Choosing colours for the right impression

As we blogged about in our recent article, using colour helps you grab your readers attention, aids in communicating what you’re saying, and helps you make a real impression. But choosing colours and combinations requires careful consideration.

Here are some top tips: 

Use different shades of the same colour.

This gives your document a sense of togetherness. Combine dark shades, with medium and lighter shade of the same colour.

Look at the colour wheel 

Colours next to each other usually work well together, as do those which are on the opposite side of the wheel and are complimentary.

Don’t be afraid of white space

When used effectively, colour is great for drawing attention to a particular part of a page, but use too much and the effect is lost. Don't be afraid of white space - it helps to create a sense of spaciousness and clarity and will improve the impact of the colour you’ve used.

Consider Your Brand

All brands 'are' a particular colour, and it's important to be consistent across your documents. If you take a moment to think about some brands you're familiar with, you'll be able to identify what 'their' colour is... 

Xerox is red. Coca Cola is red. Sainsbury's is Orange. Shell is yellow. Asda is green...

If you're designing a brochure, for example, theme it around the predominant colour of your brand and then add some complimentary colours to give it some spice.

Think about readability

Don't put text on a background that is a very similar colour as it makes it difficult to read and strains the eye.

Remember colour psychology

Different colours psychologically mean different things, and this can very dramatically amongst different cultures. Consider the feelings colours generate - for example you can't fail to notice red and it has a high impact, whilst greens and blues create calm.