Color Theory

What Is Color Theory? (Without The U in Color)

Color theory is a very interesting topic to me. I find it interesting that certain people will react to certain colors differently for different reasons. The basis of color theory is centered around this very idea and can be a game changer when it comes to both graphic design and logo design. An example of color theory being put into practice would be the "Red Bull" Logo. The "Red Bull" logo is possibly one of the best examples to explain color theory. You will notice that in the "Red Bull" logo there are only 2 colors, red and dark yellow. This is because the logo designers wanted the logo to be in your face and feel alive while also keeping a simplistic design.

My Favorite Color

A creators personal preference can impact a design immensely making it there own piece of work and making it appeal to a certain group. The most noticeable is the color choice in a work. In most works of a personal piece the artist will add in a bit of there favorite color to everything. In my example my favorite color is white (Yes it is a color, and yes I know it's a stupid favorite color). The reason I like white so much is because it reminds me of playing in the snow with my brother and its also just relaxing to look at. So my pieces of work will have a lot of white added in and make the design more relaxing to look at.

My Least Favorite Color

I hate dark green. I hate it so much. In my opinion the most ugly color is a dark green. It is unpleasant to look at and just looks nasty. It also makes me remember when I was a little kid I was very prone to get sick so that makes my perspective on the color change drastically. This, obviously, will lead me to stay away from using the color in anything I create because of my natural bias towards it.

So Why do Colors Matter in Graphic design?

Colors convey a message. They tell the consumer what the product is and what target audience it will be aimed at. Going back to the "Red Bull" example, the logo is supposed to be in your face and exciting. This of course will make it relate to sports, parties, competition, anything intense essentially.  The reason color combinations matter so much is because it can make you uncomfortable while looking at it. Everyone knows that green and yellow rarely match right? Well the same could be said for green and red, or yellow and violet. This is because of the color wheel that describes all of the related colors and how to use them.  Notice how orange and red are close to each other, thats why the "Red Bull" Logo is so interesting. It includes all of the aspects of color theory into its design.