Color theory describes how different colors relate to each other, and how they look when combined into color schemes in design. Here, learn more about the art and science of color theory. Discover color models to help you pick the right palette for your work.
In this post, we’ll cover:
- Color Theory Explained
- Color Theory Terminology
- The Color Wheel and Why It’s Vital to Color Theory
- Color Schemes
- Color Meaning and How It Affects Design
- Understanding Color Models
- Drawing on Color Theory Inspiration for Your Designs
Color Theory Explained
Color Theory describes how different colors relate to each other, and how they look when they are combined into many color schemes in graphic design. An offshoot of color theory is color psychology, which explores colors and emotions perceived by people within the context of their cultures.
Combined, these areas of color knowledge are important information for anyone dealing with colors, whether you’re a small business owner creating a flyer for an upcoming event, a designer selecting a color scheme for your next project, or an entrepreneur designing a logo for your newest startup.
Let’s explore the ins and outs of all things color. We’ll go through the basics of the color wheel, color theory, and global color meaning to see how they relate to visual marketing, branding, and graphic design.
We’ll also cover the common color models (think print vs. digital), how to use color inspiration to your advantage, and how to use design applications to manage color swatches.
Color Theory Terminology
Before we go into the nitty gritty aspects of color theory, let’s go over some essential terms.
- The color spectrum refers to all the hues in visible light that are detectable to the human eye.
- Hue derives from the Middle English “hewe,” which means “color.”
- Chroma, or saturation, refers to the intensity or purity of colors seen on the color wheel above. A pure hue is more saturated than its tint or tone.
- Tints are achieved by incorporating elements of white to brighten and desaturate a single hue. Tints of a color are considered more subdued or duller than their saturated counterparts.
- Tones are achieved by adding gray to a hue, dulling the overall chroma.
- Shades are achieved by adding portions of black to a single hue, creating a darker hue.
- Value refers to the general lightness or darkness of a color. A lighter hue has more value than a darker hue.
- Temperature refers to the perceived warmth or coolness of a hue. Reds, oranges, and yellows are associated with warmth due to their associations with warm objects in nature, such as fire or sunshine. The other side of the color spectrum blues, in particular, are considered cool colors because they’re seen in ice, water, etc.
The Color Wheel and Why It’s Vital to Color Theory
In 1676, Sir Isaac Newton, by employing a prism to break down white sunlight into a visible spectrum, discovered that color is an attribute of light.
In the following centuries, scientists and artists explored different systems for organizing and naming colors. In the early 19th century, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe developed the color wheel, an illustrative diagram that uses twelve colors around a circle to represent the relationship between colors.
Colors arranged opposite each other on the color wheel are complementary to one another. Colors near each other are grouped into color families because they share common characteristics and often pair well together. The three main families are separated by color temperature: cool colors, warm colors, and neutral colors.
Let’s dive in and explore the different types of hues present on the color wheel.
Primary Colors
Primary colors—red, yellow, and blue—are the “original” colors. You can’t mix any colors together to get these colors.
This powerful triad shapes the foundation of color theory as we know it. These three pigments are the building blocks of an extensive color range, or gamut. When combined, they create secondary and tertiary colors along with all hues in-between.
Secondary Colors
Secondary colors are formed from an equal mixture of two separate primary colors. Yellow and blue mix to create green, yellow and red mix to create orange, and blue and red mix to create violet.
On the color wheel, secondary colors lie in the middle of and equidistant from the two primary colors used to create it. The secondaries are grouped in a triad that creates an inverted equilateral triangle.
Tertiary Colors
Tertiary colors are created by combining adjacent primary and secondary hues. For example, a primary color, such as yellow, and a secondary color, such as green, mix to create yellow-green.
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The name of each tertiary color begins with the neighboring primary color combined with the neighboring secondary color. You will never see the name green-yellow; it will always be yellow-green.
Color Schemes
Using the color wheel, you can make any color scheme or combination, though some will look better than others. Just as colors mix to create new colors, colors can be paired to create visually pleasing combinations.
Luckily, you don’t have to sit for hours trying out every color combination to find one that looks good. You can use tried and true color harmonies to find a combination that works. We’ve gone over the most important color schemes below, and provided information on how to use these principles when you’re making color palettes containing multiple hues.
