FAQ About Harmony of Colors

Both are color models. They are the two models you mostly use when you're doing any design work.

CMYK (aka Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) is a subtractive color model (reflected light color model). As we add ink to a white page it gets darker. The more ink you add, the page gets darker and turns black. It is used for printed projects.

Whereas RGB (a.ka. Red, Green, Blue) is an additive color model. Unlike CMYK, When you add the RGB colors and overlay those colors you'll get white. For digital designs, you can use RGB colors. It is solely for on-screen use. Therefore, RGB colors are brighter than CMYK colors.

Always start by choosing your primary color which is the color that is displayed most frequently across your products. You should choose the right color to reflect the tone of your product. Color psychology plays an important role as well. So, when you're in-between colors, check how those colors affect our emotions. Don' forget that colors can have cultural meanings too.

Now that you have your primary color, it is time to choose your accent color. A complementary color can also work as an accent color. Play with colors and see which one suits you best. There are no right or wrong answers. For UI projects, provide two accent colors to make sure it looks good in both light and dark modes.

Don't forget about the secondary colors! Pick your colors to raise brand awareness.

Colors can affect your overall business strategy. They are used to create awareness and appeal. Therefore, it is one of the most important elements in design and also in psychology. Ideally, the colors should be aesthetically pleasing.

If you already have 2 colors as your primary colors, there are many tools that would help you to find secondary colors and create a color scheme. You can use the free website maketintsandshades.com to create color palettes. In Adobe Illustrator you can use the Blend tool and choose the two colors you have already chosen and it will automatically give you a spectrum of colors. You can also use the Adobe Colors website and write down the Hex Code of your primary colors and it will automatically generate a color palette to your own liking. Your color scheme can be rather monochromatic, complementary, analogous, or triadic.

To clarify the difference between all these color schemes, monochromatic schemes are comprised of variations of one hue by adjusting the shades, tones, and tints. Whereas, analogous color schemes are combinations made up of colors that are next to each other in the color palette. If you like to attract by choosing the opposites, complementary color schemes are there for you. Last but not least, triadic color schemes consist of 3 colors that have an equidistance in the color palette.

Pantone announced, "Very Peri", a periwinkle blue with violet-red undertones, as the color of the year. The company stated that the color signifies confidence and curiosity.

Let's examine this year's favorite color trends.

1- Pastel Gradients

Pastel gradients offer a soft and subtle sense of calm. Simple and soothing backgrounds will make your texts pop out. This year we are seeing gradients being used to add color, depth, and texture to flat designs.

2- Natural Hues

Due to increased interest in sustainability, the organic design movement has grown in popularity. Natural earthy hues can include any color that's found in nature. Soil-inspired shades, blue-grey skies, and orange leaves are all included in natural hues.

3- Muted Color Palettes

The subtle energy of pastel colors and the natural appeal of organic colors are combined to create modern and minimalistic muted color palettes.

4- Y2K Inspired Metallics

The Y2K trend can be described as futuristic with a retro edge. Reflective surfaces, holographic, and iridescent textures will be used as backgrounds.

In short, color theory refers to the collection of color-related rules and guidelines, and it is both the science and art of selecting a color. Since color is one of the most powerful tools for visual design, designers should select colors carefully to communicate with users through appealing color combinations.

Most people decide whether they like a product or not based on its color. Fortunately, the color theory discipline helps us to create a balanced color combination. Let's review some of the principles of color theory:

*Balance is key! Do not use so many colors. It gets difficult to create a visual balance when you overwhelm your users with so many colors. Use different shades and tints instead. Ideally, use 2 or 3 colors and limit yourself while deciding upon your color scheme.

*Understand psychology! Color is perception. They even behave differently in relation to other colors. Each color represents a different emotion and can represent different meanings in a different context, such as gender, nationality, and age. It is important to know what are some of the general feeling that colors evoke. Like how red can evoke danger while green is more calming and it evokes a positive feeling where something is succeeded.

*Not everything is about aesthetics! Don't forget about functionality. As a designer, your main concern is usability and accessibility. Users must achieve to find information and read it easily. Use high contrast text to make it readable on a color. Use visual cues to communicate the message. That way, you would justify your decision on why you are using such color. It is also because not everyone can see colors. People with disabilities need those clues to understanding what you are referring to.

A group of German psychologists studied human perception and created a set of principles that explains the reasoning behind how we group things. The Gestalt principles have been adopted by designers and it plays a central role in communication design.

Human nature tends to group things. Gestalt principles help us understand that similar elements of design are visually grouped together. It's either the color, the size, or the shape that attracts the human eye and it automatically groups similar things together that might not be right next to each other.

This is applicable to color since we tend to see similar colors together as if they are a whole. In visual design, using similar colors gives the message that those elements are in the same group and have a similar meaning. To catch the visitors' attention you have to choose the right color. In that way, it is also easier to navigate through a website or even when you're looking through a poster. The colors and other elements navigate your eye where to look and how to proceed.