Considering the Use of Color in Graphic Design

by Tom Selwick
http://www.leadgenix.com

Color is a very important part of graphic design. Not only does it have to balance and work well with the design, but you will have to select colors that relay the correct feeling for the message you are trying to send.

Color can have a huge impact on how a person views a certain message. For example, warmer colors such as red, orange, and yellow can help someone feel more active and energized.

They can also make some more prone to becoming angry and hostile. However, used in other circumstances, it may make someone feel warm and comfortable.

Meanwhile, cooler colors such as blue and green can help a person relax and feel more melancholy. The full impact of a certain hue will differ from person to person depending on their particular experiences with that hue.

Due to the impact that colors could have, some ancient civilizations used them in their methods of healing and treatment. These doctors used red to help boost circulation as well as to stimulate the body and the mind.

Yellow was used to activate the nerves and to help cleanse the body of impurities. Orange was intended to help the lungs heal faster as well as to boost an ailing person's energy levels.

Meanwhile, blue was used around people who were suffering from pain and uncomfortable illnesses to relieve the discomfort and pain. Indigo was used around those that suffered from skin issues.

While most doctors do not believe in the healing power of various hues anymore, they definitely do have an impact emotionally on various people. These impacts are temporary, but they can help you change your mood or attitude if you want.

Much of the time, pink is associated with love and romance. Despite the fact that it is a lighter red, it is thought to be calming instead of stimulating.

In the past, pink was sometimes used in prisons to help inmates stay calm. In addition, some sports teams used it in the locker room for the visiting team so that they would come out for the game calm and relaxed instead of energetic and ready to play their best.

It is interesting to not however, that studies have found that the calming power of pink is quite limited and temporary. A person will only feel calmer when they first see it.

Extended exposure to the hue will not provide a continued sense of calmness. As a result, the inmates in the prison felt calmer at first, but overtime became increasingly more hostile and agitated.

This backfired on some of the prisons. Orange definitely is a stimulating color and it can make people feel much more energetic.

Most people associate excitement, enthusiasm, and warmth with this hue. Due to its brightness it is also used to draw attention to specific things.

For example, construction signs appear in orange because it makes them easy to spot. However, advertisers also use orange to draw attention to various products and offers.

Brown is a more neutral color. It is viewed as earthy, strong, and reliable.

Its association with nature often provokes the idea of sadness or isolation as well. Sometimes warmth, comfort, security, naturality, and conventionality are also associated with this hue.

Due to its use in fashion though, some people feel that it is sophisticated. There is definitely a wide variety of emotions associated with brown depending on how it is used.

Purple is often associated with royalty, wealth, wisdom, spirituality, and so forth. As it is not commonly found in nature, some people feel that it is exotic or artificial in some cases.

Yellow is another warm, bright, and cheerful hue. However, it is so bright that the eyes often tire of looking at it after only a couple of minutes.

Its brightness is attributed to the fact that a lot of light is reflected off of yellow. Not only does it cause the eyes to tire, but it can cause eyestrain or damage when it is looked at for long periods of time.

This is why it is best when it is not used as a background color even though it can often provide a lot of contrast. The vibrancy of this hue can also cause some people to feel frustrated or angry.

It has also been found that many people tend to lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms. Babies also tend to be less content in yellow colored rooms.

However, it can also increase your metabolism as well as draw attention. This is part of why it is used so often by fast food restaurants.

Tom Selwick is a business marketing specialist with over twenty years of business marketing experience. He has written hundreds of articles on business marketing and recommendsPrinting Hartford for all your printing needs. Contact Info: Tom Selwick TomSelwick09@gmail.com http://www.alphagraphics.com/centers/hartford-connecticut-us162/index.html

Article submitted Saturday, June 04, 2011 & read 9 times.

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