Ch 8: Color
INTRODUCTION
A thorough understanding of color is essential to expert design, and is one of the most important tools in graphic design. There are infinite variations of colors at the designer’s disposal, and endless ways of combining them across many media, from printed inks to screen-based colors, each with their own characteristics. Color has a unique, complex language, and the ability to change its meaning when partnered with other colors. When choosing colors to incorporate into your design, you will need to consider issues of contrast and harmony, and how these might affect legibility in typography. You can also set the mood of a design by using the psychology of color, but you must be sure your selected colors convey the correct message at an unconscious level, and that they are suitable for the audience your project is intended to reach.
Complete this lesson to understand the basics of color in media design.
PRESENTATION
READING ASSIGNMENT
FOUNDATIONS OF COLOR
Watch “Foundations of Color” with Mary Jane Begin on Lynda.com. This course is about learning how to use color, not only to create more effective designs, but also to tell a story. Illustrator, professor, and author Mary Jane Begin explains how color intertwines with brand identity, how it affects the mood of a piece and directs the viewer’s attention to areas of interest, and how it can connect images or create space between elements. She removes the mystery surrounding the color wheel and color relationships; shows how to layer, mix, and digitally alter color; and use light to integrate temperature, translucency, and contrast. (2 hours)
