Color plays an important role in first impressions, with up to 90% of assessments based on color alone within 90 seconds of initial viewing. However, color is subjective and people respond differently depending on personal preference, cultural background, and color associations. In general, different colors convey different meanings - for example, red often represents passion but can also signify danger or communism depending on context. Understanding color terminology such as hue, saturation, shade, and tint is important for effectively communicating through color. Traditional color schemes include monochromatic, analogous, complementary, and triadic combinations.

1. Color

2. Color matters!
Research reveals people make a subconscious
judgment about a person, environment, or product
within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that
between 62% and 90% of that assessment is
based on color alone.!
Source: CCICOLOR - Institute for Color Research

3. Powerful tool for
communication

4. But color is subjective!
People respond differently to the
same color due to:
Personal preference
Cultural background
Color memory/associations

5. Example: Red
FIRE/DEVIL BLOOD/WARFARE ANGER
LOVE/CUPID IMPORTANCE PROSPERITY/
HAPPINESS
DEFIANCE/
COMMUNISM
DANGER

7. In general...
• Red: Passion, Love, Anger
• Orange: Energy, Happiness, Vitality
• Yellow: Happiness, Hope, Deceit
• Green: New Beginnings, Abundance, Nature
• Blue: Calm, Responsible, Sadness
• Purple: Creativity, Royalty, Wealth
• Black: Mystery, Elegance, Evil
• Gray: Moody, Conservative, Formality
• White: Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue
• Brown: Nature, Wholesomeness, Dependability
• Tan or Beige: Conservative, Piety, Dull
• Cream or Ivory: Calm, Elegant, Purity

9. Color Wheel
Primary Colors: Red, yellow and blue
Primary colors are the 3 pigment colors that can not
be mixed or formed by any combination of other
colors. All other colors are derived from these 3
hues.
Secondary Colors: Green, orange and
purple
These are the colors formed by mixing the primary
colors.
Tertiary Colors: Yellow-orange, red-
orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-
green & yellow-green
These are the colors formed by mixing a primary
and a secondary color. That's why the hue is a
two word name, such as blue-green.

10. Color is a general term
Hue
Saturation
Shade
Tint
COLOR TERMINOLOGY:

11. Hue
An object’s color
Blue, green, red, etc.

12. Saturation
How pure a color is
High saturation =
purest color. No white
or black added
HIGH SATURATION
LOW SATURATION

13. GREEN & RED
HUES
HIGH
SATURATION

15. Shade
Created by adding
black to a hue, making
the hue darker

16. Tint
Created by adding
white to a hue, making
the hue lighter

17. Shade vs. Tint

18. Color schemes/palettes
Important to
define your
color palette/
scheme before
starting on a
project
Use your color
wheel!

19. Traditional schemes
Monochromatic
Analogous
Complementary
Triad

20. Monochromatic
Made up of
different tones,
shades, and
tints within a
specific hue.
SHADE
TINT
TONE
HUE

24. Analogous
Created by using three
colors that are next to
each other on the 12-
spoke color wheel
Ex: Blue, blue-green,
and green
V

26. Analogous Cont’d
Analogous
schemes are good,
but sometimes they
don’t provide
enough contrast to
the design
Use shades, tints,
and tones of colors
to give more
contrast

28. Complementary
Created by combining
colors from opposite
sides of the color
wheel
Again, use shades,
tints, and tones of
complementary hues
to give more contrast

30. Triad
Created by using
three colors that are
evenly spaced
around the color
wheel.