1. Color Theory
Lisa Myers

2. What is Color Theory?
Quick definition: practical guidance regarding the effective use of color
Three key pieces to understand in color theory:
Color wheel
Color schemes (how colors are used together); also called color harmony
Color psychology (or the meanings that colors convey and responses they elicit from individuals)
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3. Color Wheel
Color Wheel contains primary colors (red, blue, and yellow); secondary colors (orange, green, and purple; created by mixing primary colors); and tertiary colors (blue-green, yellow-orange, etc.; created by mixing a primary and secondary color)
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4. Important Color Schemes
Monochromatic: different shades of one color (e.g. dark and light orange); simple and harmonious

5. Important Color Schemes cont
Complementary: colors located across from each other on the color wheel (e.g. blue and orange); provides strong contrast

6. Important Color Schemes cont
Analogous: colors located next to each other on the color wheel (e.g. orange and yellow); good for simple designs that don’t need strong contrast

7. Color Psychology
Colors have various meanings and associations in different cultures
In western culture, cool colors (blue, green, purple) can represent calmness, peacefulness, and trustworthiness; warm colors (red, orange, yellow) can represent energy, passion, cheerfulness, creativity
A stern, professional website likely draw on cool colors, whereas site wanting to convey a sense of fun or creativity would likely choose a warm color

8. Color Psychology cont
More professional with blue and grey; wants you to trust them and use their services
Design website; wants to convey creativity and suggest that designing with them can be fun

9. Color Psychology cont Bright colors are good for children’s websites
Colors such as green, sky blue, brown, and yellow are often reminiscent of the earth and nature

10. Why Color Theory Matters
Understanding color theory and having a good color scheme are key for achieving your goals in designing a website:
Chaotic or clashing colors look unprofessional and can hamper readability: University Mall Theatres (site uses too many bright colors with no apparent color scheme; text is often difficult to read against the background)

11. Why Color Theory Matters cont
Colors can trigger various emotions and other responses from individuals; designers should know how to wisely choose colors in order to increase chances of getting desired response from audience
Color can help draw attention to or show the relation of certain items on a webpage