Color Theory and the Designer

Color theory, as I understand it, is the understanding how to mix colors and how such combinations can affect, in our cases, one’s design. Honestly, being that much of the human experience of digital work is viewed through the eyes, it is important that, as designers, we select the right colors or combinations of colors to be aesthetically pleasing to the audience and set the appropriate mood or atmosphere for the performance. Colors can very much evoke emotions of which we should be aware of, and utilize as a tool to make our work expressive and multidimensional. One can also argue that colors carry with them common associations with objects such as the sun with yellow, blue with ocean and sky, and green with grass. The aspects too can be used to effect in one’s piece. While it is great to know how colors are combined and associated with each other on a color wheel, I think that a next and necessary step for us as designers is to “feel” the colors as much as we should know them.

-Nathan D

Here's the color wheel poster that Dr. Pagano showed us in class:


P.S. Mine is definitively the best! It's 1920X1200. Thus better! QED, Gentlemen!