The first impression created by your color selection is likely one of the first people pick up on when they see your design. It’s the quickest way to establish professionalism or chaos in the mind of the viewer. This is something that is often overlooked by designers just starting out, as they are not necessarily lacking in creativity, they simply need a framework for color selection.
Color choices aren’t random. They are purposeful.
If you want to start creating more purposeful color combinations in your designs, start small. Limiting the number of colors in your palette is one of the most effective ways to start achieving cohesion in your designs. If you start with a primary color, add secondary colors and choose a neutral background (white, gray or black) then use these colors throughout your project. By doing this you will be avoiding over-cluttering your design with too many contrasting colors.
A primary color will establish the mood of your piece. Brighter colors will look livelier, darker colors will be more somber and lighter colors will feel softer. When picking a primary color, think first about what you want the design to say. It may be the same graphic you’ve seen many other times before, but the right color can transform the entire design.
Another factor is contrast. If you don’t choose contrasting colors for your design, your content may blend together and be difficult to read. Contrast is a great way to separate key elements, especially text, from the rest of the layout. This means there needs to be enough contrast between a text color and background to be clearly legible.
If a design is using colors in a purposeful manner throughout the piece, it will have a sense of continuity that makes your design feel like a well thought out piece of work, which in turn will make the piece feel more professional to the viewer. Consistency is key; once you’ve selected your colors, use them as you would use your primary colors; one color for headers, one for buttons, etc., and neutral tones for background content. By doing this you will establish a visual hierarchy that makes it easier for viewers to understand the content.
Also, don’t overuse colors that don’t have a purpose. Too many random colors can be confusing for a viewer and will make the design feel haphazard. Make sure every color used in the layout has an intention, whether it be for emphasis, attention or mood. This may even involve using the same color with different shades of itself. Using a lighter or darker tone of your primary color can add variety to your design without overcomplicating things.
Lastly, make sure you test your design as you would test any other type of work. Try zooming out or changing colors to gray-scale to see if it works. The same applies as if you didn’t use color; if it appears clear without color, your colors work.
Here at VisualStylePro, we teach color like a system, one you’ll actually use and not just pick a color at random. You will learn how to select, combine and apply color choices to not only make your work more beautiful, but also more impactful.
That’s because color isn’t just about decoration. Color is about perception.