The color palette images below can also be found within our 101 color combinations, inspired by images in Shutterstock’s collection.
Monochromatic Colors
Monochromatic color schemes focus on a single color, often using variations of that hue by incorporating tints, tones, and shades. It might sound like a boring palette, but this provides variations in value that add interest and dimension to your composition. Experiment with different color temperatures to affect the overall mood of your design.
This color scheme is extremely versatile and easy on the eye. Using many hues in a design can often overwhelm the viewer and obstruct the design’s tone, but subtle color variations on one hue help to simplify a design without making it too flat.
Achromatic Colors
Colors that lack chroma and saturation, like whites, grays, and blacks, are called achromatic. Many artists prefer to work in achromatic environments because they provide direct indications of value through dramatic shadows and highlights.
Analogous Colors
Analogous colors are a group of three or four colors that border each other within the color wheel. The word “analogous” means closely related so, logically, these colors are close together on the color spectrum.
The combination of these hues has a harmonious appeal similar to monochromatic color schemes.
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When picking analogous groups for your composition, keep your palette grounded by using exclusively cool or warm colors together. Stick to a dominant hue and accentuate with its analogous counterparts.
This aurora borealis color scheme creates a smooth transition from green to blue, which neighbor each other on the color wheel.
Complementary Colors
Complementary colors exist on opposite sides of the color wheel. One color is usually a primary color and the other a secondary color.
Blue and orange, red and green, and yellow and purple are the main complementary pairings that create aesthetically pleasing color harmony.
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Pair complementary colors together in a composition for added contrast and visual intensity, as seen below. The vividness of the orange citrus fruits stand out against a light blue backdrop.
Split-Complementary Colors
Split-complementary color schemes might look similar to complementary schemes, but this combination incorporates the two neighboring hues of a color’s complement, such as yellow paired with blue violet and red violet.
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This balance of color can create striking color harmonies, but without the intense vibration of complementary colors. Bringing in analogous colors can help to soften the stark contrast of complements.
Double Complementary (Tetradic) Colors
Complementary colors are already intense in nature. Double complementary, or tetradic, color schemes up the ante by using two pairs of complements.
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Tetrads, such as yellow and violet paired with green and red, use rich values that are often hard to harmonize. To keep a balanced composition, choose a dominant color and lower the saturation or intensity of the other hues.
Triadic Colors
A triad consists of three colors that are placed equidistant from each other on the color wheel, forming an equilateral triangle as seen below. Triads can include three primary, secondary, or tertiary colors.
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Yellow, blue, and red form a vibrant triad that can be difficult to balance. Let one hue shine, like the yellow on the car below, and accentuate with other triadic hues, such as the blue and red found on the beach gear atop the car.
A good rule of thumb when designing is to create hierarchy. Instead of allowing colors to fight for the spotlight, assign a dominant color and then sprinkle with accents.
Orange, green, and purple are another striking tetrad. In the scheme below, the colors are more equally balanced with purple being the dominant color. The orange table vibrates against the blue-green box, which creates a focal point that’s impossible to ignore.
Related Resources:
- Colors – Color Schemes, Complementary Colors
- Color Palette Generator – Generator, Color Wheel, HEX Color Picker
- Lemon Color – Combinations, HEX Codes
- Electric Purple Color – Combinations, HEX Codes
- Neon Green Color – Combinations, HEX Codes
- Aqua Color – Combinations, HEX Codes
Color Meaning and How It Affects Design
Color psychology focuses on color symbolism and meaning, and how colors and their combinations impact human emotions.
The psychological effects of color can be applied to many industries and pursuits, helping marketers create effective branding or a new homeowner select the right color for their dining room.
Each hue evokes different emotional responses from viewers, shaping how that consumer perceives the overall design on display.
It’s important to understand your audience when leveraging color meanings, because the psychological effects of color aren’t inherently universal. People of different cultures, identities, and demographics will have unique interpretations of color, which makes research and understanding of your target audience essential to your creative process.
When it comes to graphic design, product development, marketing, and branding, this positive brand perception can influence consumers’ purchasing decisions and ultimately increase sales.
Here’s how each color is typically perceived by Western audiences.
