The Basics

No matter what color you chose, every color begins with the use of the color wheel. Created by Isaac Newton in 1666 the color wheel, even with all of its transformations is still the main tool today for selecting the correct color(s) for any project.

How do the primary, secondary and tertiary colors that make up the color wheel affect us? Which color(s) will have you jump at a product verses color(s) that either makes you stop and think about the product or even walk away from a product? What happens when we combine different color combinations incorrectly? Studies have shown that 90% of snap judgments are made by color alone.

Before you can answer the questions above, you need to understand what each color on the color wheel means through emotion, a particular industry and how that industry uses it.

RED

ORANGE

YELLOW

LIME GREEN

KELLY GREEN

SKY BLUE

ROYAL BLUE

VIOLET

PINK

BROWN

GRAY

BLACK

While these are the basics for understanding how color affects people differently, there are many other factors which you must consider. Not surprisingly, studies have shown that there are significant differences in how men and women see color and their individual color preferences. But there are some similarities:

Which color wins out for both men and women? Blue

Which color is most disliked between men and women? Brown and orange.

Another thing to consider is, what one color means in one country, may mean the direct opposite in another.

The psychology of color is very complex and takes time to understand. With the basics under your belt, in Part Two, you’ll learn the different sections of the color wheel with respect to primary, secondary and tertiary colors and how they work in the different color models.

Are you stuck with selecting the right colors for a project? Let’s chat.