The Importance of Color in Design
- Taylir Baum
- Jun 12, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 7, 2024
Color is an interesting topic that can be talked about in a lot of different contexts. Today we are going to discuss the importance of color in design.
Each color carries it's own secret meaning that influences how a viewer will interpret your design. This meaning can make you feel a certain way about something based on the colors that are incorporated into it. Because of this it is very important that designers know the secret meanings behind the colors they choose to work with on any given project.
The article published on the Platt College website titled "The Psychology of Color and Graphic Design" has a nice breakdown of what each color's secret meaning is. Let's take a look at the color blue as an example.
Blue has the following positive associations:
authority
calming
conservative (but can also mean liberal political values)
masculine
non-threatening
peaceful
refreshing
reliable
responsible
serene
stable
strength
tranquil
Because of these associations I might use the color blue for projects where I want the viewer to feel a sense of peacefulness or being refreshed. The color blue also carries a sense of authority so I could use it for a company that wants to be seen as stable, strong, and authoritative.
All colors also have negative associations that might hinder how you want a viewer to feel about your design. These negative associations need to be considered during your design process. The tints and tones that you decide to use of that specific color can help the viewer to not bring forth those negative associations. The color/s that you accent with will impact the associations the viewer will bring to the forefront of their mind when looking at your design as well. Use accent colors that help reinforce the positive associations that your main color has.
Negative associations for blue:
sadness
depression
distance
vulgarity
adult themes
As you can see colors have many different meanings and all of us have different relationships with colors. As a designer it is your job to be aware of the secret meanings behind the colors you choose to work with. Even though we might not consciously be aware of how our brains are interpreting the secret meanings behind the colors we see, we can absolutely feel how they impact us.
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