WORLD of
COLOUR COLOUR THEORY in a CREATIVE CLASSROOM
media
 fluency
a Media Fluency companion guide
INTRODUCTION Colour is EVERYWHERE! It’s a non-verbal form of communication that decorates everything we see. It urges us to act, it compels us to feel, and it tells us a story unlike any spoken word. We are drawn to colour when it’s skillfully used. That’s the reason why colour is so essential to all kinds of marketing and media development. This ebook looks at colour theory and some of the applications it has to marketing and media. It will give you an understanding of how colour is used to invoke sense and emotion, and how it can represent the values of an organization or designer. Then, you’ll be able to try out some projects with your students that will show them how to use the power of colour to its full effect!
HUE: The actual quality of a colour (ex. the primary colours red, blue, and yellow).
SHADE: The result of adding more black to darken a hue (ex. bright blue to dark blue).
THE COLOUR WHEEL The Colour Wheel, created by Sir Isaac Newton, has become one of the most valuable tools for designers of marketing and media. It’s your best colouring friend! Some of the basic terms of colour theory are listed here, along with some visual examples. Explore them on your own using the links to these resources:
TINT: The result of adding more white to lighten a hue (ex. dark green to light green).
Color Scheme Designer 3 Paletton.com Adobe Colour CC
SATURATION: The level of vividness and intensity of a hue obtained by either adding or subtracting grey to the hue.
TONE: The result of adding shades of both black and white to a hue (ex. pastel colours).
COLOUR MEANINGS Any marketer or artist understands a need for consistency in colour. It’s also crucial to move beyond simply using what looks good. We must actually use colour to invoke emotions that will then give rise to taking an action. Here are some ideas of what particular colours represent in our hearts and minds, and how they can be used in marketing.
BLUE
Positive: tranquility, loyalty, intelligence Negative: coldness, fear Marketing: dependability, strength
RED
Positive: love, energy, passion, strength Negative: anger, danger, heat, injury Marketing: youth, boldness, action
YELLOW
Positive: joy, intellect, creativity Negative: irresponsibility, instability Marketing: warmth, clarity
GREEN
Positive: wealth, fertility, growth, healing Negative: envy, guilt Marketing: health, growth, serenity
PURPLE
Positive: royalty, luxury, spirit, ambition Negative: mystery, dejection Marketing: imagination, wisdom
GREY
Positive: security, reliability, solidity Negative: gloom, sadness, despair Marketing: practicality, timelessness
PINK
Positive: playfulness, femininity, joy Negative: weakness, immaturity Marketing: compassion, caring
ORANGE
Positive: courage, confidence, friendship Negative: ignorance, fatigue Marketing: cheerfulness, confidence
WHITE
Positive: purity, innocence, light Negative: coldness, distance Marketing: calmness, neutrality
BLACK
Positive: protection, formality, class Negative: darkness, evil, death Marketing: elegance, exclusivity
COLOR SCHEMES Colour relates to the balance between the mind, body, and emotions. When we use colour in media and marketing design, the right combinations can really help make our intended statement come through. These combinations are called “schemes.” Properly-used colour schemes are at the forefront of every design’s specific appeal and effectiveness. They communicate the message we want to send, and invoke the feelings that inspire opinion and action. Colour is carefully considered in any design. The following examples are five basic and commonly-used colour schemes you see in everyday life. You’ll discover how they were used and what makes them so effective.
MONOCHROME
COMPLEMENTARY
TRIAD
ANALOGOUS
TETRADIC
TWITTER Social Media
Twitter is one of the most popular social media tools in use today. Twitter’s brand is instantly recognizable, and their iconic shade of blue has become known as “Twitter blue.” All of Twitter’s colours look great because of the root colours all shaded together for a simple but smart-looking feel that still remains approachable.
MONOCHROME Uniformity, Simplicity The Monochromatic scheme uses one colour of different shades and depths. This colour scheme always looks good because it’s essentially shades of the same hue, just used to various effects. This is a uniform and clean colour scheme that has remarkable versatility.
