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Graphic Communications
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Culture of Color
Because we are often designing for a global
society, the culture of color needs to be given
consideration. Colors that work for domestic
designs may not be appropriate for another country.
Let’s look at some basic considerations of common
colors.
Blue
According to a study from the University of
Maryland, blue is the most common favorite color
for men and women, Figure 7-17. It is dominant
in nature with the sky and the seas. It is a color
of importance and confidence, and is the color
of the “power suit” of the corporate world. Blue is
usually conservative; it is the opposite of strong
and energetic. It is also associated with sadness
or depression, as in “feeling blue.” Because many
light and medium shades of blue are soothing and
relaxing, it often makes a great background color,
allowing items to jump to the foreground using
contrast.
Red
Red is a strong color that stands for passion
and violence. It can represent temperature (red
hot) or be a symbol of anger (seeing red). Flushed
cheeks are a natural physical reaction to anger
or embarrassment. We roll out the red carpet for
celebrities. We are programmed to equate red signs
with danger; motorists beware of all kinds of red
road signs.
These are not universally accepted signals.
In China, red is associated with happiness and
prosperity; in South Africa, it is a sign of mourning.
In Russia it represents communism, and it is a sign
of purity in India.
Use red if you want to grab attention or take
action. It is not a good background color because
the strength and energy it creates do not stay in the
background. A little bit of red goes a very long way.
Red is a common corporate color for the food and
health industries because of the natural connection
to both medical symbols and many food items,
including fruits and vegetables.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 7-16. Equal proportions of color do not allow for
contrast.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
Figure 7-17. These charts show a prefered choice for both
men and women.
Men
Women