Choosing the Best color for Design

What does the psychology of color refer to?

We all know about 'Color is a sensation that is transmitted to the brain'; this creates an effect on our body and especially on our own psychological attitude.

Our own “personal chromatic palette” is created based on our ability to perceive external colors and on the emotional ties we unconsciously place on each color. This process of associating a certain emotion to a specific color is based on our own personal experience as well as on the specific cultural nexus in which we live.

Some examples

Generally speaking, warm colors (yellow, orange, red) are stimulating and positive, but they can also be perceived as too impetuous and direct. Grey, black, brown, and white are elegant but passive colors: cold and detached, they are often associated to certain sensations and situations that are negative or undesirable. Subtle colors, such as pastel colors, are both reassuring and inspiring confidence. The same thing can be said for green and light blue.

Chromotherapy is a method based on these set of concepts. It is an interesting and controversial discipline which is based on the same principles that determine an individual’s color selection of clothes according to his or her state of mind.
According to chromotherapy, colors help the mind and body return to a sense of equilibrium.And chromotherapy can help stimulate the body and even cure it from certain pathologies by the physical and psychological effects created by these colors.

What does this have to do with advertising and graphic design?

It is known that emotions are intimately tied with the appeal of a certain product over another; these emotions can be evoked through the use of various visual elements, colors included.
For instance, red and orange are known for being colors which are intense and full of emotion, that can increase a person’s heart rate and breathing. Furthermore, these colors –which many people might not know – encourage consumers to eat more and more quickly if they are actually used in a food-related establishment. They can be interpreted as stimulants for one’s appetite.

Having said this, the following colors reflect an underlying set of values that span across and include many of the world’s cultures.

• Red: Red is the color that is perceived in the shortest timeframe by the naked eye, even though current research shows how the young and elderly might find it difficult to perceive. Red represents energy, speed, danger, excitement, strenght, and sex.
  
• Blue: Blue is the favorite color of Europeans, especially for members of the male gender. Blue represents security, responsibility, and trust.
  
• Yellow: Warm and stimulating like the sun, yellow is tied to positive feelings and happiness; it is loved by the young. It can also be associated with betrayal and jealousy.
  
• Orange: Orange is a warm and energetic color, and used in the proper context it is the perfect color to entice a consumer to buy something.
  
• Green: Green is a fresh color tied to nature, brightness, and hope. For some people it is associated with diseaseand superstition.
  
• Purple: This color is frequently associated with religion, but it is also considered an elegant, regal color. Unconsciously, purple is associated with spirituality and dignity.
  
• Pink: Soft and delicate, it is used to symbolize love and sweetness. Be careful though: an excessive use of this color can make a website look very infantile.
• White: Purity, cleanliness. As it was stated before, white is associated with death in Asia.
  
• Black: It can be sophisticated, elegant, or mysterious, but it can also symbolize death and the occult. However, if it is used properly (such as in high-end luxury items) combined with the gold color, it can create a very exclusive and chic atmosphere.
  
• Gold and Silver: These two colors are prestigious and regal. They tend to be associated with expensive items.

It is best to consider any unconscious or hidden associations of these colors and what they might mean to our target audience. Enjoy Designing.