Welcome to our free Color Theory tutorial. This tutorial is based on Webucator's Color Theory course.
Context is almost as important to color use as culture is. If we choose the wrong context to use a color, it could render it inappropriate. Context is key. Do your research and make sure you are aware of all context rules that may be appropriate.
Lesson Goals
Color modes differ for print and on-screen type mediums. The ways in which the colors are mixed are very different; therefore, they produce distinctly different choices.
RGB stands for red, green, blue color channels that are used by screens to build a light-based color system.Red | Green | Blue
RGB color mode in Illustrator.
CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black color inks that when mixed in various ratios create a wide variety of colors. This is often referred to as process color.Cyan | Magenta | Yellow | Black
CMYK mode in Illustrator.
Other than color differences, size, measurement, and layout also can be affected by print or screen display.
The target audience can be described as the primary group or groups that a marketing message or website is intended to attract. When the results of design projects are displayed in world markets, it is harder to define the target audience, as, in theory, anyone with an internet connection could be a potential viewer of the message. The question is, with so many potential individuals, how do we direct a message?
The audience can impact the choices that you should be making in a project. The number of audience types is diverse as the world itself, however. We will list a few basic characteristics of audience types.
As we face a global market, the categories above are one way we can try to target an audience based on the types and services that we are offering. As the amount of detailed data that is gathered is growing exponentially as more people join various online resources that collect and track their every move, the number of services that can help you make sense of it all are growing as well.
Before you tackle a new design project, electronic or physical, do some research and find out the current trends.
In this exercise, you will think about and choose what colors you think the following audiences would prefer if we were rolling out a new clothing line.
Audience | Color Choices |
---|---|
Males, age 6 to 12 | |
Females, age 6 to 12 | |
Males, age 12 to 21 | |
Females, age 12 to 21 | |
Males, age 25 to 35 | |
Females, age 25 to 35 | |
Males, age 40 to 60 | |
Females, age 40 to 60 | |
Males, age 60+ | |
Females, age 60+ |
Please note there are no true correct answers - each person will come up with different answers based on their preconceived ideas.
Scope can be defined as the tasks and effort that will be needed to bring a product or service to market. A scope statement should be drafted and stored as part of the rollout documentation. Its goal is to make you think of all details, aspects, angles, and possible roadblocks that we may encounter during the life cycle of the project.
As scope pertains to the color choice, we need to make a list of all mediums we plan to have developed in the life of the project. This may include screen formats such as websites, online intranet materials, physical print materials, to physical decor.
We then need to develop lists of needs, reports of status, and color themes for each medium in order to have the smoothest project experience possible. A well-planned project is a happy project!
Sample project scope statements:
Scope Statement for ABC Childcare - file location ClassFiles\color-context\Demos\ProjectScope_ABC.docx
Scope Statement for Lovely Lace Clothing - file location ClassFiles\color-context\Demos\ProjectScope_LovelyLace.docx