3.1 Introduction

Colours provide a great deal of visual information. Many designers believe that colour can make or break a design and its accurate application is vital to the success of any product. However, the appeal of colours is subjective and open to individual interpretation. You might not be willing to purchase a product with a colour palette you don’t like, even if the product is suitable for the task. Since people have varied opinions on what is or isn’t attractive, the psychology and theory of colour come into play as sensory design elements. Furthermore, as with formal compositions, there are principles for applying colour to products or environments.

In the early design stages of your product, environment, or online service it’s important to consider colours. Which ones are appropriate for your design? Should the colours be on trend for this year or should they last for many years? Will they be exposed to ultraviolet light rays that will change the saturation of the colour over time? You may have already experienced how colours can fade on sneakers worn in the sun, where the initial overall green now appears to be several shades of green, some more yellowy, some more reddish, each affected by how the materials of the shoe are reacting to the environment. Fading with subsequent colour change is only one of the issues that matter when making colour decisions.

How do designers apply colours that appeal to different age groups, that are appropriate in different contexts of use, in different professional environments, and for different kinds of visual communication? How can the choice of colours stimulate emotional responses to products? If you can’t answer these questions, this is the chapter for you!

In this chapter, we are going to explore the principles of colour theory that contribute to our foundational design knowledge. You will learn about:

• Colour theories that are important for designers.
• How people perceive relationships among colours.
• How light affects colour perception and influences product perception.
• The nature of light as a compositional element.
• Unique applications for colours in industrial and environmental design.
• Colour specifications and systems for managing colour outputs.
• Cultural associations that are attributed to different colours and how they may influence design decisions.