Logo-ul … definitie

Posted on octombrie 28, 2007 by laurentiu vlad

Logo-ul se numeste, in fapt “ID”, “Identitate” sau “Simbol”. denumirea de logo e putin
mai stricta. compania ce detine aceasta identitate, se mai numeste si “marca” sau “brand”.
procesul de asociere a unei marci cu o identitate, prin promovarea identitatii pe produse si
prin serviciile oferite, se numeste “branding”. revitalizarea sau refacerea acestui proces
de constientizare a publicului se numeste “rebranding”.

in general, identitatea unei companii este reprezentata prin 3 elemente.

a. unul vizual, ilustrativ, denumit generic “logo” sau uneori “simbol”
b. unul textual, si anume denumirea companiei respective, care, de cele mai multe ori
include si partea ilustrativa si care se numeste “logotip”
c. si un element vocativ, sau explicativ, reprezentat de o sintagma, o constructie de
cuvinte cu sens clar, limpede, care se numeste “slogan” sau, daca apare vizual in
componenta identitatii are denumirea de “tag-line”.

primele 2 elemente sunt cele de baza, iar foarte des ele sunt combinate, sau eliminate una
pe cealalta. spre exemplu, Coca-Cola a eliminat pentru o perioada foarte lunga elementul
“logo”, inlocuindu-l printr-o reprezentare ilustrativa a elementului “logotip” - textul
Coca-Cola. in ultima vreme, in schimb, incepand cu
anul 2003, revitalizarea identitatii Coca-Cola, pune mai mult accent pe “banda dinamica”,
transformand-o intr-un “logo”, un element vizual de sine statator. un exemplu mai clar de
“logo”, ar fi sfera tricolora de la Pepsi.
un exemplu de alta natura, il constituie identitatea “orange”, care imbina cu succes
ambele elemente logo si logotip, intr-unul singur, indivizibil (patratul portocaliu si
denominatia orange).

logo-ul si logotipul sunt elementele de baza ale unei identitati. ele promoveaza brandul,
ele au impactul cel mai puternic asupra clientului. fiind un simt predominant, vazului i se
asociaza si cea mai buna parte din
memorie. astfel se construieste o identitate, incercand ca prin aceste elemente, sa se
creeze o asociere in memoria vizuala a clientului intre serviciile sau produsele oferite si
firma in sine, prezenta ei pe piata.

identitatea unei firme, pentru un impact puternic, este de preferat sa se asocieze cu o

culoare sau o combinatie de culori din care una prioritar-majoritara, de preferat una
complementara, sau cat se poate de
diferita de cea a concurentilor directi (ex: orange/orange - Connex/verde - Zapp/rosu -
Cosmorom/albastru; Coca-cola/rosu - Pepsi/albastru; Kodak/galben - Fuji/verde -
Agfa/rosu - Konica/albastru; Altex/galben - Flanco/albastru - Domo/verde etc.)

sloganul nu este un element la fel de important precum cele exclusiv vizuale, el fiind de
multe ori schimbat, fiind elementul care defineste noile tendinte ale companiei. spre
exemplu, Coca-cola si-a modificat de-a
lungul timpului sloganul (Enjoy, Always Coca-Cola, Intotdeauna Rece samd), in unele
perioade chiar renuntand la acest element. cred ca este cazul si in momentul de fata: in
Romania, Coca-cola nu are un slogan.
de asemenea, McDonalds tocmai a trecut printr-o campanie de modificare de slogan,
trecand din “Te asteapta mereu”, printr-o “pauza” (pentru a face mai flexibila tranzitia)
spre noul “I’m lovin’ it!”.
orange, ca alt exemplu, si-a pastrat sloganul “The future is bright, the future is orange”,
inca de la inceputul brandingului; spre deosebire de Connex. care din nou si-a schimbat
sloganul din vechiul “viitorul suna bine” in “tu faci viitorul”.
in concluzie, sloganul este un element ce reprezinta bine compania, iar modificarea lui
imprima o oarecare dinamicitate, oferind detalii despre “planurile” marcii in discutie.
exista multe riscuri: un slogan bine ales
si care ramane neschimbat, este, in acest caz, foarte de preferat, pentru ca iti imprima o
idee de soliditate, de seriozitate, de independenta si de statornicie, daca vrei, a brandului
respectiv. exemplul orange.

ca lucru deosebit despre identitate, este ca se pot folosi si elemente audio sau chiar umane
pentru a stimula memoria clientului. spre exemplu, Altex: gestul facut de actorii din
campania video si print (cu degetele apropiate) este un element ce tine de identitate. in
campania video, acest gest este sustinut de un element
auditiv tip “gingle”. elementele auditive sunt folosite cu precadere de catre firmele ce
activeaza in domeniul audio-vizual si informational: radio, televiziune. ia exemplul celor
de la Europa FM, Kiss FM. Pro TV, Prima sau Antena 1 care asociaza si aceste elemente
audio genericelor video (cu precadere format din 3-4 note).

in procesul de creatie se trece prin cativa pasi foarte importanti:

studiu de piata din care reiese pozitionarea marcii relativ concurentei, pozitionarea relativ
de target si target-ul
studiul intern din care reiese intentia sau scopul firmei respective (unde isi doreste sa
ajunga si prin ce mijloace), constientizarea de catre personalul firmei relativ la importanta
imaginii pe care o promoveaza etc.
apoi se aleg elementele de baza - denumirea, culoarea de baza, tipul caracterelor (daca
este cazul) si tipul de campanie.
la denumire se discuta despre conservator sau nonconformist, despre unul sau mai multe
cuvinte, despre cuvinte cu inteles sau constructii de litere, despre impact (un cuvant ce
desemneaza o culoare sau o fructa are un impact puternic pe toate categoriile de public,
un cuvant ce desemneaza un element negativ are impact doar pe un anume public samd)
si despre directia care o dau marcii.
despre culoare am discutat. poti gasi si pe net anumite explicatii asupra impactului
culorilor, dar e mai bine daca ai urma un curs de specialitate, la vreo facultate cu profil
artistic sau media si comunicare.
caracterele se impart si ele in mai multe categorii. cu serife, fara, tip script, decorative sau
monospace (cele care pot fi integrate intr-un logo).
tipul de campanie se categoriseste cel mai usor in atl (above the line) si btl (below the
line). in detaliu, e vorba de diferentierea dintre campaniile prezente la TV, radio, reviste,
ziare, sau orice tip de suport media unde platesti chirie pe spatiu si campaniile facute prin
 posta, email, flyere, brosuri, postere, sau orice alt tip de suport media/print/electronic
unde nu platesti chirie si e mult mai ieftin. atl-ul se foloseste in general pentru companie,
si btl-ul pentru brand. btl-ul este clar mult mai direct, mai incisiv si iti controlezi mai usor
target-ul. atl-ul se foloseste mai mult pentru constientizare decat pentru vanzarea efectiva
si acolo este mult mai mult loc pentru creativitate.

10 trends that will define logo design in 2008

Logos are the ultimate mark of distinction and everyone loves
them. We see logos everyday - on the highways, on consumer
goods, on the Web and in the institutions and organizations we
support. Read about the different types of logo designs here and
learn what principles and techniques are used to create them.
Discover what the future holds for logo design!

Comments | 4
1 Organic 3D
Here's something new for 2008: we will be seeing 3d effects in
logo design that will reach different places and stimulate different
viewers who are craving for a new, fresh look! Polish those
lenses and see 3D escalate to a higher level!

Let's take an example. You're seeing the Silverlight logo for the
first time. Your eyes are trying to absorb every feature and then-
you suddenly react. What's your first reaction? A breathless
"WOW"? Do you find yourself saying "aha"? Does the Silverlight
logo design trigger a feeling in you, arousing a desire to actually
want to see the product that's behind that logo? That reaction
was what the creators of this corporate logo were aiming for.

The logo designer starts with a very basic shape that is applied
to a simple transparency effect. This can lead to a more
complicated process, but one thing you must remember is that
the end result should look as organic as possible. Take your
distortion tool for a good spin!

We welcome this type of logo design because it stands out and it

tells us that it's not "run of the mill." You see, the 3d bubbles and
transparency effects - which were overused - were getting really
boring. There is just one downside: ''eye catching '' logos were
appearing on the scene and becoming more sophisticated but
they are not necessarily the easiest to print.
 In fact, the capability to print the logo exactly as it looks on
screen is a frequent request that stands at the basis of corporate
logo creation. Is it possible that the constant technological
development that now allows us to accurately reproduce a
design on different surfaces will generate changes in the classic
laws of logo design?

Technology organizations that produce and market

groundbreaking products and services use this type of company
logo design. By using the "organic 3d" effect, logo creators avoid
that cold image look which is so typical of other companies' logos
in the technology field. This type of logo is not only eye catching,
but is also friendly. And here's a bonus: the lighting effect is
fantastic!

