Color Theory

1. Color Theory The Psychology of Color (+ a bit of graphics)

2. A new look at color… • Why is your favorite shirt or outfit? Why is it your favorite? • Why do advertisers use certain colors to advertise their products? • How do colors influence our lives every day?

3. Color Theory • The mixture of colors and the visual impact of specific color combinations.

4. Green • Envy • Natural • Wisdom • Life & Renewal • Cools and calms • Lowers blood pressure and appetite • Good luck

5. Red • Passion • Love • Sexy • Anger • Creativity • Increases heart rate and blood pressure • Increases appetite

6. Yellow • Sunny • Happiness • Gets attention faster than any other color • Yellow objects noticed first • Best as a companion to other colors • Use bright yellow to create excitement when red or orange may be too strong or too dark. • Perky • Good yellow • Yellow ribbon - hope, support, remembrance • Mellow yellow - laid back, relaxation • Bad yellow • Yellow or Yellow streak or Yellow-bellied - cowardice or coward • Yellow journalism - irresponsible reporting

7. Orange • vibrant • combination of red and yellow • denotes energy, warmth, and the sun • less intensity or aggression than red • calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow • energetic

8. Blue • Water • Cool • Clean • Rebirth • Dependability • Lowers blood pressure • Decreases appetite

9. Black • Conservative • Goes well with almost any color except the very dark • Serious and conventional • Mysterious • Sexy • Sophisticated • Black is the color of mourning in the west • Among young people, black is often seen as a color of rebellion

10. White • Purity • Cleanliness • Innocence • Like black, white goes well with almost any color. • White is often associated with hospitals, especially doctors, nurses, and dentists. • Angels are typically depicted as wearing white

11. Pink • Softer, less violent red • Sweetness • Pink is the sweet side of red • Cotton candy and bubble gum and babies, especially little girls • Large amounts can create physical weakness in people • Romantic and charming

12. Warm Colors Warm colors are based in red. Unlike hot colors, warm colors are softened with the addition of yellow, which creates a heady array of red-orange, orange and yellow-orange. These direct, emotionally touching colors seem to reach out to us—an inviting, comforting aspect of warm colors that makes them natural for home interiors.

13. Cool Colors Cool colors are anchored in blue; unlike cold colors, however, they are blended with yellow and red, which creates a gorgeous range of colors from green through blue through violet. These colors are perceived as soothing, calming, meditative and peaceful, like a slowly moving stream.

14. Make sure you understand these terms. Refer to your notes if necessary. • .gif vs. .jpg • Lossless vs. Lossy graphics • Bitmapped vs. Vector programs • RGB vs. CMYK color • Primary vs. Secondary colors • Analagous vs. Complimentary colors • Monochromatic color • High Key color vs. Low Key color

15. The Psychology of ColorCheck for Understanding • 1. Why is it important for a designer to know the psychological effects of color? • 2. Why do food advertisers use lots of warm colors in their advertising and packaging? • 3. Why do advertisers of “healthy” snacks use green? • 4. How does color affect the way we buy things?

16. Homework Reminder • Color Sample Collection or • Magazine Project 5 sample ads with your explanation of color theory used in ads

17. Choose a superhero/villain from the list below. Based on what you’ve learned about color, why do you think your hero wears the costume he/she wears? Does the costume fit into the archetype for that color? Superman Batman Wonderwoman Spiderman Lex Luthor The Joker Yoda Darth Vader Luke Skywalker Princess Leia

18. Additional Resources • http://www.iit.bloomu.edu/vthc/design/psychology.htm • http://www.colormatters.com • http://www.spectrummuse.com/color_theory.htm