Color Design Psychology
You will need to take great thought
in choosing the color you want for your logo design
to identify your business, once a color is owned
it will be forever associated with you and your
company. It can be just as important to your identity
as your logo design. If a shape provides a symbol,
you should know that color does the same.
It is important to understand the
psychology of color choices. A good color selection
can help make an identity system more effective,
while a poor color selection can actually damage
your company's image in the eyes of the public.
Colors evoke feelings and represent
ideas. In logo design all designed knowledgeable
and appropriate use of color is critical.
The effects of color in logo design
differ among different cultures, so the attitudes
and preferences of your target audience should
be a consideration when you plan your logo design
of any promotional materials. For example, white
is the color of death in Chinese culture, but
purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred
to the Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece
and jealousy in France. In North America, green
is typically associated with jealousy. People
from tropical countries respond most favourably
to warm colors; people from northern climates
prefer the cooler colors.
In North American mainstream culture,
some colors are associated with certain qualities
or emotions: Red colors can stimulate warmth,
hunger, and excitement. Cooler colors such as
green and blues, enhance calm and content feelings.
Dark colors make objects seem heavier, while light
colors make them seem lighter. Yellow may reflect
a lack of worry, while black a troubled state.
Of course not all colors mean the same things
to all people. Yellow may sometimes mean cheap,
Green may mean money or greed, black may mean
elegance or death.
Psychologically, and on its own,
white is the color of cleanliness and purity,
truthfulness, youth, simplicity and innocence.
White has become a very popular background color
in web sites, because it offers the best readability
onscreen, and as a non-color.
Market researchers have also determined
that color affects shopping habits. Impulse shoppers
respond best to red-orange, black and royal blue.
Shoppers who plan and stick to budgets respond
best to pink, teal, light blue and navy. Traditionalists
respond to pastels - pink, rose, sky blue.
Color Psychology Description
BLACK & GRAYS
Formal, mournful, rich, elegant, serious, seriousness,
distinctiveness, boldness, sombreness', authority,
practicality and a corporate mentality.
BLUES
Authority, dignity, security, faithfulness, trust,
reliability, belonging, coolness.
Deep blues: Analytical, serious. scholarly, academic,
naval, regal.
Pale blues: Calm, pacific, ethereal, fresh, clean,
cool.
BROWNS & BEIGES
somber, natural, authentic, utility, earthiness,
woodiness and subtle richness.
GREENS
Environmental, motion, mobility, wealth, natural,
tranquillity, health, freshness.
ORANGES
Warm, cautious, hazardous, cozy, energetic, fun,
cheeriness, warm exuberance.
PINK & LAVENDERS
PINK: femininity, innocence, softness,
health.
PURPLE
Royalty, spirituality, dignity, sophistication,
costliness and mystery.
RED
Aggressive, assertive, intense, strength, vitality,
life-sustaining, passionate, courageous, insightful.
YELLOW
Tropical, Sunlit, healing, Illuminated, discovering,
positively, sunshine and cowardice.