Comments | 1
2 Waves - The New Swooshes
That's it - no more swooshes! After years of being number one,
swooshes have now been replaced by the so-called waves. Do
you see these waves in the above logos? Top graphic designers
use them to inject more flexibility and flow into the design. To
highlight the idea of movement, logo designers execute a fade
technique from one color to another for this type of logo design.
It does not matter if a single wave is used or is incorporated into
the design; the round shapes give it flexibility so that the viewer
gets a sense of movement and of communication. "Waves" are a
good strategy to suggest the feelings of movement, transfer,
quickness and connection. They are not easy to use, but if you
 master the technique, you can produce and optimize the effect.
"Waves" are now IN - they have replaced swooshes, swirls and
other curves you find in logo designs everywhere. Could waves
be the new swooshes? Will they dominate the scene in a few
years? Long time ago we thought swooshes were trendy. Then
they rose in popularity so much they become a big NO NO. And
today, waves are hugging the limelight. Will this be the new
trend? We shall see!

Comments | 2
3 "Web 2.0" Logos
Designers often hear the term "web 2.0" from their customers
who ask for this specific type of logo. The term Web 2.0 actually
refers to certain technologies (Ajax, Ruby, etc). The thing is, can
we really say that there's a new trend in graphic design, the web
2.0 design?

It seems to be the case these days. A web2.0 logo is now

synonymous to a modern and trendy logo, and this is why we
find an impressive number of tutorials on the Net that allow
designers to transform existing logos into web 2.0 logos. What
characteristics do web 2.0 logos have? They have bright colors,
color levels, cute, icons, 3D effects, shiny surfaces, shadows and
reflexions. The fonts are simple and most of them rounded. In
some cases the color levels, shines and 3D effects are also
applied to the lettering.

These effects must be used very carefully, because we have

seen countless cases where the logo designer uses these
elements to make a logo look good but neglects to give the
concept the necessary attention it deserves.

Some of these logos are beautiful. They catch your eye instantly
and give you the feeling of sophistication and technology. But is
 the web 2.0 logo design trend strictly related to the current
popularity of web 2.0 technology? Will this trend fade when
something else replaces web 2.0 technology?

Interestingly enough, we are sure that this type of logo can also
be called the "apple type logo". We are all familiar with the Apple
logo; in fact we were astonished when in 1998, Apple gave up
the "rainbow logo" and launched the "glass Apple logo ". This
logo has turned out to be one of the most famous brands in the
world, and it "stirred up the crowd" without any doubt when it was
first launched. The fresh, innovative 3D technical image was one
influential factor, but its bright and warm qualities contributed to
the evolution of logo design and the way a brand should be
perceived.

Today we are flooded with 2.0 web logos that unfortunately have
become too common. We'll have to wait and see whether they
are here to stay or are just a passing trend. What do you think?

Comments | 3
4 Transparency in logo design
We'll say this right away: transparency has always been
fashionable. Designers often use transparency, thanks to the
notion of elegance that it communicates. Transparency allows
the combination of different design elements offering the viewer
a special image. With the help of transparency you can create
perspectives, suggest the ideas of growth, development,
combination and connection.

Some famous designers are of the opinion that only

inexperienced logo designers use transparency and color levels.
 We disagree. Transparency enables you to create some unique
effects that definitely catch the attention of the viewer.
Transparency makes the design brighter, and the subtle
transition from one element of the design to another provides the
illusion of a bright spot. Take a close look at the DarienLibrary
logo. What better suggestion would you make regarding the
existence of additional elements without the help of
transparency?

Comments | 2
5 "Underground" Typography - Minimal Fonts
Examine the logos above. Have you seen similar ones before?
These are logos that we have often found on the sites of
Typographic Artists over the last few years. Who would have
thought, however, that they would become mainstream by the
year 2007?

These logos are based on minimal fonts that are achieved by

using as few elements as possible such as basic shapes (e.g. a
circle arch for the Wends logo). This technique is based on
simple shapes, exact proportions, and a boundless love for
minimalist design. This type of logo design will suit some people
and companies perfectly but it continues to create confusion
among conservatives.

Here's a question: can this type of design lead to the

development of a good logo? Most people would be inclined to
say no, especially if the classic principles of logo design -
Legibility and Readability - need to be considered. It's true that
logos based on the so- called Minimal Fonts do not provide
immediate conveyance of the message. However, most agree
that they do manage to catch the viewer's attention, provoking a
sentiment or desire to "figure out" what the message is.

Those who are looking at such logos will immediately want to

find out the name of the company and to grasp the meaning of
these logos. Furthermore, there is the element of shock when
viewers see something new and very different from what is
 usually seen on the web.

You could even say that this type of logo often proves to be more
efficient than a logo that merely conforms to classic rules. This
statement is relevant to a discussion on the emerging new rule:
the more a design is different to what is happening in the
industry at a given moment, the better and more efficient a logo
is. Logo designs based on minimal fonts require a long-term
experience in graphic design and typography; they are also not
yet suited for all kinds of customers. We see an increasing
number of them being used on album covers of good electronic
music, on web sites that target the indie audience, or on web
sites of "cult" graphic design studios.

It is our opinion that this is so far the coolest trend for 2008. We
hope to see more logos that are created using this particular
trend.

Comments | 1
6 New Rainbow / Color Scale
We've seen a thousand rainbows in our lifetime. Yet, each time
we see one, we can't help but stare admiringly at the sky even
for just a few seconds. We feel that sentiment of wanting to
"chase rainbows" as the lyrics of a song go.

Classic rainbow-colored semicircles have been widely used in

the last decade but alas, have quickly become pass�. However,
the fascination with the full color scale continues. Lately, we
have been seeing a lot of "rainbow colors" that are being
manipulated in a variety of ways. Most designers will use
transparency in order to highlight the visual effects and to enable
the fusion of colors, thus obtaining an impressive shift from one
color to another. Techniques like vivid colors, shifting from
shades of red to blue facilitated by an entire spectrum of color,
and especially the usage of a dark background to highlight each
color lead to outstanding logos that will always be attractive to
the human eye.

These logos convey the concepts of sophistication, technology

and freshness. With a nearly infinite number of possibilities for
combining colors, the visual effect is invariably special. What is
really spectacular is that although the classical rainbow
representation has come to an end, the message still remains
the same: there are no boundaries - nothing is impossible. This
 trend proves that using classic elements will generate novelty
and will also bring about up-to-date and striking directions.

Comments | 0
7 Sci-Fi Fonts
In logo design the font frequently serves to strengthen the
message as conveyed by the image. But what about the
typographic logos? In this particular case, choosing the right font
is crucial. Many of these logos can be memorable. With the
development of the number of personal computers per capita,
we are now witnessing the rise of a new category of logos , using
what the industry refers to as Sci-Fi fonts.

Whether they are the creation of famous designers such as

RayLarabie and Wim Crouwel or are projects produced in the
typography classes of some diligent students, we have seen an
ever-increasing number of these fonts over the last few years.

In the beginning of 2000 and later, we remember graphic design

teachers recommending infrequent usage of these fonts. Their
reason was that it was just a passing trend. What happened was
the opposite. It seems they're digging their feet in.

The frequent use of sci-fi fonts, with straight edges and simple
shapes has imposed itself as a new trend in logo design. We've
seen various designers "play" with these fonts in their logos: they
either change the font shape or create a new one in programs
such as FontLab.

Let's take a look at the example of Compaq. Compaq chose this

type of font for its company logo redesign project in 2007. It
clearly conveys the company's new slogan: "See why Compaq
gets people talking". See how that slogan is conveyed in the
shape of the Q? See the Talk Box? That's an example of a logo
that clearly conveys the core message by means of wording
only. After all, less is more, isn't it?

Comments | 1
8 Leaves Logos
No matter which logo design collection you browse through, you
will notice that they have all been "invaded" by leaves over the
last few years. Leaves here and there, leaves everywhere! You
sit and wonder why. Could this be the result of a common
 concern for the environment and the harmful effects of pollution?
Is it because green is trendy? Or are humans aching for nature
because they sit all day in their office cubicles facing their
computer screens making them crave for the natural outdoors?

Leaves have become synonymous with creativity, originality, and

innovative thinking. We also find leaves in company logos even if
the companies are not engaged in the business of nature or the
environment. But the key notion here is that the use of leaves
somehow "tames" the message conveyed.

Lots of web 2.0 sites feature leaves making spring-green the

preferred web 2.0 color. We're not talking about the classic
image of the leaves themselves but about their stylization,
especially under the form of rectangles with rounded edges - this
is a modern representation in accordance with modern design
trends.

These logos are usually simple and leave the viewer with a
pleasant image. Another benefit is that these company logos are
very catchy. The thing we have to be wary of is the
overwhelming invasion of leaves - they are now overused.
Tutorials have already appeared, showing how to create a leaf
logo. Will this trend last or will it lead to the need for raking the
leaves and sending them off to the dump site? What do you
think?

