Colour Theory for Designers

Colour is an important part of graphic design because it can influence attention, visual hierarchy and the overall appearance of a design.

Primary Colours

The traditional primary colours are:

  • Red

  • Yellow

  • Blue

These colours are commonly used as a foundation for understanding colour relationships.

Colour Relationships

Designers can use different colour relationships when creating visual compositions.

Complementary colours are positioned opposite each other on a traditional colour wheel and can create strong contrast.

Analogous colours are located close to one another and can create harmonious combinations.

Warm and Cool Colours

Warm colours commonly include reds, oranges and yellows.

Cool colours commonly include blues, greens and some shades of violet.

Choosing Colours

When selecting colours for a design, consider:

  • The purpose of the design.

  • The target audience.

  • Brand identity.

  • Readability.

  • Contrast.

  • Consistency.

Practical Activity

Create a simple colour palette containing three to five colours.

Use the palette to design a basic social media graphic.

Summary

Understanding colour helps designers make better visual decisions. A good colour combination should support the message of the design while maintaining readability and consistency.

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