hue, shade, tint, and tone; and the three basic color schemes for design: complementary, analogous, and triadic. "The Fundamentals of Understanding Color Theory" closes with additional resources on how to choose logo color, emotional associations with color, the psychology behind color choices, and examples of how bad color design can make your overall design difficult to utilize, understand, read, or even look at. In all, this article neatly summarizes why readers should care about color theory.
Comments