Color Theory

Color Schemes & Compliments

Why is Color Important

in Design?

Color is essential because it allows for a great means of communication,

it allows us to manipulate emotions with out even realizing it.

White

Innocence and purity, normally worn to imply purity.

Blue

Calming, tranquil, depressing, and loyal.

Green

Represents nature, calming, and easy on the eye.

Yellow

Cheerful and an attention getter, aids in

concentration.

Purple

Royalty, luxury, wealth, feminine, romantic.

Brown

Solid, reliable, geniuine and wistful.

Black

Represents authority and power, is overwhelming.

Red

Most emotionally intense color, stimulates feelings

of love or passion.

Saturation VS Value
Saturation: The intensity of a color, or its brightness

0-100% Saturation

Value: How light or dark a color is, how much black

or white the color has.

<- Black

White ->

Color Schemes
Double-Split Color Scheme

Analogous Color Scheme

Split Color Scheme

RGB Color Model

Green
(0, 255, 0)

Cyan
(0, 255, 255)

Blue
(0, 0, 255)

(255, 255, 255)

White
Yellow

Magenta

(255, 255, 0)

(255, 0, 255)

Red
(255, 0, 0)

Understanding the RGB color model is essential for

mixing your own colors on the computer.

CMYK Color Model

Green

Cyan
(255, 0, 0, 0)

(255, 0, 255, 0)

Yellow
(0, 0, 255, 0)

Black/Key
(0, 0, 0, 255)

Red

(255, 255, 0, 0)

Blue

(0, 255, 255, 0)

Magenta
(0, 255, 0, 0)

You have to know how the CMYK model works and

mixes when you planon printing anything.