Using Color Effectively; A Few Rules Of Thumb; Color Wheel - Xerox DocuColor DocuColor 4 User Manual

6.3
The ability to print in color can greatly increase the effectiveness of your
message, whether you are printing a presentation or a newsletter, or proof-
ing an ad concept that will later be printed on press. Some potential benefits
of using color include:
Conveying information rapidly by using color cues
Making use of the emotive aspects of different colors
Increasing impact and message retention
Color can also be a source of distraction and discord if it is used poorly. This
section outlines some tips and concepts that will prove useful as you ap-
proach designing color materials.
6.3.1

A few rules of thumb

Try some of the following strategies for creating successful color materials:
Rather than applying colors indiscriminately, use color to aid comprehen-
sion. In presentations, graphs, and charts, use color to highlight patterns
and emphasize differences.
In general, fewer colors work better than many colors.
Use red as an accent color. Red is particularly effective when used in oth-
erwise monochromatic materials.
Consider the tastes of your target audience when choosing colors.
Keep a file of printed color pieces that appeal to you or strike you as ef-
fective. Refer to it for ideas when designing your own documents.
6.3.2

Color wheel

A color wheel is a helpful tool for understanding the interrelation of colors.
The colors on one side of the color wheel, from magenta to yellow, appear to
most people to be warm colors, while those on the other side, from green to
blue, appear to be cool. The distance between two colors on the color wheel
can help predict how they will appear when seen side by side. Colors oppo-
site one another on the wheel are called complements, and create a striking
contrast side by side. This can be the basis for a bold graphical design, but it
is an effect you should use with discretion since it can be visually fatiguing.
Other bold combinations to consider are split complements (a color and the
two colors adjacent to its complement) and triads (three colors evenly spaced
on the color wheel). Colors adjacent to one another on the color wheel result
in subtle harmonies.

Using color effectively

6
99