Comments | 5
9 The "Ugly" 80's
Take a look at the logo designs above. What's your first
reaction? They bowl you over and leave you speechless - and
somewhat confused don't they?

These logos don't have beautiful shapes, shadows, mirrored

reflections, warm colors, or icons that signify something; they
look like the result of some kid playing around mindlessly. So
why would anyone wish to have such a logo?

The explanation is simple: this type of logo design is very

different and will definitely stand out by sheer reason of being
totally different. But if we look back to the 80's which was a
period of strange geometric shapes and neon colors - these
types of logos came about and earned the reputation of
spearheading the invasion of "cute logos".
 The emergence of this trend can also be attributed to a mighty
comeback of the 80's in fashion ,interior and industrial design.
Some consider these logos to be modern and futuristic; others
think of them as plain ugly. But let's not be too harsh in our
criticism because the mere fact that they are so talked about is
noteworthy enough.

There are numerous articles that picked apart the London 2012
logo. Although many agree that the 80's have not demonstrated
excellence in graphic design and people severely criticized this
trend, we should nevertheless consider the advantages that this
type of logo has to offer: first, it stands out and gets noticed;
second, it's totally different than anything we've seen before; and
third, it's never boring. In fact, we'll even venture out to say that
it's outrageous, exciting and rude. Each of the colors symbolizes
an explosion of energy, action and sound in accordance to our
living present. The message is quickly and brutally conveyed and
it doesn't require thinking on the part of the viewer. In other
words, an alluring and attractive no-brainer!

We'll add that this trend has revolutionized logo design and
fueled the process of creativity by imposing new rules and
redefining what's beautiful. Of course, there are still risks
involved regarding this type of approach, the highest risk being
the inability, on the part of the viewer, to understand the
message. Companies that cannot afford an expensive publicity
budget like the one for Wacom or London 2012 are particularly
susceptible to this risk. So designers, pay attention! "It's pure
attitude, designed to intrude and degrade."
(Tony Spaeth)

Comments | 2 1
0 The New Crest
New Crest logos have been around in the last few years. The
year 2008 though will sound out the trumpets - New Crests go
Mainstream!! With the clever combination of medieval symbolism
and urban culture graphic elements, the New Crest logos
appealed to the youth when they first appeared. Eventually, they
were also adopted and embraced by the extreme sports and
boarding communities everywhere. At the same time they were
used by well known graphic designers for big clients like MTV
etc.
 Maybe it's the contrast between the old and new - novelty fonts
against medieval lions as an example; another example would
be the ancient decorations versus modern objects.

Collage is the main process behind these emblems, blending the

right elements to strike the right chord. And if you think about it,
isn't this what graphic design is all about anyway?

We tend to like new crests and think it's a good experiment to try
with the right client in 2008 and the years to come. One word of
caution: new crest logos are not for beginners. Designers need
to get some experience under their belt first before taking a crack
at these logos. It takes a trained eye and oodles of creativity and
imagination to take new crest logos into new highs!

http://www.logoorange.com/color/color-codes-chart.php
http://www.jobsessive.com/2006/11/20/cu-si-despre-culori-la-logo-orange/

MANAGEMENTUL DESIGNULUI ŞI ESTETICII GRAFICII PUBLICITARE

conf. univ. dr. Roxana PROCOPIE

Catedra de Merceologie şi Managementul Calităţii, Academia de Studii Economice
Bucureşti

Rezumat
Publicitatea este, fără îndoială aproape la fel de veche ca şi comerţul. Dacă un produs este de
vânzare, prima condiţie a supravieţuirii pe piaţă este ca acesta să fie cunoscut. În vremurile de demult, era
de ajuns să ai o firmă deasupra prăvăliei. Astăzi, în faţa unei concurenţe înverşunate a producătorilor,
imaginea de firmă a ajuns să conteze mai mult decât produsul în sine.
Activităţile publicitare desfăşurate în cadrul unei firme sunt multiple şi complexe, dar elementul
de bază al oricăreia dintre ele îl constituie grafica publicitară.
Ca rezultat al graficii publicitare, reclamele pot fi extrem de simple: imagine, marca produsului
promovat sau a serviciului respectiv şi/sau denumirea firmei ofertante, eventual standardizată ca logo. În
acest caz, imaginea funcţionează ca element de identificare a produsului, lucru care se poate face pentru
produsele foarte cunoscute în scopul menţinerii lor în atenţia publicului. Alteori, reclamele sunt foarte
aglomerate şi complicate, având un număr mare de elemente componente şi o structură complexă. Aceste
elemente, realizate prin mijloacele graficii publicitare se referă la: titlu, slogan, text informativ, marcă,
logo, ilustraţie, spaţiu liber, mişcare, formă şi culoare.
Aplicând principiile de bază ale designului şi esteticii graficii publicitare (unitatea, varietatea,
echilibrul, ritmul, armonia, proporţia, accentul şi o gamă coloristică adecvată) şi utilizând o serie de
tehnici şi mijloace specifice, cum ar fi: scrisul, gravura, desenul mixt, colajul sau fotografia, designerii
reuşesc să exploateze la maximum simpatiile sau deziluziile consumatorilor pentru a promova produse sau
servicii.
 Şi pentru ca o reclamă să aibă succes la un moment dat, ea trebuie să fie dominată de o idee, să
evidenţieze avantajul competitiv, să acorde beneficii potenţialilor clienţi, să promoveze experienţe
senzoriale. Sarcina graficii publicitare este de a îndeplini aceste obiective.
Grafica publicitară reprezintă aşadar,o insulă de claritate în marea haotică a comunicaţiilor. Ea
vizualizează avantajele, dă viaţă cuvintelor, îi implică pe privitori şi îi motivează ca şi consumatori. Ea
este întotdeauna privită ca un mijloc de atingere a unui scop şi nu ca un scop în sine.

Acţiunile de publicitate se realizează prin materiale tipărite, considerate suficient de eficiente dacă
se au în vedere avantajele pe care le prezintă comparativ cu celelalte suporturi publicitare. În rândul
acestora se include: afişul, catalogul, pliantul, prospectul şi broşura, agenda şi calendarul, scrisoarea
de publicitate directă ş.a.
Afişul se remarcă ca gen major al artelor grafice publicitare, în care raportul mesaj scris – mesaj
vizual s-a modificat evident în favoarea celui din urmă, mai ales odată cu urbanizarea lumii moderne, odată
cu noile tehnologiii tipografice şi cu folosirea intensă a fotografiei.
Afişul utilizează mijloace de o mare specificitate, care concură la condiţia de imagine - simbol, la
metafora plastică de maximă condensare şi cu maximum de impact.
Evoluţia afişului a fost marcată de apariţia tiparului, apariţia cromolitografiei şi, nu în ultimul
rând, de transferul unui prestigios bagaj profesional din domeniul picturii. Deja între cele două războaie
mondiale se poate vorbi de şcoli, fie naţionale (Franţa: afiş cultural, de spectacol, comercial; Germania: afiş
propagandistic, comercial; America: afiş comercial), fie aparţinând curentelor artistice.
După cel de-al doilea război mondial, afişul comercial se dezvoltă vertiginos, cu precădere în ţările
cu economie de piaţă şi legi ale concurenţei.
Afişul este un suport publicitar care se adresează în exclusivitate marelui public, adesea definit ca
un aviz publicitar amplasat într-un loc public. În funcţie de criterii diverse, afişele se regăsesc sub o
multitudine de forme: normale, imprimate pe o singură faţă a colii de hârtie, pretipărite, cu text parţial
imprimat şi existând spaţii libere pentru completări, realizate pe suporturi metalice prin folosirea unor
tehnici speciale, afişe pe sticlă sau afişe emailate. Ele se pot expune în interiorul unei instituţii , al unei
clădiri, al unei unităţi comerciale sau turistice sau se pot expune în afara instituţiilor, în locuri special
amenajate.
Locul de expunere este un criteriu de bază de care se ţine cont în faza de execuţie a afişelor.
Astfel, afişele interioare pot conţine un text mai bogat, cu mai multe informaţii, comparativ cu cele
exterioare care trebuie să pună accentul pe ilustraţie, iar textul să fie concis, sugestiv şi informativ.
Pentru a comunica, pentru a atrage şi a convinge, în limbajul afişului se conturează câteva atribute
care devin condiţii sine - qua - non de existenţă: claritate, expresivitate, maximă sinteză în mesaj, continuă
inventivitate a soluţiilor practice, a sloganurilor şi chiar a celor tehnice, forţă de convingere.
Fiind o artă a străzii, a unui mediu în mişcare, colorat şi trepidant, afişul trebuie să se impună prin
şoc, să frapeze nu numai retina, ci şi mintea, imaginaţia, subconştientul. Eficacitatea afişului este probată
de gradul de rapiditate cu care răspunde unor necesităţi ale momentului, tirajele mari asigurând sute de mii
de mesaje simultan în tot atâtea locuri diferite, de forţa de convingere ce se bazează pe sinteză, pe claritate,
pe imagine simbol.
Catalogul este utilizat ca instrument de prezentare a activităţii unei firme şi de regulă se realizează
de către aceasta împreună cu o agenţie de specialitate. Prin text şi ilustraţie, catalogul oferă posibilitatea
prezentării unor caracteristici ale unei largi oferte de bunuri şi servicii, grupate pe categorii de produse sau
dispuse în ordine alfabetică. Catalogul de prospectare îndeplineşte rolul de vitrină, de inventar al ofertei
unei întreprinderi sau a unui mare magazin, constituindu-se într-un excelent suport publicitar pentru
vânzarea rapidă a produselor. Catalogul de lucru se caracterizează printr-o mai largă detaliere, strict
comercială, a mărfurilor vândute, a dimensiunilor şi performanţelor acestora. Catalogul de prestigiu este o
ediţie de lux, destinat să atragă atenţia şi să sugereze prestigiul şi poziţia firmei care l-a editat.
În general, editarea unui catalog presupune o atenţie deosebită acordată copertei întrucât este
elementul care oferă prima impresie clientului, ilustraţiei, care reprezintă componenta ce conferă
originalitate, textului şi aşezării în pagină al acestuia care scoate în evidenţă cele mai importante
caracteristici ale produselor.
Pliantul, ca imprimat cu formă variabilă se impune prin conceperea unei prime pagini incitante,
care să determine cititorul să parcurgă în întregime conţinutul.
 Broşura oferită odată cu produsul achiziţionat are ca scop principal informarea consumatorilor, iar
prospectul, realizat în maniera unui afiş, a unei scrisori sau a unei broşuri prezintă sumar planul, programul,
realizările unei firme sau instituţii.

