I nfographic: The Psychology of Color
For a moment, try to imagine a world without color. Not just as an old silent film, but truly absent of any shades or delineations. See it? What does it look like? Most would answer that they see a void, or a world as blank as an empty canvas. In both a literal and figurative manner, color defines the world we inhabit.
In the design industry, every design begins as that world without color, as a canvas that is blank. Each color chosen alters the landscape, bringing with it a different mood, or synergy and thus invokes a certain physiological reaction. When we design a logo or a website, for example, a major part of our focus is to choose shades of color that tell the right story for your audience.
With this handy color psychology chart, the Carey Jolliffe Graphic Arts agency has about fifty suggestions. While it goes without saying that each individual’s reaction to color is subjective, this chart matches each selected shade from the Pantone Matching System with several likely positive (and in some cases, negative) elicitations. For example, the chart lists Deep Purple (PMS 2627C) as positive and rich, yet aloof.
Click the thumbnail for the full infographic, or check out some highlights below:
Bright red might be eye-catching in small amounts, but it could also come off as antagonistic when used the wrong way.
Dark blues aren’t as pretty (and don’t reproduce very well from web to print), but are a popular color for professional like lawyers.
A color we don’t use often but can be used in the professional community.