Warm Colors
Warmer colors—such as reds, oranges, and yellows—stimulate the senses and elicit a sense of cheerfulness with their vibrancy. These colors pack tons of emotional meaning, but they can easily be overwhelming when used as the dominant hue in a composition.
Tints, tones, and shades of warm hues are your best friend because they help to desaturate a hue without negating its positive effect.
Apply warm hues in moderation by sprinkling them as an accent color across branding elements, or pair them with cooler tones for a harmonic balance.
- Neutral Colors: When searching for a timeless or conservative color scheme, a neutral palette is a safe choice. Incorporating warmer undertones, browns, beiges, and grays create endless combinations for a subtle and subdued color scheme. Use neutral colors to create a sense of calm and comfort, or timeless elegance.
- Red: Known for its striking and vivid personality, red brings out intense emotional responses in its viewers. It can heighten appetite, excitement, and anxiety. While red is a bold and powerful hue, always use it sparingly, especially when paired with other vibrant hues. Too much intensity can weaken a design and stir up the wrong emotions, even inciting aggressiveness.
- Orange: Orange’s vibrance indicates confidence, casualness, and a fresh start. While orange tones often give off a friendly demeanor, brands might want to use this hue sparingly. Decrease its vibrancy by utilizing tints, tones, and shades of orange, or opt for muted versions such as peach, terracotta, or apricot to add a sense of elegance.
- Yellow: This sunshine hue evokes warmth, cheerfulness, and serenity in its purest form. Yellow’s eye-catching hue is also a color people notice instantaneously. Brands take advantage of yellow‘s notice-ability to attract customers to their stores, making it a popular color choice for retail. Keep in mind, too much yellow can be overwhelming to viewers and seen as a cheap tactic to increase sales.
Cool Colors
On the other side of the spectrum, cooler hues tend to elicit calmness and trustworthiness. Blues, greens, purples, and even pinks tend to be more versatile. They can be integrated into branding elements as a dominant or accent color.
Add emphasis to your composition by experimenting with a cool hue’s complement, or apply warmer tones as an accent to its cooler counterpart.
- Green: This versatile hue is often associated with lush forests, fruitful harvests, and prosperity, instilling a sense of growth, safety, and recurrence. This hue is packed full of meaning, making it ideal for sustainable and eco-friendly brands, financial institutions, or grocery chains. Green is especially easy on the eyes, making it ideal as a dominant color or an accent.
- Blue: From bright blue skies to dazzling oceans, this well-liked hue symbolizes peacefulness, trustworthiness, and loyalty with its calming nature. Blues are universally loved, meaning that many brands utilize some shade of blue in their campaign or logo. Pairing blue with a warmer hue, such as an orange or yellow, is a great starting point.
- Purple: Purple’s peaceful and luxurious allure works well with brands that offer high-end products or impart a tranquil environment, such as a yoga studio. However, using purple in its purest form can easily overwhelm a design. Instead, try to incorporate its tints and shades, as seen in the fashion portrait below. Pair purple with its complement, yellow, for a bold contrast, or incorporate split-complementary schemes for a more subtle contrast.
- Pink: When thinking of shades of pink, most picture femininity, romance, intimacy, and lightheartedness. However, pink is often a trickier color to integrate within a composition. But when you think of pink as a simple tint of red, you can easily utilize the color wheel to your advantage. Pink marries well with muted green hues, along with analogous or monochromatic color schemes.
Understanding Color Models
While color combinations are extremely important to graphic design, it’s also essential to distinguish between the different types of color spaces and systems before you begin designing. Different color profiles are appropriate for different types of design.
The main color profiles, RGB and CMYK, exhibit colors in distinct processes, which affects the overall color range you can use in a design. RGB color profiles can display more vibrant hues, while CMYK profiles aren’t able to reproduce those similar values.
Spot and process colors also affect the colors used in your design; the color gamut available between these color systems is drastically different. When printed, spot colors appear more intense and uniform, while process colors are produced with CMYK dots, resulting in a more limited color range.
Additive Color: RGB
The RGB color profile consists of red, green, and blue hues that combine to create extensive variations of colors that exceed the gamut of a CMYK color profile. This color mode exists exclusively in screen displays, such as in computer monitors, mobile devices, and television screens.
