Tuesday Tips: Color & Your Design

Productive days are always the best. When you can sit back at the end of the day, actually view progress on your projects, and generally feel like you've given it your all. Today was definitely one of those days. Above are sneak peeks at two projects that should be completed in the next day or two, for a couple of great ladies to work with. On the left is a 100% hand-drawn vector design ... but you'll never guess what else is in the image! On the right is part of an image the woman I'm working with submitted for a series of hang tags.

On the frustrating end, I finally found out why I'm having connection problems: a line was cut during construction, and it could be a couple of days before I'm fully back to normal. At least having no connection doesn't affect my computer or the graphics tablet - I wouldn't know what to do with myself!

Other than that, it was a calm and beautiful day here 9,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies. With the windows open and birds chirping, it gives me hope that I can be out digging in the ground soon!

When you're out to make an impression, you want to be both attractive and memorable. Of all the ways you can achieve attractive and memorable rather than irritating and memorable, color is the most important. It is through color that we perceive our world, process information both emotionally and psychologically, and convert the color into a message. It all works on an automatic level that most of us aren't even aware of - but by becoming aware of it, you can harness it for your own benefit.

Pink

The softest of colors, pink conveys romance, affection, delicacy, sweetness, love, friendship ... and, above all else, it is associated with femininity. It is highly popular for boutiques when paired with black, and many women-owned bakeries favor a pink and brown color combination that is both trendy and pleasing.

Purple

The color of dreams, enlightenment, spirituality, and intuition, purple is also famously associated with luxury and royalty. It can convey feelings of elegance, extravagance and independence - the deeper the purple, the more "royal" the feeling. On a lighter side, it can have a calming, serene effect. Be careful here, though - purple is a color that people never sit on the fence about. You either love it or you hate it.

Blue

Blue is associated with the element of air and freedom, it's the color of artistry and creativity, wisdom, affection, loyalty, intelligence, and sincerity. Have you ever wondered why blue is so popularly used on corporate websites? There's a simple reason: no matter what culture you've grown up in, blue is generally the last color you'll say "I hate it" to.

Green

Relaxing, calming, and soothing ... green is a color that is associated with two very different things: money and success, or nature and healing. It's all about the context for this color, but the good news is that it's one of the most popular colors worldwide.

Red

ENERGY - Red is all about it. Action, speed, strength, passion, in the right context it can convey feelings of romance and in other contexts, danger and aggression. It is the color of revolution, and it stimulates people to take action. It can be a color of urgency or need, and is definitely one of the biggest "attention grabbing" colors out there. Did you know that red vehicles are the ones most ticketed? Even the police can't keep their eyes off this color. Use caution, though. Bright reds used over large areas can quickly strain the eyes and set off immediate irritation (remember aggression?) reactions.

Orange

Another energetic color, orange is traditionally used to convey balance and enthusiasm. It is the color of creativity and joy, but it has a meaning of "cheap" in some cultures. Know your audience before you overdo it with orange.

Yellow

Ahhhh yellow. Associated with the sun, joy, happiness, imagination, curiosity, memory, energy, glory, and confidence, yellow stimulates mental activity. This can be both good and bad. Light yellow or moderate use of yellow will attract attention, but overusing it can be too mentally stimulating and actually provoke anxiety.