Pentru a atrage atenţia, pentru a crea o reclamă senzaţională este nevoie de o grafică puternică cu
ajutorul căreia timpul şi talentul să dea roade. Ideile grafice vin din "drama inerentă a ofertei tale, din
avantajul competitiv, din înţelegerea adâncă a publicului ţintă şi din detaliile vieţii însăşi". 1[1]
Oamenii de creaţie găsesc idei pentru grafica lor observând tot ce se întâmplă în lume, urmărind
emisiunile la televizor, citind ziarele, abonându-se la o revistă, citind cărţi cu subiecte diferite, mergând la
cinematograf sau la teatru şi privind cu ochii larg deschişi pentru a observa viaţa de fiecare zi.
Scopul oricărei idei grafice reuşite este acela de a crea o dorinţă, iar designerii trebuie să găsească
cele mai potrivite idei care să servească scopului propus. Întotdeauna există mai multe idei bune, foarte
bune sau mediocre. În principal, este importantă înlăturarea ideilor mediocre şi reţinerea celor mai bune.
Astfel, designerii îşi demonstrează capacitatea de a răspunde în mod creativ temei propuse.
Indiferent dacă firma recurge la angajaţii proprii, optimizând astfel deciziile ce ţin de
materializarea proiectului şi responsabilizând promovarea propriei conştiinţe estetice sau din contră,
recurge la agenţii specializate, creative, novatoare sau chiar originale, derularea unui proiect de creare
estetică în domeniul graficii publicitare necesită elemente pregătitoare, cum ar fi: platforma şi metoda de
abordare.
Platforma reprezintă materialul din care se confecţionează mesajul publicitar, organizat într-o
primă fază ca sinteză a informaţiilor disponibile despre produsul sau serviciul oferit şi despre contextul
pieţei. Platforma este coşul de informaţii fără de care nu este posibilă elaborarea reclamei.
Metoda de abordare presupune un complex de opţiuni cu privire la modalitatea de transpunere a
mesajului, în funcţie de scopuri. Acestea pot fi de a informa, de a influenţa, de a distra, de a crea interes, de
a stimula o dorinţă, de a determina o acţiune de alegere, de achiziţionare.
Metoda de abordare constă în primul rând în alegerea tonului care poate fi emoţional, factual,
umoristic. Tonul factual se foloseşte pentru stimularea interesului şi împingerea receptorului la acţiune.
Tonul emoţional are un potenţial mare de persuasiune, el adresându-se speranţelor, dorinţelor şi aspiraţiilor
publicului. Tonul umoristic ajută la captarea şi menţinerea atenţiei, la crearea şi întreţinerea dispoziţiei
pozitive faţă de produsul promovat.
Un alt aspect al metodei de abordare este stilul. Acesta poate fi descriptiv, demonstrativ sau
dramatic. Stilul descriptiv are scopul de a clarifica prin informaţii, mai mult sau mai puţin detailate,
principalele probleme ale cumpărătorului în legătură cu produsul sau serviciul în cauză. Stilul demonstrativ
este destinat a convinge publicul prin prezentarea posibilelor beneficii sau realizări, iar tonul dramatic
susţine interesul prin intermediul unei scenete sau povestiri.
În general se aleg un singur ton şi un singur stil, dar nu este exclusă folosirea mai multor tonuri şi
a mai multor stiluri. Se recomandă elaborarea mai multor variante pentru o reclamă şi eventuala lor testare
pentru a atinge efectul dorit.
Procesul creativ poate fi divizat în patru domenii fundamentale: concepte, cuvinte, imagini şi
mijlocul sau vehiculul utilizat pentru a le prezenta. Conceptul este o idee, o noţiune generală formată prin
combinarea mentală a tuturor caracteristicilor şi detaliilor. Conceptul total este un mod inedit de a privi un
produs, de a vorbi despre un produs, o dimensiune neaşteptat de nouă care oferă şi o nouă perspectivă.
Specialiştii o numesc marea idee – cea care este exprimată clar şi care combină cuvinte şi imagini.
Cuvintele descriu ceea ce este ideea de bază, iar imaginile repetă ceea ce spun cuvintele sau şi mai bine,
întăresc ceea ce spun cuvintele, asigură un cadru care face cuvintele plastice.
Pe măsură ce este elaborată , o reclamă trece prin diferite stări brute: schiţe, machete brute,
machete detailate. Cele mai bune schiţe sunt selectate pentru a fi prezentate clar, în mărime reală, simulând
modul în care va arăta reclama. Cele mai bune machete brute vor trece în faza următoare, fiind transformate
în machete detaliate pentru a fi prezentate clientului.
Versiunile experimentale prezentate clientului vor avea o formă inteligibilă, fără a avea
materialele artistice, fotografiile, caracterele şi corpurile de literă finale. Ilustraţiile pot fi reprezentate prin
schiţe, poze din arhivă sau fotografii polaroid. Textul poate fi sugerat prin linii abstracte sau simboluri.
În ziua de azi, designul se realizează cu ajutorul computerului. Calculatorul înlocuieşte tot mai
mult tehnicile tradiţionale de atelier (culegerea textului, machetele artistice realizate la planşetă). La
1
reclamele tipărite ofset, textul finalizat va fi pregătit pentru fotografiere şi transpunere pe forma de tipar de
către tipograf. Sunt foarte răspândite sistemele de transfer de pe computer pe film şi de pe computer pe
forma de tipar.
Instrumentele şi tehnicile de intervenţie pe care designerii le au la îndemână sunt veritabile atuuri.
Însă designul este înainte de toate o activitate creatoare integratoare. Confruntându-se cu medii şi situaţii
diferite, designerul trebuie să dovedească flexibilitate, permeabilitate, curiozitate, disponibilitate de a
comunica şi mai ales, creativitate. A fi creator implică capacitatea de a descoperi structuri noi, neaparente
în ansamblul parametrilor ce caracterizează o problemă, necesitatea de a organiza datele într-o manieră
nouă, detaşată de schemele analitice tradiţionale.
Rezultatele muncii creative prezentate clientului reprezintă "munca din interior care ajunge la
suprafaţă"2[2]. O idee bine prezentată are mai multe şanse de a fi acceptată decât dacă este confuză sau
dezorganizată. Pentru aceasta, orice lucru îşi are importanţa sa: introducerea care dă tonul, prezentarea care
generează analiza şi argumentul, logica generală care conduce la recomandări constructive, concluzia care
defineşte întâlnirea şi reafirmă prestigiul agenţiei.

