The Fundamentals of Understanding Color Theory

Color theory focuses on the art and science of using color in paintings, advertising, and other forms of communication. This theory explains how colors can mix, match, and contrast with each other. It also focuses on how humans perceive color.

The color theory also shows how to replicate the color and use them to communicate. Within this theory, colors are grouped into three different categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary. When you understand color theory, you can build your business and brand. Here are a few fundamentals to help understand color theory.

How To Understand Color

Color is more than a few pretty shades. When our eyes look at a specific color, data is sent to the brain to identify that color. Color reflects light in different combinations of wavelengths. Our brains are programmed to pick up on those combinations and translate them into what is known as color.

With marketing, people can look at a product and decide within a minute whether they want to trust the brand or not. Gaining an edge is vital if you want to make a great impression with returning and potential consumers. For that reason, the ideal colors can help them make the right decision about your brand.

The Basics of the Color Wheel

When you were in school, you probably learned about the color wheel. Understanding the color wheel is critical to know what colors work with each other. With that knowledge, you can communicate your brand message with a designer, printer, or other members of your team. Plus, it can help you explain your vision with a Philadelphia branding and design agency.

In 1666, Sir Issac Newton developed the first color wheel. Over the centuries, designers and artists have referenced the color wheel to create color harmonies and palettes.

The basic color wheel has three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. The secondary colors are created by mixing those primary colors to create orange, green, and purple. Finally, six tertiary colors are made from mixing primary and secondary colors. These colors include varieties like red-violet or blue-green. If you draw a line down the center of the wheel, you can separate the cool colors from the warm ones. Cool colors are blues, greens, and purples, and warm colors consist of reds, oranges, and yellows.

Those cool colors are associated with feelings of serenity, calmness, and peace. Warm colors can invoke energy, action, and brightness. When you understand the temperature of color, you can choose the right options for your brand.

What Are Hues, Tints, Shades, and Tones?

These names are variations of the colors on the wheel. Most variations are known as hues. Any hue that has white added to it is known as a tint. A shade is a hue with some black added to the color. Finally, a tone features both white and black as an additive. With that, these colors are less intense and have a more subtle feel to them.

Designing a Color Scheme

Now that you have some of the basics of color theory, let’s focus on designing a color scheme. You can use the color wheel to create a scheme for your business and brand. These colors can play a role in your marketing materials, websites, and other forms of communication with your potential clients.

Before you start creating your own color palette, there are a few things that you should know. You should understand the differences between complementary, analogous, and triadic colors.

Complementary colors are the direct opposites of a color. Think about green and red. Those colors seem to pop out even though they are the opposite of each other. With a sharp contrast, your imagery can stand out. However, make sure that you don’t overuse them, or it can tire your audience. When you use complementary colors in your marketing, you provide a clear contrast between your images and designs.

Analogous colors are those that sit next to each other on the color wheel, such as yellow, orange, and red. When you use similar colors, there is one dominant color, one supporting hue, and one accent. These colors are pleasing to the eye, and you can use that to your advantage. Those colors can tell the consumer how to take action.

Finally, triadic colors are spaced around the color wheel. These colors tend to be dynamic and bright. If you need some harmony and visual contrast in your marketing, think about using triadic colors. When you use a few triadic colors, these options will make your images stand out to create a response from your clients.

Why You Need To Care About Color Theory

So color theory sounds nice, but do you really need to understand it for your brand? Of course. You can incorporate color theory into your marketing and branding to understand your customers and their reactions. This basic knowledge can help you make better branding decisions. With that, you can decide on the perfect color for your logo. In the end, you can learn how those colors can invoke the right response from your consumers.

When you learn about colors, you can avoid any of those off-putting choices that can drive away customers. By understanding color theory, you can take charge of your marketing and better understand your competition. Poor color choice can lead to sluggish sales. If you want to make your brand stand out from the competition, you need to care about color theory.

Choose One of the Most Trusted Creative Companies in Philadelphia

Understanding colors is the first step to creating an impressive scheme for your branding. At Hyland Graphic Design & Advertising, our experienced team can help you choose the right colors for your brand and business. Poor color combinations can be bad for your company, and you can actually drive away potential clients. We will find the right options that will make your marketing stand out from the crowd. If you would love to schedule a consultation about your branding, please give us a call at (484) 879-6145.