PSYCHOLOGY OF

COLORS
 Table of Contents
 Definition of Color
 Color Wheel
 Basic Color Scheme
 Color Psychology
 Color Effects People
 Color Symbolism and Brands
 Color Matters
 Conclusion
 Definition of Color

Color is the property of light that the

human eye perceives and processes
from a reflected source.
Color consists of three main
integral parts:
hue
value
saturation (also called “Chroma”)
 Parts of Color
• Hue
Hue is a term which
describes a dimension of color
we readily experience when we
look at color
• Value
Value refers to the lightness
and dark qualities of a color
 Parts of Color
• Saturation
Saturation is concerned with the intensity of a
color.
 Color Wheel
• The color wheel or color circle is the basic tool for
combining colors. The first circular color diagram was
designed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666.
 Color Wheel
• The color wheel consists of three primary colors
(red, yellow, blue), three secondary colors (colors
created when primary colors are mixed: green,
orange, purple) and six tertiary colors (colors made
from primary and secondary colors, such as blue-
green or red-violet).
• Color wheel is designed so that virtually any colors you
pick from it will look good together.
 Basic Color Schemes
 Complementary
Colors that are opposite to each other on the color
wheel are considered to be complementary colors
(example: red and green).
 Basic Color Schemes
 Complementary
The red button are hard to miss against the green
background.
 Basic Color Schemes
 Analogous color scheme
Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to
each other on the color wheel. They usually match
well and create more attractive design.
 Basic Color Schemes
 Analogous color scheme
 Basic Color Schemes
 Analogous color scheme
In the example above, the dominant color is
clearly a slightly dark shade of yellow, which gives
off an energizing and friendly tone. The secondary
color, a red-orange hybrid, continues this theme,
though it’s distinct enough so that users can read
the text clearly.
 Basic Color Schemes
 Triadic color scheme
A triadic color scheme uses colors that are evenly
spaced around the color wheel. They tend to be more
vibrant.
Basic Color Schemes
 Basic Color Schemes
 Triadic color scheme
In the above example a site that helps calm people
before doctor’s visits. The triadic scheme work
perfectly for DocReady. The choices of red, yellow,
and turquoise are common in the triadic scheme,
although on this page the turquoise is dominant,
encouraging a calmer vibe than the more stimulating
red or yellow.
 Basic Color Schemes
 Monochromatic color scheme
The monochromatic color scheme uses only one
dominate color or different shades of the same colors.
Monochromatic colors go well together, producing a
visually pleasing effect.
Basic Color Schemes
 Basic Color Schemes
 Monochromatic color scheme
Wake uses a blue monochromatic scheme with white
flourishes. Their dominant blue background with a
middle shade that’s representative of the properties
of both light and dark blue emphasizes the color’s
relations to both friendliness and professionalism, a
perfect choice for a company that aids business
communications and collaboration.