Colour Connotations

The colour wheel was invented in 1666 by Sir Isaac Newton. The colour wheel is a visual diagram showing contrasting colours and a graduation from light to dark tones. It is based on primary colours such as red, yellow and blue. The colour wheel is an easy display of which colours work well with one another and which colours contrast. The colour wheel is based on 3 catergories of colour based on the colour wheel. Primary, Secondary and Tertiary colours.

Primary Colours: Red, yellow and blue
Primary colors are the 3 pigment colours that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. Many other colours have the basis of these hues, the 3 colours are the base and start of different tones of the colour wheel.

Secondary Colours: Green, orange and purple
These are the colours formed by mixing the primary colors.

Tertiary Colours: When primary and secoundary colours are mixed, tertiary colours are formed. The colour then usually posseses a two worded name such as, red-orange or blue-green and yellow orange.

Colour Harmony

Colour harmony is pleasing to the eye, as it engages the reader and creates an inner sense of order and a balance in visual experience. When a colour scheme is not harmonious this can cause its either boring or chaotic. If the colour harmony is too bland then it becomes boring and unpleasing for the reader, therefor the reader is not engaged with the text or image. The human brain rejects anything under-stimulating information. If a colour scheme is too random and chaotic the reader will find it difficult to study, and does not engage with the colour. A chaotic colour scheme causes the reader to not look at it. The human brain disconnects from something that it does not understand. CDolour harmony delivers visual interest and a sense of order. Extreme unity leads to under-stimulation, extreme complexity leads to over-stimulation.

Anologue colours are any three colurs which are together side by side on a colour wheel such as red- orange, and orange yellow. Isuallyy one of the three colours os more dominant, and has the most pigmnet. A colour analogue shows which colour schemes are appropriate to use when creating an image.

In order for a magazine to appear official and sophisticated, it has to require an appropriate colour scheme. Colour schemes are crucial when dealing with front covers. The colour is the first aspect of the magazine that the audience attention will draw upon. The colour scheme includes the main image and font colour and the overall appearance of a magazine page. When designing a magazine, designers have to come to terms with which colours contrasting well with each other, and what colour schemes will demand the attention of the audience's eye. A colour wheel is useful for a designer as it shows a range of colours for the designer to use. Different colours connote a certain atmosphere.

RED - The colour red connotes a sense of danger and authority. It is also associated with energy and love. Red is a very intense colour and demands the attention of the audience's eye. Many magazine mastheads, font colour is red as it is eye catching and interesing, such as 'NME' magazine. Red is also a key colour for when designing logos, as it is brings texts and images to the foreground. Red is also perfect for stimulating the audience to making quick desicions - this makes red perfect for advertising, and many advertising fonts such as, 'BUY NOW'. Brighter reds and pinks connote a more possitive atmosphere than darker more brown tones.
ORANGE - The colour orange connotes a happy atmosphere, and is usually used in cgildrens magazines, as the colour is associated with happiness, enthusiasm and creativity. The colour stimulates metal activity. Orange is of high visibilty, it is normally used to catch attention ad highlight the most importan aspects of your design.
YELLOW - The colour yellow is a bright colour and is assosiated with joy, and happiness. The colour yellow is used to evoke pleasant and cheerful things. The colour yellow when discussing magazine, stands out against black backgrounds and is usually used to contrast a colour scheme, as it is not a strong, pigment or colour to stand on its own. A magazine which uses the colour yellow is 'Kerrang', the magazine uses the colour to contrast against the darker colours. This demands the attention of the reader, and is highly effective.
GREEN - Green is usually used when advertising medical products. Green is directly related to nature, therefore it is used to advertise 'green' products. Green is a calm colour and is the most restful colour for the human eye.
BLUE - The colour blue symbolises trust, loyalty and wisdom. Blue sets a calm tranquil amosphere. Blue is used to adverise cleanliness, by advertising cleaning products such as alcahol. However blue can also symbolise a very masculine colour, and is used to target males.

Black - The colour black connotes a sense of danger, wisdom, evil and mystery. Black is a very evocative colour however black is used frequently in text as it contrasts against a vast amount of colours on the colour wheel. It is simple and easy to read. Black gives a feeling of perspective and death.

White - The colour white connotes a sense of purity, and simplicity. White is very easy to read against dark colours. It is also a very sophisticated colour to use when advetising products as it is simple and tasteful.