Understanding the possibilities and complexities of designing and printing in color.

Color Color choice is critical to good design-- whether it is the printed page or web page. It may well be the most powerful design tool because it communicates so effectively.

Communicating with ColorCommunicating with Color Colors create feelings and generate emotional responses in readers. –Black--classic, strong, mysterious, shows authority –Blue--peaceful, dependable, quiet, loyalty, productive –Brown--wholesome, rich, home-like, stable, rustic –Green--soothing, refreshing, healing, natural, fresh –Neutral--classic, quality, natural, timeless, quiet

Communicating with ColorCommunicating with Color –Orange--sharp, friendly, hot, energizing, inviting –Pink--happy, sweet, romantic, youthful –Purple--sensual, elegant, regal, spiritual, mysterious –Red--exciting, dynamic, appetite stimulant –White--pure, bright, innocent, clean –Yellow--harmonious, warming, sunny, splendor

Color TipsColor Tips Consider your audience Use colors appropriate to the topic Consider color contrast with your background color; older viewers need higher brightness levels to distinguish colors Use color consistently across the project

Color TipsColor Tips Verify that the colors you use look okay on different projection methods. Be sensitive to the fact that colors mean different things in different countries and regions.

Culture--Red China: Good luck, celebration, summoning India: Purity South Africa: Color of mourning Eastern: Worn by brides, happiness and prosperity Western: Excitement, danger, love, passion, stop, Christmas (with green), Valentine’s Day Psychology: Stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, increases blood pressure

Culture--Orange Ireland: Religious (Protestants) Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn Psychology: Energizes, stimulates appetite

Culture--Yellow Cherokee: Trouble and strife. China: Nourishing, royalty Egypt: Mourning Japan: Courage Western: Hope, hazards, coward, weakness Psychology: Energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite

Culture--Green China: Green hats imply a man’s wife is cheating on him, exorcism Ireland: Symbol of the entire country, religious (Catholics) Islam: Perfect faith Eastern: Eternity, family, prosperity, peace Western: Spring, money Psychology: Soothing, relaxing mentally and physically, helps with depression, anxiety and nervousness

Culture--Blue China: Immortality Iran: Color of heaven and spirituality, mourning Eastern: Wealth, self-cultivation Western: Depression, sadness, conservative, corporate, "something blue" bridal tradition Psychology: Calming, lowers blood pressure, decreases respiration

Culture--White China: Death, mourning India: unhappiness Japan: White carnation symbolizes death Eastern: Funerals, helpful people, children, marriage, mourning, peace, travel Western: Brides, angels, good guys, hospitals, doctors, peace (white dove)

Culture--Black Thailand: Bad luck, unhappiness, evil Eastern: Career, evil, knowledge, mourning, pennance Western: Funerals, death, Halloween (with orange), bad guys, rebellion Psychology: self-confidence, strength, power

Colors can vary...Colors can vary... Human perception; the way each person sees color can vary Colors can vary depending on which color is by its side or how the light hits the page/screen Monitors vary Home printers often do not have the same color range as professional printers

Colors can vary...Colors can vary... There are millions of printable colors and only 216 web-safe colors; Even when using professional printing services, colors can differ because there are different printing processes Monitors and printers create color differently

Monitors vs. PrintersMonitors vs. Printers Color selection is complicated by the difference in the way monitors and printers create color –Monitors use a process known as additive color –Printers use subtractive color

Additive vs. SubtractiveAdditive vs. Subtractive Additive (Monitor) Additive color starts with black and adds red, green and blue to produce white Subtractive (Printer) Subtractive color starts with black and removes cyan, magenta, and yellow to produce white.

RGB vs. CMYKRGB vs. CMYK RGB RGB is additive color This is the color model used by monitors and televisions RGB stands for red, green, blue Colors range in value from CMYK CMYK is subtractive color This is the color model used by inkjet and laser printers CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black These colors are also known as process colors Varying percentages (0- 100%) of each color are used to reproduce color

Spot Color vs. Process Color PRINTING Process color uses four colors of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black to produce all colors Typically used when –printing photographs or multi-color graphics –more than two spot colors are needed Spot colors uses specially mixed ink to create colors Typically used when – limited number of colors are in the publications – vibrant colors are needed – special effects (metallic, fluorescent) are required Professional printing services use spot color or process color.

Color TheoryColor Theory Color theory is understanding the relationship of color--often based upon the specific location on the color wheel –Color wheel: a visual representation of colors arranged according to their chromatic relationship.

Color SchemesColor Schemes A color scheme is the choice of colors used in the design of publication Colors are combined to create a particular mood, image, etc. Example: –Bright colors create a festive mood –Neutral colors create a calming mood

Basic Color SchemesBasic Color Schemes Monochromatic—different values of one color Analogous--colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel Complementary--colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel Split-complementary--a main color and the two colors on each side of its complementary color on the color wheel Triadic--three colors of equal distance apart on the color wheel