The Proper Use of Colors on Your Signs

Full Name: 
Robbie Fennell

Using mbs-systems-pro.com signage systems is only one part of an effective sign campaign. To truly get your signs to work as you want them to, you have got to make sure they are using colors as they should so that they are pleasing, attention grabbing, and enticing to your customers, clients, and staff.

Primary Colors

Before you can know how to use colors, you must first understand how colors relate to one another and how humans feel about these relations. First off, you need to understand that the three primary colors are yellow, blue, and red. By mixing these colors, all other colors can be made.

The Color Wheel

You have probably seen a color wheel before. However, odds are you do not know why it matters, but, trust me, it does! If you put yellow at 12:00, blue at 8:00 and yellow at 4:00, you should be able to imagine where the secondary colors of orange, purple, and green sit on the wheel as well. Now that you know where the colors are, you need to learn a little about analogous and complementary colors.

The first category of colors is made up of colors that are next to one another on the color wheel such as green, blue-green, and blue. The use of analogous colors are harmonious and comforting. Therefore, an analogous scheme is perfect for products that are meant to soothe and calm.

Complementary colors are those that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel such as red and green. Complementary color schemes sharply contrast which makes them great for drawing attention. However, you must be cautious with your use of this scheme since it can be jarring to the viewer when used too much.

Colors by themselves also bring with them different emotions. In the Western world blue is related to trust, loyalty and professionalism; black relays feelings of formality, mystery, and sophistication; red is exciting, hot, full of energy; yellow is happy, energetic, and comfortable; green comforts and brings a sense of harmony.

As you design your signs you need to keep in the end game in mind. How do you want the viewer of your signs to feel? What do you want them to do? Remember that the proper use of color will go a long ways towards influencing the viewers in the ways that you want.