There is clear evidence that the human brain responds significantly to visual stimuli, with colour playing a pivotal role. There is more than one layer of meaning to the colours we encounter in nature and the cultural artefacts we’ve created. Logo design is where the significance of colour psychology in graphic design really shines.
Have you ever been at a loss regarding what colour scheme to use while creating a business identity? It can be challenging to choose a limited colour palette when you have access to every colour in the universe. Even if the colour brief is up to interpretation, there is a systematic strategy that will yield more accurate results. After a lot of work and discussion with experts, our professionals at logo design company have distilled down their recommendations into three main principles.
1. START IN BLACK AND WHITE
Logo Design Love author and designer David Airey says that “the concept should precede the palette.” The chewed apple, the hidden arrow, and the “A to Z” grin are all examples of ideas that will be much more memorable than their associated colours.
The meaning of colours varies from person to person. (No, I’m not talking about being colour-blind.) Offering the client a written synopsis of your initial thoughts may help you avoid a snare. In the same way that one person may associate the colour blue with fond memories of a beloved toy from their childhood, another may associate it with the hated uniform they wore for years. Juan Carlos Pagan, a designer and typographer, once said, “Everyone has an opinion about colour.”
In all of our designs, our professional logo design company, Brand Spark never deviates from black and white. We maintain brand consistency by using the same colour palette throughout all logo iterations. We’re giving you a range of reds since some people may have a strong aversion to the colour red; if that’s the case, at least they’ll have something in common to dislike across the board.
2. USE COLOR TO STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION
Once you and the client have decided on a concept, it’s time to investigate other brands’ colour palettes. Debbie Milkman advises businesses to choose a striking colour palette. You need to make your brand memorable by setting it apart from the others in the market.
It’s only natural that some clients would come to you having settled on a certain colour scheme for their business. When employing colours that aren’t successful, designers have to walk a delicate line. We will try to articulate the benefits of offering a spectrum of a colour in which they have equity but which we believe to be less noticeable. If it’s genuinely green, we could try it in a variety of different tones.
3. CONSIDER THE CONTEXT
Designing a logo entails more than just researching the competition. Assume you’ve been tasked with designing a logo for a new barbershop. It will be promoted through door hangers, newspaper advertisements, and business cards. After only a few years, the booming salon has its own website, an active Instagram and Pinterest account, and uses both digital and conventional advertising methods. When a salon becomes a nationwide franchise, branded items like shampoos and conditioners are issued, and the salon’s branding is plastered all over an associated mobile app for appointment scheduling.
It is one thing to specify a blue, but it’s quite another to put that blue next to an orange. The extent to which it looks well on the various devices on which it will be viewed is determined by the paper on which it is printed, the screen on which it is displayed, and the fidelity of those devices. Previously, a logo might have been required to look decent on a truck and a t-shirt. It must now scale properly on small, large, and mobile screens. It gets hashed and shared around. There is no way to change the colour of this. And it’s only going to get more complicated from here.
Classification of Colours
· Red represents passion, energy, danger, or aggression, as well as warmth and heat. It has also been shown to increase hunger, which is why it appears in so many restaurant and food product logos. Choosing red for your logo might give it a more energetic feel.
· Orange is commonly associated with innovation and current thinking. It also connotes youth, pleasure, affordability, and approachability.
· Yellow should be used with caution because it has certain negative associations, such as cowardice and its use in warning signs. It is, however, sunny, warm, and welcoming, and it is another colour that is said to boost appetite.
· Green is typically employed when a brand wants to emphasise its natural and ethical credentials, particularly with organic and vegetarian items. It is also associated with growth and freshness, and it is popular with financial items.
· Blue is one of the most common colours utilised in company logos. It signifies seriousness, professionalism, honesty, sincerity, and serenity. Blue is also connected with authority and achievement, making it popular among financial organisations and government agencies.
· Purple conjures up images of majesty and opulence. It has long been connected with the church, signifying wisdom and dignity, and has been the colour of luxury and riches throughout history.
· Black is a colour with two personalities. On the one hand, it connotes strength and intellect, yet it is also connected with villainy and death. More mundanely, most logos will require a black and white version for use in media where colour is not available – and bold monochrome logos and word marks are currently popular.
· White is commonly linked with purity, cleanliness, simplicity, and naiveté. In practise, a white logo will always need to stand in a coloured field in order to be visible on a white background. Many businesses will have a coloured and a white version of their logos; for example, the Coca-Cola word mark appears in white on its red tins and brown bottles but in red when needed on a white background.
· Brown has masculine overtones and is frequently connected with things related to country life and the outdoors.
· Pink can be joyful and flirtatious, but because of its feminine connections, it is frequently avoided for products that are not explicitly aimed at women.
These associations aren’t hard and fast laws, but they’re worth remembering as you make your colour choices. Remember that the overall impact of your logo design will be determined by how the colours interact with the forms and text.
Final Thoughts
If your customer is an international company, choose your logo colour with consideration. Colors are perceived differently in different cultures. The colour red is connected with good fortune in the United States, yet white is associated with death and melancholy in India.
Finally, don’t think too much about colour. Consider the fact that one out of every twelve persons is colour-blind. Also, keep in mind that any logo you create for a client will most likely be utilised in monochrome or a variety of colours, depending on the customer’s preferences. As a result, the colour palette of your logo should compliment the overall design of the company rather from being its sole distinguishing feature.