Unul din cele mai importante scopuri ale graficii în publicitate este de a atrage atenţia. Este ideal
ca o reclamă să creeze un puternic impact vizual, adică "acea calitate care dă dintr-o dată o lovitură
indiferenţei cititorului şi îi pregăteşte mintea pentru a primi un mesaj de vânzare." În sensul acesta, rolul
creatorului este de a combina în mod armonios elementele designului şi esteticii graficii publicitare:
Titlul – are funcţii de prezentare, de identificare, de evidenţiere, specificare, stimulare şi captare a
interesului. El nu trebuie conceput ca un rezumat al informaţiei din reclamă, ci ca un "cârlig";
Sloganul – concis şi uşor de memorat, poate fi folosit şi în reclamele radio sau TV, spre deosebire
de titlu care este specific tipăriturilor;
Textul informativ – trebuie să folosească un limbaj conversaţional, să fie concis, să conţină cât
mai puţine semne de punctuaţie şi să evite metaforele în exces. Textul se divide în mai multe blocuri
tematice distincte între ele, dar având coerenţă interioară, blocuri tematice ce pot fi introduse prin subtitluri
ce sintetizează conţinutul. Elementele distincte de informaţie pot fi puse în evidenţă prin folosirea semnelor
grafice de introducere. Amploarea textului informativ depinde şi de timpul pe care îl au la dispoziţie
receptorii mesajului, dar şi de specificul produsului. De pildă, se consideră că textul poate lipsi atunci când
produsul promovat este bine cunoscut publicul consumator;
Marca – are ca element de simbolizare emblema care ajută la recunoaşterea acesteia şi ale cărei
reguli de concepere vizează sugestivitate şi armonie, simplitate, claritate şi concizie. Mărcile pot îndeplini
mai multe funcţii: uşurarea sarcinilor în legătură cu desfacerea prin intermediul unei expresii vizuale
simple; afirmarea caracterului întreprinderii care influenţează, atât publicul, cât şi salariaţii cărora li se
oferă sentimentul de apartenenţă; accelerarea desfacerii produsului prin aplicarea simbolurilor pe ambalaje,
de exemplu; realizarea unor acţiuni speciale prin utilizarea simbolului pe antetul scrisorilor, pe cadourile
publicitare, pe mijloacele de transport ale firmei etc.;
Logo-ul - este prezentat în reclamele tipărite cu aceleaşi caractere tipografice şi poate fi asociat cu
un detaliu artistic, împreună cu care constituie o unitate de identificare a organizaţiei. Majoritatea firmelor
utilizează logo-ul deoarece repetarea identică a denumirii facilitează memorarea ei, ajungând la constituirea
identităţii sponsorului de reclamă în conştiinţa consumatorilor. În cazul firmelor renumite, logo-ul ajută la
transferarea prestigiului producătorului asupra noilor produse;
Ilustraţia – conţine pe zi ce trece tot mai multe artificii tehnice şi recurge la mijloace artistice tot
mai ingenioase.3[3] Escaladarea spectaculozităţii în ilustraţia publicitară se datorează în mare măsură
competiţiei dintre creatori. Ineditul periclitează oarecum credibilitatea imaginii, dar experienţa publicitară a
demonstrat că toleranţa publicului faţă de artificiul vizual este în continuă creştere. Dispunerea ilustraţiei în
pagină se poate face la libera alegere a designerului, dar există câteva formule consacrate: fereastra (o
ilustraţie mare care domină pagina, cu titlu şi text plasate dedesubt), silueta (ilustrarea obiectului decupat
din context, fără elemente de cadru), omnibus (mai multe obiecte care sunt legate tematic între ele, ocupând
spaţii egale dispuse echilibrat în pagină ), mondrian ( o combinaţie de dreptunghiuri cu ilustraţii în care nu
există text şi nici continuitate de mesaj), banda desenată (prezintă filmic un mesaj publicitar) sau alfabet
(se bazează pe decuparea unor fotografii în formă de literă);

2
3
 Spaţiul liber - contrastează cu aglomerarea şi atrage astfel atenţia. Albul hârtiei, lipsa de sunet,
ecranul fără imagine sunt surprinzătoare şi tocmai de aceea, utilizarea spaţiului liber se detaşează ca
stratagemă de cele "eficiente" care înghesuie informaţiile;
Mişcarea – declanşează la nivelul publicului consumator un lanţ de reacţii şi comportamente
mimetice care se finalizează cu decizia de cumpărare. Dinamica poate fi sugerată şi prin fotografie, prin
imaginea ştearsă proprie obiectelor în viteză, contrastând cu acurateţea conturului şi detaliilor la obiectele
statice. Tendinţa noastră, de exemplu, în prezenţa unui flash este de a privi în direcţia sugerată şi nu asupra
acestuia; este o mişcare reflexă care trebuie exploatată;
Forma – este destinată să primească un mesaj publicitar şi de aceea este necesar ca împărţirea
cerută de cuprinsul mesajului să fie agreabilă ochiului, armonioasă şi nu arbitrară. Formele privilegiate sunt
cele simple, regulate, simetrice. Cele mai indicate sunt cele care se percep uşor, care frapează, care se
remarcă. Acestea sunt formele matematice determinate, apoi urmează cele naturale şi la sfârşit se plasează
formele fanteziste, intuitive.
Culoarea – este un element important de atractivitate al reclamelor ilustrate şi mai ales, contrastul
coloristic cu elementele din jur. Întrucât universul publicitar contemporan este marcat de o policromie
agresivă, utilizarea monocromiei sau a unei culori dominante poate dovedi distincţie. Dacă o asemenea
opţiune se menţine pe tot parcursul campaniei publicitare, culoarea aleasă devine o componentă a
personalităţii produsului promovat.

Specialiştii au diferenţiat câteva principii de bază ale designului şi esteticii general valabile
pentru orice tip de reclamă şi ca atare, ele se pot descrie astfel:
Principiul unităţii – toate părţile unui reclame trebuie să formeze un întreg; unitatea poate fi
perturbată de chenare, de prea multe tipuri de caractere, de culori distribuite necorespunzător sau de o
încărcare a paginii;
Principiul varietăţii – aspectul trebuie să fie variat şi contrastant pentru a învinge monotonia; se
pot folosi caractere variate, spaţiu alb şi spaţiu tipărit, blocuri cenuşii de text înviorate de subtitluri ş.a.;
Principiul echilibrului – echilibrul este esenţial între ilustraţie, text, titlu; de exemplu, ilustraţia
sau titlul pot ocupa o treime din spaţiu, iar textul poate ocupa două treimi;
Principiul ritmului – se poate obţine senzaţia de mişcare, chiar şi în cazul unei reclame tipărite
care este statică; un mijloc simplu este identitatea paragrafelor, privirea fiind condusă de la un paragraf la
altul;
Principiul armoniei – reclama nu trebuie să conţină elemente de contrast subite, supărătoare sau
bruşte; această tactică şocantă poate fi folosită doar în mod deliberat, în anumite tipuri de reclame;
Principiul proporţiei – se referă în special la corpul de literă folosit pentru diferite lăţimi ale
textului: cu cât coloana de text este mai lată, cu atât dimensiunea literei este mai mare, şi invers;
Principiul gamei coloristice – poate fi folosit în designul grafic, ţinând cont de efectele fiziologice
şi psihologice ale culorilor şi de senzaţiile pe care acestea ni le creează;
Principiul accentuării – conform căruia, dacă se accentuează totul, nimic nu mai iese în evidenţă;
aceasta se întâmplă când se abuzează, de pildă, de literele aldine sau când se folosesc prea multe majuscule.
Contrastul este totuşi necesar, ţinând cont însă de celelalte legi şi de aplicarea lor corespunzătoare.

În procesul de realizare a materialelor publicitare, designerul utilizează o serie de tehnici specifice.

O primă tehnică este grafica, respectiv transpunerea în imagini bidimensionale a unei idei destinate
multiplicării pe cale tipografică sau în alte sisteme de multiplicare. Alături de aceasta se utilizează: scrisul,
respectiv caracterul de literă şi mărimea, gravura, desenul mixt, colajul, fotografia.
Designerul ia decizii în ceea ce priveşte coperta, formatul, punerea în pagină a textului, realizarea
compoziţiei armonioase cu elementele de text şi ilustraţie, care să facă uşor transmisibilă o informaţie utilă.
Afişul, catalogul, pliantul, prospectul, emblema, eticheta pot fi înţelese ca forme grafice prin excelenţă
funcţionale. Forma estetică este condiţionată aici de nevoia transmiterii unei informaţii utile. Ca atare,
designul publicitar nu poate concepe formele în funcţie de “capriciile” creatorului, ci în funcţie de scopul
pentru care acestea urmează să fie tipărite.
Managerii au destule de spus despre organizaţiile unde lucrează, despre produsele şi serviciile pe
care le oferă pentru a sugera o imagine distinctivă a companiei lor. Această imagine se prezintă prin
intermediul diverselor elemente de identitate, iar între acestea, formele grafice îşi găsesc locul potrivit.
Elementele de identitate au potenţialul de a oferi satisfacţie. Foarte adesea însă, nu reuşesc să o
facă. Faptul că elementele distinctive ale companiei sau produsului oferă sau nu satisfacţie estetică depinde
în cel mai înalt grad de managementul adecvat. Acest tip de management implică o înţelegere clară a
strategiei estetice şi a modului în care aceasta crează impresii consumatorilor.

What Color is Your Business?

By Darrell Zahorsky, About.com

As a small business owner, you have a meaningful understanding of the color of money but
how about the color of your business? Learn whether the colors of your business puts your
customers in a buying mood or creates the wrong perception of your company.

