Color

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Color
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Color

• "Colors are forces, radiant energies that affect
  us positively or negatively, whether we are aware
  of it or not" (Johannes Itten, The Elements of
  Color, cited by De Grandis, 1986, p. 100).

De Grandis, L. (1986). Theory and use of color
(J. Gilbert, Trans.). New York Harry N. Abrams,
Inc. Prentice Hall, Inc.
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Color - Characteristics

• Color determined by Hue, Saturation and Value
• Screen color is additive color
• Primary colors Red, Green Blue

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Color - Setting

• Colors for screen graphics generally created with
  RGB settings
• Each color has 256 possible settings (0-255)
• 256 x 256 x 256 16.77 million colors possible

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Color Setting - Web

• Uses hexadecimal values
• Three sets of two numbers or letters (a total of
  six numbers and/or letters).
• Reds R255, G0, B0 becomes FF0000
• See online course for RGB Hex values for
  browser-safe colors

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Color Using color

• Keep palette simple
• Build around one primary
• Use related colors around the primary

Source Sherwin Williams (2002). The color
wheel. Online. Available http//www.sherwin-wi
lliams.com/DIY/interior/colorselect/confidence/dwc
4.asp
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Color Using color

• Keep palette simple
• Use split complementaries

Source Color wheel. Online. Available
http//hort.ifas.ufl.edu/TEACH/floral/color.htm
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Color Using color

• Keep palette simple
• Use triads

Source Color wheel. Online. Available
http//hort.ifas.ufl.edu/TEACH/floral/color.htm
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Color Using color

• Use color to unify and differentiate
• Use color to establish hierarchies
• Use color to focus attention
• Use color consistently

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Color Common Problems

• Using pure complements
• Pure complements are colors that are opposite one
  another on a color wheel.

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Color Common Problems

• Red and Green are pure complements, so they do
  not work together for text and background.

• Red and Green are pure complements, so they do
  not work together for text and background.

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Color Common Problems

• Not enough difference in value
• "Value" is a measure on lightness or darkness.

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Color Common Problems

• If there isn't enough value difference, even if
  there is a difference in hue (color), it will be
  hard to read text.

• If there isn't enough value difference, even if
  there is a difference in hue (color), it will be
  hard to read text.

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Color Common Problems

• Too much variation in background value
• If the background image has a wide range of value
  difference in it, then you won't be able to find
  a text color that works across the entire image.

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Color Common Problem

• Can fix the background problem in PowerPoint
• Harder on the Web because of tiling

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Color Common Problem