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Visual Design LTEC 5220

When creating a document in instruction, designers need to  have a keen understanding of color theory and visual design

To understand color theory, you must understand the color wheel.  If someone were to start with red, the color adjacent to it would be orange, all the way following ROY G BIV, back to purple (violet) which would be next to red again. Colors across from each other are called complementary. Red and green are good examples of complementary colors. Complementary colors contrast very well.  If a designer wants something to stick out, using the color that is the complement of the background, would work best.  (Cousins, 2012)
(Cousins, 2012)
A designer might also use an analogous color scheme.  These are colors that are adjunct to each other on the color wheel, like read, orange and yellow.  Using an analogous color scheme tends to be pleasant and calming to the viewer. A designer might also use a triadic color scheme. This is when three colors are used equidistant from each other like red and yellow and blue. This combination makes the viewer feel a sense of “equality and security”(Cousins, 2012) Triadic color schemes are similar, except you are using four different colors. (Cousins, 2012)

Using a monochromatic color scheme, using different hues (shades) of one color helps, create a very organized feeling to a page. An example of this would be light blue, medium blue and dark blue. Adding a complementary color can help things really stand out in a monochromatic scheme.  The same could be said about an achromatic scheme. With different shades of gray.  Adding small amounts of color also helps things stand out. (Cousins, 2012)

There are several elements of design: line, shape direction, size, texture, color (or hue) and value. (Lovett, 1999) All visual designs have some combination of these.  There are several principles of design too. Balance, gradation, repetition, contrast, harmony, dominance and unity. Depending on the situation, a designer will need to keep these in mind.

A web designer might want to have a lot of unity and repetition on a website. If each web page looks different, a user might get very confused.  Advertisers and educators might want to use good use of dominance and contrast in order to make things stand out.  

A designer must keep in mind that people perceive things differently. A large proportion of the population is red green color blind. Using red and green might commentary colors, but it might be a poor design choice for some.  Sometimes too much contrast and dominance might distract from the key message a designer will use.  In the long run, all designs must go through multiple drafts. Feedback is especially important to improve visual designs.

Works Cited

Cousins, C. (2012, Feburary 28). Principles of Color and the Color Wheel. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from Codrops: https://tympanus.net/codrops/2012/02/28/principles-of-color-and-the-color-wheel/
Lovett, J. (1999). Original Design Overview. Retrieved June 16, 2017, from John Lovett: https://www.johnlovett.com/design-overview


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