The Influence Of Colour In Graphic Design

Design is something that surrounds us daily. This could be found in something as simple as a wrapper on a water bottle to the imagery on a t-shirt. The main key in design lies in the placement and colours used in the imagery. Graphic design allows us to communicate visually. Although its something that may go unnoticed, colour has a role in the choices that we make. Ultimately, colour plays a large role in gaining attention.

Design holds a very high level of importance in every aspect of the visual world. The main key of graphic design lies in the placement and colours used in a certain piece. Graphic design allows a way to send a message- a way of communication.In design, colour is very subjective. But it plays a significant role in the outcome and success of a piece of work.

From a young age, we are taught the 3 primary colours. Red, Blue and Yellow. From then, we are taught how these and the derivative colours can be associated with feelings almost instantly. For instance, when prompted we connect red with danger, anger and lust/love. When designing it is important to reflect back to colour associations to achieve the highest engagement within the context of the work. The Bauhaus school understood the power of colour from the 1920s through to the 1930s, with members developing colour theories for evoking moods and emotions through a particular palette in design.

In relation to consumerism and success in sales, as designers, we must be conscious of the palette we select and how this could be interpreted. To appeal to the target audience, colour must be related to the theme of the work. An information graphic on the environment for example, would not consist of red. It would generally have hues of green and blue to communicate nature, earth and the element of calmness. A person perception of colour influences the overall marketing strategy of a design or business. (The Psychology of Color in Marketing and Branding, Ciotti, 2013). In a titled study, called Impact of Color in marketing, researchers found that up to 90% of judgements made about products are based on the main stand out colour. (Impact of Color in Marketing, 2006). The research showed that it takes only 90 seconds for people to make a subconscious judgment about a product and between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on color alone. So, the appropriately chosen colors can be useful on the way of improved success for a product as well as advance a wider target audience and gain higher visibility.

Cultural differences in the perception of colour play a major role in influencing. Each colour has its meaning and different associations for people. The properly selected colours for the design can compel the audience to engage positively and ultimately create more business for a client. The colour meaning can vary depending on the culture of the target audience. Moreover, sometimes one colour may have absolutely opposite meanings in different countries. In western cultures for example, the colour white is perceived to be a symbol of purity and innocence as well as a form of clarity and peace. In contrast to this, white in European countries is widely linked to mourning and the absence of life. Opposed to the majority of western countries, white is worn to attend funerals. This is the reason for designers to acknowledge the specialities of culture’s color perception while creating the design for a foreign country.

To enforce the importance of colour perception and its influence an intent has been set to create an artefact of an information graphic consisting of a series of posters. Each would be in multiple different colours to gage the different perceptions each colour has on the audience. This in itself would not only to test the theory of colour, but would also give a deeper first-hand understanding of my audiences perceptions. This in turn would also aid other designers on the importance of colour choices, and how they too can progress further. Whilst it is widely known that colour selection is important, designers must look deeper into the significance of the colour they have chosen and for what reason. Through the series of information graphics created, a designer would be questioned on their choices and asked to look further in the content they are creating. Ultimately this not only benefits the designer but would also aid in potential clients and being able to gage the particular target audiences reactions better.

In relation to this, the target audience is not only for designers on how to appropriately influence but for businesses alike. To ensure the highest engagement is achieved from your audience, selecting a colour palette that anchors the core values of a company ensures that the brand is distinguishable and stands higher than other competitors. Brand consistency is a large component in gaining trust and customer loyalty. Trust from your target audience and consumers alike holds high importance. They trust your brand the also the reliability of your product and that this is communicated. if colour selection and overall tone of the brand is changed too often, or it is deemed inconsistent then ultimately is could tarnish the perception of the brand. By building and creating a single consistent brand image a business is able to form and create greater familiarity. This, in turn, strengthens the customer relationship and therefore careful colour selection is a key component and should not be there to suit current trends By building one consistent brand image, you are able to create greater familiarity and strengthen your relationship with your customers in the marketplace. Therefore the careful selection of your brands’ colours is key and should never be an attempt to indulge in trendiness, it is more than merely a subjective choice.