Colour Schemes

Graphics — October 24, 2008 at 20:14

A few thoughts on colour schemes and colour associations.

Colours evoke particular associations and emotions in our minds. Here is a summary of some of those associations:

Yellow: cheerful, sunny, upbeat, happy, luminous, intense.

Orange: energetic, cheerful, glowing, vital, upbeat, playful, happy, comedic, festive, loud, popular with children. It carries many of the same qualities of its components of yellow and red. Orange lost popularity for many years because of its association with the period of the late 1960s and early 1970s but is now making a comeback. When lightened to peach or coral: soft, upscale, nurturing,
healthy. When darkened to deep rust: sensual, earthy, spicy, warm, ethnic.

Red: Attention-demanding, energetic, exciting, courageous, hot, aggressive, dynamic, fiery, intense, passionate, sexy, bloody, warning, angry, prideful. The most attention-gathering color. When deepened to shades and tones: rich, lush, elegant, refined. When lightened to hot pink: shocking, energetic, youthful, trendy, vibrant, faddish. When lightened to paler pink: romantic, tender, feminine, sweet, sentimental, soft, delicate.

Purple: rich, elegant, creative, spiritual, confident, eccentric, sensual, daring, futuristic. When deepened to a darker purple: regal, majestic. When lightened to lavender: soft, sweet, genteel, nostalgic, delicate. When grayed to a tone: sophisticated, subtle.

Blue: tranquil, calm, peaceful, meditative, restful, reliable, traditional, clean, fresh, cool, icy, alluding to sky and water, divine, cold, sad. When deepened to darker blues: powerful, authoritarian, credible. When lightened to pale blues: soft, serene. When tinged with green (like teal): rich, unique, upscale, appealing to both genders. When tinged with purple (periwinkle): warm, trendy, energetic.

Green: natural, fresh, clean, healthy, hopeful, youthful, abundant, rebirth, spring, soothing, cool, clean, woodsy. When deepened to darker greens: richness, security, safety, prestige, safe, secure, stately. When lightened to paler greens: calm, soothing.

Brown: durable, earthy, rustic, organic, healthy, ethnic, substantial, solid, timeless, reliable, stable, antiquity, permanent, drab, dirty. When lightened to tans and beige: rock, sand, natural, classic.

White: pure, clean, chaste, pristine, innocent, bright, clarity, hygienic, healthy, stark, minimalist, cold. When deepened to off-whites: warm, friendly, calm.

Black: sophistication, elegance, chic, dramatic, mysterious, powerful, stylized, somber, ominous, foreboding, death, depression, despair, fear.

Colour Schemes

Monochromatic
Description: Tints and shades of a single hue
Ambiance: Unified, harmonious, and professional
Example: White, light blue, medium blue, professional dark blue, and black

Complementary
Description: Two colors opposing each other on the traditional color wheel
Ambiance: Vibrant, jarring, and attention-getting
Example: Orange and blue

Triad
Description: Three evenly spaced colors around the traditional color wheel
Ambiance: Bold, vibrant, potentially jarring
Example: Yellow, blue, and red

Analogous
Description: Several colors adjacent to each other on the color wheel
Ambiance: Harmonious, stylish, and pleasing
Example: Yellow, orange, and green

Warm
Description: Variations of yellow, orange, and red
Ambiance: Warm, cozy, and inviting
Example: Yellow, orange, and red

Cool
Description: Variations of greens, blues, and purples
Ambiance: Slick, sophisticated, and professional
Example: Green, blue, and purple

Tags: color, colour, scheme