The Science of Colors

It seems hard to believe that colors can have an impact on our body and mind. However,
scientists know colors can influence our body's physiology and mental states. In a study by
Wohlfarth and Sam, the color environment of 14 handicapped children was altered resulting in
a measurable change in blood pressure and a decrease in aggressive behavior. The science of
colors has been used by market researchers to determine how best to apply this knowledge to
influence customer's perceptions of businesses.

The power of colors stimulates our nervous system and evokes emotional states. The colors of
our environment travells through our eyes to our brain causing various hormonal releases. But
forget the science, what does the meaning of colors do for your business?

The Meaning of Colors and Your Business

The meaning of colors varies depending on one's culture, race, gender, and even age. So, it
isn't just the selection of colors in general but also which colors to use with your target
customers. For instance, white is often associated with weddings in North America and evokes
the feeling of innocence. In Eastern cultures, white signifies death. An exporter of white
wedding gowns to China would go broke in no time.

Colors can be combined to signify meaning to a culture. In the western world, green and red
are associated with Christmas, while black and orange represent Halloween.

Several large brand name companies are associated with their corporate colors. IBM- Big Blue
signifies stability and conservatism. UPS- Brown symbolizes longevity and reliability. A color
can be connected to a product like Tide; in the bold orange box, evoking the feeling of
vibrance.

Consider the meaning of the following colors on your business marketing (in North American
culture):

• White: Pure. Clean. Youthful. It's a neutral color that can imply purity in
fashion and sterilization in the medical profession.
 • Black: Power. Elegant. Secretive. The color black can target your high-end
market or be used in youth marketing to add mystery to your image.
• Red: Passion. Excitement. Danger. Red is the color of attention, causing the
blood pressure and heart rate to rise. Use red to inject excitement into your
brand.
• Orange: Vibrant. Energy. Play. Add some fun to your company if you want to
create a playful environment for your customers.
• Yellow: Happy. Warm. Alert. Yellow can be an attractor for your business with
a relaxed feeling.
• Green: Natural. Healthy. Plentiful. To create a calming effect or growth image
choose green. Go green go.
• Purple: Royalty. Wise. Celebration. Maybe add some purple tones to your look
for your premium service business.
• Blue: Loyal. Peaceful. Trustworthy. Blue is the most popular and neutral color
on a global scale. A safe choice for a business building customer loyalty.

Consider how these colors are used in your company marketing materials from logos and
brochures to business cards and uniforms. Are your colors projecting the personality and
image you want? If not, it could be time for a color makeover.

In the end, remember colors have meaning. A white flag means surrender, however, if you
have never seen a war the color is insignificant. It all depends on the experiences of the
observer. Consider your colors and customers to best choose your winning color for your small
business.

BLUE
Calm and Cool :

Blue is calming. It can be strong and steadfast or light and friendly. Almost everyone likes
some shade of the color blue.

Pantone has selected the color Blue Iris (PANTONE 18-3943) as the 2008 Color of the Year
telling us: "Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual
qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while
adding a hint of mystery and excitement."

Nature of Blue:

A natural color, from the blue of the sky, blue is a universal color. The cool, calming effect of
blue makes time pass more quickly and it can help you sleep. Blue is a good color for
bedrooms. However, too much blue could dampen spirits.

Culture of Blue:

In many diverse cultures blue is significant in religious beliefs, brings peace, or is believed to
keep the bad spirits away.
Blue conveys importance and confidence without being somber or sinister, hence the blue
power suit of the corporate world and the blue uniforms of police officers. Long considered a
corporate color, blue, especially darker blue, is associated with intelligence, stability, unity,
and conservatism.

Explore more Dark Blue Color Meanings.

Just as seeing red alludes to the strong emotions invoked by the color red, feeling blue or
getting the blues represents the extremes of the calm feelings associated with blue, i.e.
sadness or depression, lack of strong (violent) emotion. Dark blue is sometimes seen as staid
or stodgy — old-fashioned.

In Iran, blue is the color of mourning while in the West the something blue bridal tradition
represents love.

People describe How the color blue makes them feel

Using Blue:

A deep royal blue or azure conveys richness and perhaps even a touch of superiority. Navy
blue is almost black and is a bit warmer than lighter blues. Combine a light and dark blue to
convey trust and truthfulness — banker's colors. Although blue is a year-round color, pastel
blues, especially along with pinks and pale yellows suggest Springtime while deep blue is a
colder weather color. Create a conservative but sophisticated look with subtle contrast by
combining light and dark shades of blue.

Using Blue with Other Colors:

Mix the color of blue with green for a natural, watery palette. Add gray for understated
elegance.

Sky blue and robin's egg blue, especially when combined with neutral light brown, tans, or
beige are environmentally friendly color combinations.

Throw in a dash of blue to cool down a hot red or orange scheme. Grab attention with the
contrast of blue and yellow.Dark blue with white is fresh, crisp, and nautical. Red, white, and
blue is a patriotic color trio for many countries, including the United States.

Use dark blue with metallic silver accents for an elegantly rich appearance.

Blue Color Palettes:

These blue color palettes feature shades of blue combined with gray, orange, peach, purple,
and earthy browns as well as palettes with multiple blues.

This selection of Dark Blue Color Palettes feature 2, 3, 4, and 5 color combinations centered
around dark shades of blue such as Navy, Dark Slate Blue, and Dark Cyan.
 • Shades of Blue from COLOURlovers with HEX and RGB Codes
• Blue Color Palettes from COLOURlovers

Using Blue in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Blue

• Blue Master Bedroom Style
• Color Schemes for Beach Lovers
• Graphics Challenge: The Color Blue
• Blue Wallpaper Printables for Miniatures

Language of Blue:

The use of blue in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be
perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good blue

• True blue - someone loyal and faithful

• Out of the blue - unexpected (could be positive or negative)
• Blue ribbon - first rate, top prize
• Blueblood - person of noble birth, royalty
• Bluestocking - well-read or scholarly woman
• Bluebook - register of socially prominent people
• The Blues (capitalized) - popular style of music sometimes characterized by
melancholy melodies and words
• Baby blues - Blue eyes (also see Bad blue words)

Bad blue

• Feeling blue - feeling sad or depressed

• Blue devils - feelings of depression
• The blues (not capitalized) - depression, state of sadness
• Blue Monday - feeling sad
• Baby blues - post-partum depression
• Singing the blues - bemoaning one's circumstances
• Blue laws - laws originally intended to enforce certain moral standards
• Blue language - profanity
• Bluenose - puritanical individual
• Into the blue - entering the unknown or escape to parts unknown
• Out of the blue - unexpected (could be positive or negative)

Blue Words: These words are synonymous with blue or represent various shades of the color
blue.

Sapphire, azure, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal, sky blue, baby blue, robin's egg
blue, cyan, cornflower blue, midnight blue, slate, steel blue, Prussian blue.
BLACK
Ultimate Dark: Considered the negation of color, black is conservative, goes well with almost
any color except the very dark. It also has conflicting connotations. It can be serious and
conventional. The color black can also be mysterious, sexy, and sophisticated.
Nature of Black: Black is the absence of color. In clothing, black is visually slimming. Black,
like other dark colors, can make a room appear to shrink in size and even a well-lit room looks
dark with a lot of black. Black can make other colors appear brighter.
Culture of Black: In most Western countries black is the color of mourning. Among young
people, black is often seen as a color of rebellion. Black is both positive and negative. It is the
color for little boys in China. Black, especially combined with orange is the color of Halloween.
In early Westerns the good guy wore white while the bad guy wore black. But later on good
guys wore black to lend an air of mystery to themselves.
Using Black: Use the color black to convey elegance, sophistication, or perhaps a touch of
mystery. Dark charcoal gray and very dark brown can sometimes stand in for black.
Using Black with Other Colors: Be careful using black with very dark colors. It can work,
but if the colors are too similiar they blend together. Black works well with bright, jewel-toned
shades of red, blue, and green. Black is the ultimate dark color and makes lighter colors such
as yellow really pop out. Photographs often look brighter against a black background. Black
and gray is a conservative combo as is medium or light blue and black.
Black Color Palettes: These color palettes feature black with other colors.
Using Black in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Black

Language of Black: The use of black in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good black

• Black tie - formal (as in formal party attire)

• Black belt - expert (especially in martial arts)
• Blackwash - bring things out in the open In the black - having money, doing
well in business
• Men in black - government agents
• Black box - equipment or apparatus
• Pitch black - dark as night, very black

Bad black

• Black out - Loss of consciouness or the act of erasing something

• Blackout - loss of electricity or turning out the lights
• Black eye - damage such as damage to one's reputation, slander, unpopular
• Black-hearted - evil
• Blackguard - a scoundrel
• Black sheep - an outcast from a family or from society
• Black market - illegal trade (goods or money)
• Blackmail - obtaining something by threat
• Blacklist - list of people or organizations to boycott, avoid, or punish
Black Words: These words are synonymous with black or represent various shades of the
color black.

