VIEW BY CATEGORY:
SUBSCRIBE NOW!25-A-Day SubscriptionsUp to 750 hi-res downloads / month 1 MONTH $2493 MONTHS $709Images On DemandDownload anytime for one year 1 HI-RES IMAGE $195 HI-RES IMAGES $49 |
Next: Focus on Footage: »
Choosing the Right Color
share
▼
As you may already know, Shutterstock has just introduced an exciting new feature: Search By Color. It allows you to search for images that match the specific color you need for your project--you can search by color and keyword, or by color alone. I've been using this tool regularly in my own work for Shutterstock, and it's gotten me thinking more about the role color plays in design, and in life. When I was in grade school, I worked on a science project in which I tested out how colors affect a person's mood. The results, achieved by sitting a person down in a color illuminated room, were astounding to me but it wasn't until later when I began studying graphic design that I began to fully understand how powerful colors can be. In design, there are many factors that can either make or break a layout and color is definitely one of them. As a designer, my daily task is to create a piece that is visually and emotionally stimulating. When I receive an assignment, the first thing I think about is the message that I am trying to convey. Then I think about what will help me convey that message. And color is always one of the first elements I consider.
Did you ever wonder why most people find hamburgers and french fries from a fast food chain tempting or, even worse, downright irresistible? Believe it or not, the colors red and orange that are often used in restaurant decor can promote hunger by increasing the body's metabolism. It also helps that they evoke the colors of ketchup and mustard. So the next time you get a hunger pang, take a closer look at the many colors around you--they might be playing a role. Imagine that there are two people selling cotton candy at a carnival. One person is a wearing a pink shirt while another person is wearing a brown shirt.
Eventually you will see how their wardrobe colors have influenced the outcome of their sales. The same principle applies to brand identity for companies because
colors create emotional associations between people and products. For example, the color green is often used to package organic and healthy products because it
triggers associations of trees and nature. Blue is often used in hospitals because it promotes calmness and tranquility. And the list goes on...
Using certain colors together is an effective technique in making a message pop. If you want to draw attention to the text on an invitation, for example, complementary colors (values that oppose each other on the color wheel) such as purple text on a yellow background are much more powerful than analogous colors (values that are close together on the color wheel) such as orange text on a yellow background.
Helpful Tips: Feeling blue, seeing red, being engulfed by a black mood or viewing the world through rose-colored glasses . . . . these phrases exist because many emotions find almost universal expression in certain colors. In many ways, color is a language that can give voice to who you are and how you are feeling--and communicate those emotions to others in a remarkable efficient way. Of course color choices will differ from person to person, just as their emotions do. The power of color in design can't be overestimated. So take a spin on the color wheel and experiment with color. Shutterstock's Search by Color feature is a good place to start.
share
▼
|