Instead of utilizing ink to produce hues, the RGB profile uses additive processes to produce color by blending light. This is the exact opposite of subtractive color processes, such as mixing paints or dyes.
The presence of all RGB primaries at full intensity yields white, while the absence of color produces black. The color displays on your screen result from the presence of those RGB base hues.
When attempting to print a design that is exclusively in a RGB color profile, your design will produce hues different from the screen preview. CMYK color profiles have a smaller gamut than RGB profiles so, when printing, the color present in your design will attempt to find a CMYK equivalent.
These equivalents may be muddied or much less vibrant, ultimately affecting the overall tone of your design. As a rule of thumb, always set your online only designs in the RGB color profile to avoid color changes.
Subtractive Color: CMYK
The CMYK color profile contains cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black) that combine to produce a range of hues. This four-color process works for any type of printer. When zoomed in on printed images, you can see the four-color dots that layer to create different hues and gradations.
Dots per inch—aka DPI—result from printing and involve the CMYK color profiles.
Although all printers produce prints in CMYK, the end result may vary among different styles and models of printers.
In RGB color spaces, all primaries combine to produce white with additive color processing. CMYK modes combine with subtractive color processes, meaning all primaries mask to yield to a blackish hue. As inks and dyes are layered upon each other, they subtract from the white of the paper.
CMYK color profiles produce a smaller gamut than RGB color profiles, so only use this profile when designing for print.
Read a more in-depth analysis of CMYK and RGB color profiles, plus how to access and edit these color profiles in Adobe programs:
Process Color
The most common method of offset printing involves process colors. These colors are produced by a combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black), or CMYK inks.
Each process color is comprised of percentages of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks. Process colors provide a limited color range when compared to spot colors.
Process, or four-color, printing is ideal for jobs that require multi-colored inks to produce an image or design. Each screen is printed at a different angle to produce a cohesive image.
Spot Color
In offset printing, spot colors are produced when inks are laid down in a single run, rather than in multiple dots. Spot, or solid, colors consist of pure and mixed inks that are produced without the use of screens or multicolor dots.
Spot colors are ideal when color accuracy and consistency across print jobs is crucial. Company logos and color-specific brand elements that feature few colors should be reserved for spot color printing.
Read more about the advantages of utilizing process versus spot colors in your designs, plus how to access and convert between each color mode in Adobe programs:
Drawing on Color Theory Inspiration for Your Designs
When figuring out colors to use in graphic design or other creative projects, search for inspiration all around you. Step outside of your color comfort zone if you want to conjure up some truly eye-catching palettes.
Head outdoors, and take in the natural hues. Observe established works of art across all disciplines to see colors combinations you might not have thought of originally.
Sample colors from photographs. Familiarize yourself with the unique color combinations of other designers. Submerge yourself into current color or design trends. Personally, I like to look around design websites like Dribbble and Behance to see how modern color schemes are being used across different projects.
That being said, always check yourself to ensure you’re not becoming too color-happy. Too many colors in a design leads to a complicated mess and can obscure the overall message of the design.
Ready to start working with color in new and exciting ways? Download 25 retro swatches and 101 color combinations—they’re all free and made by yours truly.
The retro swatches are available in the RGB color profile and compatible across Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. If you don’t have access to design software, you can input the six-digit hex codes shown on each color swatch image.
All 101 of these color combinations are available in the RGB color profile as well, and they’re ideal for use in online or web designs.
How to Upload Free Swatch Files in Adobe Illustrator
Click the hamburger drop-down in the Swatches panel and select Open Swatch Library > Other Library, then select one of the swatch files.
How to Use Your Free Swatches in Adobe Photoshop and InDesign
In the Swatches panel, select the hamburger drop-down menu and click Load Swatches and select an individual swatch file to see it pop up within the panel.
Color Theory Is Everywhere
This guide covers everything you need to know to start working with color at a high level, whether you’re choosing colors for your logo or selecting artwork for a room in your house.
Now that you know the basics of color theory and color psychology, you’ll start to really see that color is everywhere.
Stay curious about colors because trends are constantly evolving, and there are always new ways to play with the color wheel.
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