Ebony, jet, ink, lampblack, coal, soot, charcoal, raven, midnight, obsidian, onyx, sable.

GREY
Elegant Neutral: Gray is a neutral, balanced color. It is a cool, conservative color that
seldom evokes strong emotion although it can be seen as a cloudy or moody color.
Nature of Gray: The lighter side of black, gray is a cool color seen in storm clouds and some
metals.
Culture of Gray: Like black, gray is used as a color of mourning as well as a color of
formality. Along with blue suits, gray suits are part of the uniform of the corporate world.
Dark, charcoal gray carries with it some of the strengh and mystery of black. It is a
sophisticated color without much of the negative attributes of black. Lighter grays are similar
to white. Gray tuxedos are common for men at weddings.
Using Gray: All shades of gray can be good, neutral background colors. Use lighter grays in
place of white and darker gray in place of black. Taupe, a grayish brown neutral is a
conservative, slightly earthy, warm shade of gray.
Using Gray with Other Colors: Light grays with pastel shades of pink, blue, lavender, and
green have a feminine quality. Darken those colors for a more masculine feel. Gray with hot
pink can be a little retro. Cool a warm palette by adding gray to rich reds or golden yellows.
Gray Color Palettes: These color palettes feature shades of gray, including very bluish grays,
combined with yellow, blue, orange, and teal.
Using Gray in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Gray

Language of Gray: The use of gray in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good gray

• Gray matter - brains, intellect

• Gray power - having to do with the elderly or senior citizens

Bad gray

• Gray - dull, dingy, dirty

• Gray page - in desktop publishing, a text-heavy page with little contrast or
white space
• Gray-hair - old person (not necessarily derogatory)
• Gray water - dirty water such as water drained from a bathtub or kitchen sink

Gray Words: These words are synonymous with gray or represent various shades of the color
gray.

Charcoal, slate, iron gray, ashen, lead, mousy, gunmetal, silver, dove gray, powder grey,
oyster, pearl, taupe, sere, Payne's gray.
BROWN
Down-to-Earth: Brown is a natural, down-to-earth neutral color. It is found in earth, wood,
and stone.
Nature of Brown: Brown is a warm neutral color that can stimulate the appetite. It is found
extensively in nature in both living and non-living materials.
Culture of Brown: Brown represents wholesomeness and earthiness. While it might be
considered a little on the dull side, it also represents steadfastness, simplicity, friendliness,
dependability, and health. Although blue is the typical corporate color, UPS (United Parcel
Service) has built their business around the dependability associated with brown.
Using Brown: The color brown and its lighter cousins in tan, taupe, beige, or cream make
excellent backgrounds helping accompanying colors appear richer, brighter. Use brown to
convey a feeling of warmth, honesty, and wholesomeness. Although found in nature year-
round, brown is often considered a fall and winter color. It is more casual than black.
Using Brown with Other Colors: Shades of brown coupled with green are an especially
earthy pair, often used to convey the concept of recycling or earth-friendly products. Very
dark brown can replace black, adding a slightly warmer tone to some palettes. Brighten brown
with a mellow yellow or rusty orange. Go smart but conservative with a mix of brown and
deep purple, green, gray, or orange-red.
Brown Color Palettes: These color palettes feature shades of brown combined with other
neutrals as well as red, orange, green, and pink.

• Brown Color Palettes from COLOURlovers

Using Brown in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Brown

• Decorating Using Chocolate Browns

Language of Brown: The use of brown in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good brown

• Brown bottle - beer

• Brown - cook or burn

Bad brown

• Brown-nose - someone who attempts to ingratiate themselves with people of

authority
• Brown study - someone who is aloof, indifferent
• Brown out - partial loss of electricity

Brown Words: These words are synonymous with brown or represent various shades of the
color brown.
Sienna, bay, sand, wood, dapple, auburn, chestnut, nut-brown, cinnamon, russet, tawny,
chocolate, tan, brunette, fawn, liver-colored, mahogany, oak, bronze, terra-cotta, toast,
umber, cocoa, coffee, copper, ecru, ginger, hazel, khaki, ochre, puce, snuff-colored.

SILVER
Metallic Riches: Silver, especially a shiny, metallic silver, is cool like gray but livelier, more
playful. Silver can be sleek and modern or impart a feeling of ornate riches.
Nature of Silver: Silver is a precious metal and other metals are often described as silver in
color. Silver doesn't have the warmth of gold. It's a cool metal.
Culture of Silver: Silver often symbolizes riches, just as gold does. Silver can be glamorous
and distinguished. While gray-haired men and women are seen as old, silver-haired denotes a
graceful aging. Silver is the traditional Twenty-Fifth Wedding Anniversary gift.
Using Silver: The color silver can be earthy, natural or sleek and elegant. It can be used
much as gray is although when using shiny metallic inks, small amounts for accents is best.
Using Silver with Other Colors: Silver coupled with turquoise evokes the Southwest (U.S.).
A touch of silver pops with medium blue. Use silver with other colors to create a high-tech or
industrial look.
Silver Color Palettes: These color palettes feature shades of gray and silver.
Language of Silver: The use of silver in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good silver

• Silver screen - movies, especially classic movies

• Silver-tongued - witty, eloquent speaker
• Pieces of silver - money, especially coins

Bad silver

• Silver-tongued devil - articulate speaker perceived to be insincere, possibly a

liar
• Born with a silver spoon in one's mouth - usually used as a putdown against
someone born into a wealthy family who never had to work for a living

Silver Words: These words are synonymous with silver or represent various shades of the
color silver.

Gun metal, gray, metallic grey.

WHITE
Ultimate Light: White is purity, cleanliness, and innocence. Like black, white goes well with
almost any color.
Nature of White: To the human eye, white is a brilliant color that can cause headaches for
some. Too much bright white can be blinding.
Culture of White: In most Western countries white is the color for brides. In the East, it's the
color for mourning and funerals. White is often associated with hospitals, especially doctors,
nurses, and dentists. Some cultures viewed white as the color of royalty or of dieties. Angels
are typically depicted as wearing white. In early Westerns the good guy wore white while the
bad guy wore black.
Using White: In most cases white is seen as a neutral background color and other colors,
even when used in smaller proportion, are the colors that convey the most meaning in a
design. Use white to signify cleanliness or purity or softness. Some neutral beige, ivory, and
creams carry the same attributes as white but are more subdued, less brilliant than plain
white. Use lots of white for a summery look. Use small amounts of white to soften a wintery
palette or suggest snow.
Using White with Other Colors: Used with light or pastel tones, white is soft and Spring-like
and helps to make the pastel palette more lively. White can make dark or light reds, blues,
and greens look brighter, more prominent. Red, white, and blue makes a patriotic palette.
White Color Palettes: These color palettes feature black and white with other colors.
Using the Color White in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color White

• White Plus 1 Color Home Decor Color Schemes

Language of White: The use of white in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good white

• White as the driven snow - pure, clean, innocent

• White elephant - rare, valuable but perhaps unwanted
• White knight - someone who comes to another person's rescue, someone
perceived as being good, noble
• White list - list of good or acceptable items
• White sale - sale of sheets, towels, other linens
• Pearly white - teeth, especially very white teeth

Bad white

• Whitewash - cover up, conceal

• Whiteout - zero visibility
• White flag - surrender
• White lightning - moonshine, illegal whiskey
• White elephant - rare, valuable but perhaps unwanted
• White knuckle - something that is fast, exciting, or frightening

White Words: These words are synonymous with white or represent various shades of the
color white.

Snow, pearl, antique white, ivory, chalk, milk white, lily, smoke, seashell, old lace, cream,
linen, ghost white, beige, cornsilk, alabaster, paper, whitewash.

GREEN
Life and Renewal: Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health,
and environment. On the flip side, green is jealousy or envy (green-eyed monster) and
inexperience.
Nature of Green: Green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue.
Like blue, time moves faster in a green room.
Culture of Green: Green is the national color of Ireland and is strongly associated with that
country. Green also has close associations with Islam. Because of all the green in nature the
color is reminiscent of Spring. Coupled with red it's a Christmas color.
Using Green: With both a warming and cooling effect, the color green denotes balance,
harmony, and stability. Use several shades of green for a fresh, Springtime feel. Olive green,
also called olive drab, is a not so drab summery green that may have military overtones for
some people.
Using Green with Other Colors: Green with blue produces echoes of nature - water and
forest and can denote new beginnings and growth. Green with brown, tan, or beige says
organic or recycled and can be a good color combination for packaging of those type of
products. Tri-color combinations of green with yellow and black or white are sporty, outdoorsy
colors. Purple with green can be high contrast, lively. Lime green with orange and yellow is a
fresh and fruity palette.
Green Color Palettes: These green color palettes feature shades of green combined with
gray, yellow, black, purple, lavender, and brown for some earthy, retro, and conservative
looks.

