22 min read
Colour Theory
The colour wheel, harmonious schemes, warm and cool colours, what colours suggest, and building an inviting palette.
The Colour Wheel
Colour Schemes
| Colour schemes from the wheel | ||
|---|---|---|
Warm, Cool and What Colours Suggest
Warm colours (red, orange, yellow) feel energetic, friendly and inviting — they seem to come towards you. Cool colours (green, blue, violet) feel calm, trustworthy and professional — they seem to move away.
Colour meanings depend on culture and context, but common associations include:
| Colour | Often suggests |
|---|---|
| Blue | Trust, science, calm |
| Orange | Energy, warmth, enthusiasm |
| Green | Nature, health, growth |
| Red | Excitement, urgency, danger |
| Yellow | Happiness, attention |
| Purple | Creativity, luxury |
Colour mixer (RGB)
Hex: #F4A124
rgb(244, 161, 36)
≈ CMYK 0% 34% 85% 4%
The CMYK figures use a simple formula. Real print conversion (for example in Photoshop) uses colour profiles, so the numbers will differ a little.
Try it: Find a warm, inviting colour for a different event — for example a food festival. Note its hex code and approximate CMYK.
Practice
Which colours are usually described as warm and inviting?
More lessons in Design Principles · Next: Typography and Readability · Previous: Balance and White Space