Here’s a crash-course covering what I consider to be the six most important colors, what they represent, and the best ways to use them in SHOWING your idea. The first two, Black & White, are not actually colors, but they are still the most important. Any visuals you produce should reproduce well in Black & White for quick photocopying, faxing, and any decision makers who may be color-blind.
White, Black, and Blue are considered safe colors.
WHITE represents purity, cleanliness, and simplicity.
For example, brides wear White to convey purity.
Hospitals use a lot of white to reinforce cleanliness and sterility.
Apple computer uses White to convey simplicity.
White is the background of our word processors, and most web pages, simulating paper. Traditional text is almost always Black on a white background. As a background, it’s more about the empty “White spaces” than filling with content. Nine times out of 10, you’ll choose a White background to SHOW your idea.
BLACK is the absence of color and represents elegance, sophistication, and mystery.
Black as a background can be very strong as it sets a formal tone and makes other colors appear brighter.
BLUE represents honesty, trust, and stability. Blue is primary color of choice for corporations around the world.
To this day, IBM is known as “Big Blue.”
Blue is common color for uniformed paramedics, firemen, and police.
Blue suggests precision and intellect and it’s no wonder that American Express named their new cash rewards card, “Blue.” Blue is a considered a safe color – use it for accents and sometimes in place of Black.
So there are your safe colors, White, Black, and Blue.
The next set of colors, Green, Yellow, and Red, are persuasion colors…
… and their meanings are best related to a traffic signal, “Stop – Caution – and GO!
RED (my favorite color) represents danger, power, and passion.
In a traffic signal, it means, “stop”
… and on signs it means “danger.”
Red is the color of fire trucks, emergency lights, and fire.
In accounting, Red means negative or losing money – a bad thing in business. Red is generally a negative color, associated with downward/backward movement…
but can be effectively used to stimulate or draw attention, as in “sale” or “buy now.” Use Red sparingly and carefully.
YELLOW represents alertness, energy, and happiness.
In a traffic signal, it means, “slow down.”
On signs it means, “caution.”
Taxicabs are yellow to get your attention.
Yellow is cheerful and optimistic – highlight your gold nuggets with yellow!
GREEN represents growth, health, and the environment.
In a traffic signal, it means “go!”
In accounting, Green means positive cash flow, so Green means money – especially in U.S. dollars. Green is generally a positive color and is usually associated with upward/forward movement.
As well as nature and the environment. Highlight your gold nuggets with green!
Add in, what are my colors saying? And since you made it this far, I’ll give you the best tip of them all…