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Full-color printing uses the subtractive color wheel with primary
colors of cyan, magenta and yellow. Cyan is the complement
of red which means that it absorbs (subtracts) red. Magenta
absorbs green; and yellow absorbs blue. When paper that
reflects light is covered with a colorant like ink, the ink subtracts
parts of the white light shining on the paper. Because printing
inks are transparent, any light that has not been absorbed by the
ink is reflected back to the viewer from the paper. This reflected
light is what produces the specific color seen by the viewer. By
varying the amount and color of ink on the piece of paper, the full
visible spectrum of light can be seen by the viewer.
The eect of color
The primary colors of the additive and subtractive systems
are associated with meanings that can be thought of as the
color’s personality. These symbolic meanings are something
that people consciously or unconsciously use when evaluating
a color palette; they can provoke a positive or negative reaction.
Some meanings dier by culture: white is a symbol of purity
in the United States so is used for weddings; in China, it is a
symbol of death so is used in funerals.
Developing a color palette
If your business or organization already has a logo, use its
predominant color as the basis for the color palette (Color 1).
Next, select a color that contrasts (Color 2). If you want to use
a third color, pick the complement of either Color 1 or Color 2.
Using contrasting colors helps achieve a balanced look. Beware,
however, as too much contrast might appear aggressive. Use
the lightest color of the three for large areas like a background,
and the most vibrant color where you want to attract attention.
The meaning of color
As part of her website Color Matters, Jill Morton, MFA, a color
consultant and former college professor, oers a thorough
explanation of what colors mean globally. Her work is based on the
Global Color Survey, a 19-question survey that can be completed
online. The following information is excerpted from her website.
Red is the color of extremes: passionate love, seduction,
violence, danger, anger and adventure. It is a magical and
religious color. In ancient days, red was almost as rare and
as expensive as purple. Today’s intense red dyes come from
crushed insects (the lac beetle and the cochineal). Red is one of
the top two favorite colors of all people, and the most popular
color used on flags in the world (about 77% of all flags include
red). Red is the international color for stop.
Red captures attention. It is one of the most visible colors
(second only to yellow) of the spectrum, so is used on fire
engines and stop signs to trigger alertness. Red focuses behind
the retina, forcing the lens to grow more convex to pull it
forward. Therefore, we perceive red areas are moving forward.
Eight percent of the male population has a red-green color
vision deficiency and cannot see red at all.
Yellow is the most luminous of all the colors, and captures
attention more than any other. It is the color of happiness,
optimism, enlightenment, creativity, sunshine and warmth,
but also cowardice, betrayal, egoism and madness. Yellow is
the color of caution and physical illness (jaundice, malaria,
and pestilence). Sources of yellow pigments are toxic metals
(cadmium, lead, and chrome) and urine.
Because yellow is the most visible color of the spectrum,
the human eye processes it first. Peripheral vision is 2.5
times higher for yellow than for red. Yellow has a high light
reflectance value and, therefore, acts as a secondary light
source. Excessive use of bright yellow (such as on interior
walls) can irritate the eyes.
Blue is the #1 color favorite of all people globally. In nature it
is the color for water and sky, but is rarely found in fruits and
vegetables. Blue has more complex and contradictory meanings
than any other color, depending on the shade. Dark blue =
trust, dignity, intelligence, authority. Bright blue = cleanliness,
strength, dependability, coolness. Light/sky blue = peace,
serenity, ethereal, spiritual, infinity. Most blues convey a sense
of trust, loyalty, cleanliness and understanding, though blue
also evolved as symbol of depression in American culture.
Aristocracy is blue-blooded in all European languages.
Blue is the most commonly used color for corporate identity;
53% of the flags in the world contain blue. Blue is sharply
refracted by the eyes. This causes the lens to flatten and
to push the blue image back so blue areas are perceived as
receding and smaller. Blue has very few connections to taste or
smell, so may act as an appetite suppressant.
Green is a color—a symbol of ecology and the environment—
and a verb. It signifies growth, rebirth and fertility, and is
universally associated with nature. Trac lights are green all
over the world. Approximately 5% to 8% of men and 0.5% of
women are color blind to green.
Purple is rare in nature, and the expense of creating it has given
purple a supernatural aura. The earliest purple dyes date back
to about 1900 B.C. when it took 12,000 shellfish to extract
1.5 grams of the pure dye—just enough for a single Roman
toga. Accordingly, purple was used primarily for garments of
the emperors or privileged individuals. More than any other
color, purple symbolizes magic, mystery, spirituality, the
subconscious, creativity, dignity, royalty, nobility and luxury to
most people in the world.
Purple is the hardest color for the eye to discriminate. Variations
of purple convey dierent meanings: light purple = light-hearted,
floral and romance; dark purple = more intellectual and dignified.
The negative meanings of purple are decadence, conceit and
pomposity. Purple is also a color of mourning.
Orange is a polarizing color—people either love it or hate it. It
is the only color of the spectrum whose name was taken from
an object (the fruit). Orange symbolizes energy, vitality, cheer,
excitement, adventure, warmth and good health; but it can
also be abrasive and crass, suggesting bad taste and a lack of
serious intellectual values.
There are many shades of orange: dark orange (terra cotta or
cayenne); red-orange (persimmon); pure orange (pumpkin);
yellow-orange (mango); pink-orange (salmon); light orange
(melon). Darker oranges oer a sense of comfort; lighter oranges
are soothing and healthy.
Color us helpful
Our job is to guide you through the steps needed to help you develop
a color palette or select a color that is the right one for the job. Call
Stuart Weeldreyer at 763-496-2826 to get started.