Color in Communication
By: Charlotte Nelson
Introduction
• Why color?
• What associations can people have with color?
• Is there a difference between cultural color associations?
• What to be aware of in layering background and text?
• What are the various color combinations that can be
used?
• Are there potential issues in color projection?
Why Color?
Why color?
• Color captures attention
• Creates contrast
• Evokes emotional associations
Captures attention
Image 1
Image 2
Creates contrast
• Which is easiest to read?
• Which is easiest to read?
• Which is easiest to read?
• Which is easiest to read?
Color Associations
Color associations
• Color makes people feel different things.
• What is your happy color?
• What is your sad color?
• What is your love color?
• All of us could have different answers to those questions
because of how we associate with color.
Red
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Power
Energy
Warmth
Love
Lust
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Danger
Opinionated
Dynamic
Confident
Aggression
• China: Good luck, Celebration,
Summoning
• Cherokees: Success, Triumph
• India: Purity
• Excitement
• Stop
• Christmas (with green)
• South Africa: Mourning
• Russia: Bolsheviks and Communism
• Eastern: Worn by brides
Orange
• Energy
• Balance
• Warmth
• Caution
• Ireland: Religious (Protestants)
• Halloween (with black)
• Creativity
• Autumn
Yellow
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Optimism
Hope
Philosophy
Dishonesty
Betrayal
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China: Nourishing
Egypt: Color of Mourning
Japan: Courage
India: Merchants
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Intellectual Enlightenment
Attention
Hazards
Coward
Green
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Natural
Healthy
Lucky
Renewal
Growth
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Fertility
Optimism
Freedom
Balance
Spring
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New Birth
Go
Saint Patrick’s Day
Christmas (with red)
• China: Green hats indicate a mans wife cheating on him, exorcism
• India: Islam
• Ireland: Symbol of the entire country
Blue
• Beliefs
• Conservative
• Security
• Technology
• Cleanliness
• Order
• Peace
• Soothing
• Spirituality
• Contemplation
• Cherokees: Defeat, Trouble
• Iran: Islam
• Ireland: Symbol of the entire country
• Mystery
• Patience
• Depression/Saddness
Purple
• Spiritual
• Mystery
• Nobility
• Transformation
• Rudeness
• Arrogance
• Friendly
• Romantic
• Self
• Thailand: Color of Mourning (widows)
Brown
• Land/earth
• Reliability
• Comfort
• Durability
• Stability
• Weight
• Elegance
Black
• Fear
• Power
• Sophistication
• Death/grief
• Mystery
• Sexuality
• Elegance
• Exclusive
• Independent
• Charismatic
• Solitude
• Discipline
• Strong-willed
• Halloween (with orange)
• Rebellion
White
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Pure
Clean
Natural
Empty
Colorless
Neutral
New Beginnings
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• Japan: White carnation symbolizes Death
• Eastern: Funerals
Sanctity
Brides
Angels
Hospitals
Doctors
Peace (white dove)
Grey
• Intellectual
• Future
• Simplicity
• Sorrow
Layering Background and Text
Dark vs. Light Backgrounds
Dark
• Formal
• Doesn’t influence ambient
lighting
• Doesn’t work as handouts
• For large venues
• Objects can glow
Light
• Informal
• Has a bright feeling
• Illuminates the room
• Works well as handouts
• For smaller venues
• No dramatic lighting
Colors Affect Others Differently
White
White
White
White
Blue
Blue
Blue
Blue
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Dk. Red
Dk. Red
Dk. Red
Dk. Red
Dk. Green
Dk. Green
Dk. Green
Dk. Green
Layering on Black
• Yellow
• Lt. Yellow
• Lt. Blue
• Violet
• Orange
• White
• White
• Yellow
• Lt. Yellow
• Lt. Blue
• Lt. Green
• Orange
• Black
Layering on Yellow
• Black
• Brown
• Dk. Blue
• Blue
• Dk. Green
• Green
• Red
• Violet
• Black
• Brown
• Dk. Blue
• Blue
• Blue Violet
• Dk. Green
• Red
• Violet
Layering on Red
• Black
• Dk. Blue
• White
• Lt. Yellow
• White
• Lt. Yellow
Layering on Blue
• Black
• Brown
• Dk. Blue
• Blue
• Blue Violet
• Red
• Violet
• White
• Yellow
• Lt. Yellow
• Green
• Lt. Green
• Lt. Blue
• Red
• Lt. Red
• Black
• Dk. Blue
• Lt. Blue
• Yellow
Layering on Green
• Black
• Dk. Green
• Dk. Blue
• Yellow
• Lt. Yellow
• White
• White
• Yellow
• Lt. Green
• Lt. Blue
Layering on Orange and Violet
• Black
• Dk. Blue
• Blue
• Dk. Green
• Black
• Dk. Blue
• Lt. Yellow
Best Use of Background Color
• Keep it in stark contrast with the color of the text
• Shouldn’t distract from the message
• Keep it simple
• If it is too crowded or too bright or dark
• Color makes things interesting
Color Combinations
Monochromatic
• Variations of the same color
• Varying between the hue, tints,
and shades
Analogous
• Colors touching each other on the
color wheel
Complementary
• Colors opposite each other on the
color wheel
• These tend to be starkly contrasting
and used wisely
Split Complementary
• Two colors on opposite sides of the
complementary color
• Not quite as stark as complementary
colors
Triadic
• Three equally spaced colors in the
color wheel
• Three equally spaced colors in the
color wheel
Tetradic
or Double Complementary
• Two pairs of complementary
colors in the color wheel
Hue, Tint, Shade
• Color isn’t only red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo, or
violet.
• There are variations of each
color.
• Hue: True color
• Tint: Addition of white
• Shade: Addition of black
Issues in Projection
Computer vs. Projector
• Although you may love the colors on the computer screen it might
be wise to make sure the colors work projected.
• Projected color is different than computer color
What Now?
What Now?
• After all this, what does it mean for you?
• In use of color
• Pay attention to how you use colors together
• Understand that some people might not have the same associations with
color as you do
• What message does your background send?
• Stick to a color scheme
Citations
• Duarte, Nancy. Slide:ology the art and science of creating great
presentations. 1st ed. Sebastpol, California: O’Reily, 2008. 126-139.
Print.
• Johnson-Sheehan, Richard. Technical Communication Today. 3rd
ed. New York, New York: Longman, 2008. 257-261. Print.
• Russell, Wendy. “About.com” PowerPoint—the Ugly. N.p., Web. 26
Nov, 2013.
http://presentationsoft.about.com/od/powerpoint101/a/good_ba
d_ugly_3.htm