VISA

Financial Services Even though VISA has begun to gradually phase the gold out of its logo, the shade still remains an essential part of their advertising. The colour choice, which actually predates the company itself, was chosen to invoke a sense of luxury and exclusivity among its clients.
COMPLEMENTARY
 Contrast, Harmony The Complementary scheme utilizes two colours that are across from each other. This colour scheme presents the risk of being too visually jarring if not managed correctly. If done right, though, it creates a great sense of harmony and also colour compliment. This is a great scheme to use if you really want something to stand out.
SUPERMAN DC Comics
The Man of Steel represents one of the most iconic uses of the triad colour scheme in pop culture history. The image of Superman invokes the very best values of the primary colour triad: strength, dependability, intelligence, warmth, and boldness.
TRIAD Vibrancy, Balance The Triad scheme uses three colours from equidistant points on the colour wheel. The reason this scheme works so well with media and marketing is because of its “harmonious contrast.” This means it uses colours that are in high contrast to each other, and yet such a combination retains a vibrant balance in its palette.
SILVERBACK 3
Usability Testing Software
ANALOGOUS Serenity, Comfort The Analogous scheme uses colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. With this scheme, usually one colour is chosen as the dominant shade. The second supplements it, and the third is chosen as an accent or highlight. This is a comforting scheme that’s quite pleasing to look at. Having enough contrast is important here.
Silverback 3, a usability-testing app for Mac users being released later this year, is a great example of the clean contrast you can get from using analogous colours. There’s nothing that’s really overwhelming about the site, yet all the elements and colours are used to full potential. The dominant green shades work well with the blue on the gorilla’s shirt, and all other shades work for the accents. It’s a cool and gentle site to look at overall.
Search Engine The world’s flagship search engine is hard to miss with their bright bold tetradic colours. This gives us an indication of Google’s distinction of being the “primary” search engine we all use. It’s bold and out-front in its imagery, and yet the scheme is playful. It indicates that Google likes to break the rules, and have a little bit of fun in the process!
TETRADIC Boldness, Playfulness The Tetradic colour scheme has four colours arranged into pairs or an equidistant group. Often in this kind of colour scheme, one hue is chosen to be the dominant one. When it’s used for any marketing and media purpose, the idea is to catch the eye and offer a sense of playfulness and fun. In other cases, it can be bold and sometimes rebellious.
EXPLORING COLOUR IN PROJECT BASED LEARNING Let your students take on these customizable activities to learn about colour theory and its role in design!
MASTER CLASS
CATCH THE EYE
CHASING RAINBOWS
SELL WITH COLOUR
What variations can you develop on the Colour Wheel?
How do artists use colour to bring out feeling and emotion?
How do advertisers use colour schemes to prompt buyer action?
What can you build to help you see the full spectrum of light?
Why is the proper use of colour so crucial in advertising?
Build your very own unique model of the Colour Wheel. Use all different types of media in recreating a wheel of colour!
Grab your favourite paints and get ready to create your own masterpiece! Bring any idea to life in a way that speaks to you.
Create a case study of one of your favourite ads and demonstrate how all their colour choices made their product so popular.
Explore methods for bringing the spectrum of light to life right in front of your eyes! Use your prism to create an amazing light display.
Create an original ad to sell a product using the medium you want. Use the psychology of colours to send your message to everyone!
WHEEL BUILDER
A companion you can count on. If you enjoyed the colour theory article, we know you’ll love this. Master Solution Fluency with this incredible teacher’s guide. Here’s what you get: • A Fluency Snapshot tool for quick assessment • 6 exciting project-based learning scenarios • A full rubric framework for assessing Solution Fluency • Resources for understanding and instruction
Get a Lot for a Little. This premium resource and others are available when you upgrade to a Teacher Professional Plan or a School Plan on the Solution Fluency Activity Planner. It’s a whole lot more for a little bit extra.
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