• Shades of Green from COLOURlovers with HEX and RGB Codes

• Green Color Palettes from COLOURlovers

Using Green in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Green

• Bathroom Decor in Cottage Green

Language of Green: The use of green in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good green

• Green light - go, permission to proceed (with a task)

• The green room - in theater or televisions it is the room where performers and
guests go to relax
• Green thumb - good with plants
• Greenback - US dollar bill, money
• Greener pastures - something newer or better (or perceived to be better),
such as a new job

Bad green

• Green-eyed monster - jealosy

• Green with envy - jealous or envious
• Green - inexperienced, untested, untrained
• Greenhorn - novice, trainee, beginner
• Green around the gills - pale, sickly

Green Words: These words are synonymous with green or represent various shades of the
color green.
Emerald, sea green, seafoam, olive, olive drab, pea green, grass green, apple, mint, forest,
lawn green, lime, spring green, leaf green, aquamarine, beryl, chartreuse, fir, kelly green,
pine, moss, jade, sage, sap, viridian.

ORANGE
Flamboyant and Energetic : Orange is vibrant. It's a combination of red and yellow so it
shares some common attributes with those colors. It denotes energy, warmth, and the sun.
But orange has a bit less intensity or aggression than red, calmed by the cheerfulness of
yellow.
Nature of Orange: As a warm color orange is a stimulant — stimulating the emotions and
even the appetite. Orange can be found in nature in the changing leaves of fall, the setting
sun, and the skin and meat of citrus fruit.
Culture of Orange: Orange brings up images of autumn leaves, pumpkins, and (in
combination with Black) Halloween. It represents the changing seasons so in that sense it is a
color on the edge, the color of change between the heat of summer and the cool of winter.

Because orange is also a citrus color, it can conjure up thoughts of vitamin C and good health.

Using Orange: If you want to get noticed without screaming, consider the color orange — it
demands attention. The softer oranges such as peach are even friendlier, more soothing.
Peachy oranges are less flamboyant than their redder cousins but still energetic.

In keeping with its transitional appearance in nature, you might use shades of orange to
indicate transition or a bridge between two opposing factors.

Orange is often synonymous with autumn yet the brighter oranges are a summer color. Use
shades of orange for seasonal-themed fall or summer materials.

Orange is mentally stimulating as well as sociable. Use it to get people thinking or to get them
talking.

Using Orange with Other Colors: While orange and black are traditional Halloween colors,
orange really pops with a medium blue. Red, yellow, and orange can be a fiery hot
combination or, in tamer shades, a fresh, fruity experience. Make it tropical with green.

Use caution mixing orange and pink unless you want to recreate a vibrating, 60s psychedelic
look.

Try a dash of orange with deep purple or a dash of purple with a bit of orange, tempered by
lots of mellow yellow or white for an eye-catching look that's not overpowering.

Orange Color Palettes: These color palettes feature shades of orange going earthy with
browns and greens as well as sophisticated with blues, grays, and other neutrals.
Using Orange in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Orange

Orange Words: These words are synonymous with orange or represent various shades of the
color orange.
Pumpkin, gold, flame, copper, brass, apricot, peach, citrus, tangerine.

GOLD
Riches and Excess: A cousin to yellow (and orange and brown) is gold. While green may be
the color of money (U.S. money, that is) gold is the color of riches and extravagance.
Nature of Gold: The color gold shares many of the attributes of yellow. It is a warm color
that can be both bright and cheerful as well as somber and traditional.
Culture of Gold: Because gold is a precious metal, the color gold is associated with wealth
and prosperity. While all that glitters is not gold the color gold still suggests grandeur, and
perhaps on the downside, the excesses of the rich. Gold is the traditional gift for a Fiftieth
Wedding Anniversary while gold-like bronze is for the eighth and copper with its reddish-gold
tones is for the seventh.
Using Gold: Add a small amount of metallic gold ink to a project for a special, rich touch.
Bright gold catches the eye while darker subdued shades of gold lend richness and warmth.
Using Gold with Other Colors: Add a golden glow to an earthy palette of orange, green, and
brown. Double the riches of a burgundy red or purple palette with glittery gold.
More Golden Color Discussion: <br>COLOURlovers looks briefly at the symbolism of gold
and visitors comment on it.
Language of Gold: The use of gold in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their
color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good gold

• Gold star - praise, commendation

• Good as gold - valuable, positive
• Solid gold - superior, outstanding, best of the best
• Gold standard - the best, a measure of quality, excellence
• Golden child/boy - favored person

Bad gold

• Gold brick - trick, cheat, or deceive

• Golddigger - someone who feigns genuine interest but is only after a person's
money
• Fool's Gold - mica, anything mistaken for gold, worthless

Gold Words: These words are synonymous with gold or represent various shades of the color
gold.

Goldenrod, yellow gold, honey, bronze, copper.

RED

Love and War:

Red is hot. It's a strong color that conjures up a range of seemingly conflicting emotions from
passionate love to violence and warfare. Red is Cupid and the Devil.

Nature of Red:

A stimulant, red is the hottest of the warm colors. Studies show that red can have a physical
effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure.

The expression seeing red indicates anger and may stem not only from the stimulus of the
color but from the natural flush (redness) of the cheeks, a physical reaction to anger,
increased blood pressure, or physical exertion.

Culture of Red:

Red is power, hence the red power tie for business people and the red carpet for celebrities
and VIPs (very important people).

Flashing red lights denote danger or emergency. Stop signs and stop lights are red to get the
drivers' attention and alert them to the dangers of the intersection.

In some cultures, red denotes purity, joy, and celebration. Red is the color of happiness and
prosperity in China and may be used to attract good luck.Red is often the color worn by brides
in the East while it is the color of mourning in South Africa. In Russia the Bolsheviks used a
red flag when they overthrew the Tsar, thus red became associated with communism. Many
national flags use red. The red Ruby is the traditional Fortieth Wedding Anniversary gift.

Using Red:

Use the color red to grab attention and to get people to take action. Use red when you don't
want to sink into the background. Use red to suggest speed combined with confidence and
perhaps even a dash of danger. A little bit of red goes a long way. Small doses can often be
more effective than large amounts of this strong color. Multiple shades of red and even pink or
orange can combine for a cheerful palette.

Look at the use of the Color Red on the Web to find which of the named colors in the red
family are the most attention-grabbing, mysterious, friendly, sophisticated, or mentally
stimulating.

Using Red with Other Colors:

Although not normally considered an ideal coupling, in combination with green, red is a
Christmas color — a joyful season.

Cool blues provide contrast and tone down the heat of red. Light pinks and yellows are
harmonizing colors that can work well with red if not too close in value such as dark red with a
pale or golden yellow. Be careful using purple. It can be an elegant combination but too much
could be overpowering.Add a dash of red to a soft but sophisticated pink and gray combo. For
some countries, including the US, red, white, and blue is a very patriotic trio even if the
shades of red and blue differ from those used in the flag.

Red Color Palettes:

These color palettes feature shades of red used with a variety of yellows, blues, greens, and
neutrals.

Using Red in Other Design Fields:

• Feng Shui Use of the Color Red

Language of Red:

The use of red in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be
perceived by others — both the positive and negative aspects.

Good red

• Red letter day - important or significant occasion

• Red carpet treatment - make someone feel special, treat them as if they are a
celebrity
• Roll out the red carpet - same as above
• Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning; red sky at night, sailor's delight -
pay attention to good and bad warning signs
• Paint the town red - celebrate, go out partying
• Red eye - an overnight flight

Bad red

• Seeing red - to be angry

• Red herring - something that deceives or distracts attention from the truth
• In the red - being overdrawn at the bank or losing money
• Red flag - denotes danger, warning, or an impending battle

Red Words: These words are synonymous with red or represent various shades of the color
red.

Scarlet, crimson, vermillion, carmine, maroon, burgundy, ruby, rose, madder, rouge, brick,
blood red, blush, fire engine red, cinnabar, russet, rust, Venetian red, flame, Indian red,
tomato.

Color Meanings

Symbolism of Color and Colors That Go Together

 By Jacci Howard Bear, About.com

Colors are more than a combination of red and blue or yellow and black. They are non-verbal
communication. Colors have symbolism and color meanings that go beyond ink. As you design
brochures, logos, and Web sites, it is helpful to keep in mind how the eye and the mind
perceive certain colors and the color meanings we associate with each color.

Physical and Cultural Color Reactions

Sometimes colors create a physical reaction (red has been shown to raise blood pressure) and
at other times it is a cultural reaction (in the U.S. white is for weddings, in some Eastern
cultures, white is the color for mourning and funerals). Colors follow trends as well. Avocado,
a shade of green, is synomous with the 60s and 70s in the minds of some consumers.

Color Relationships
In addition to understanding color meanings, it helps with mixing and matching colors to know
the relationship of adjacent, complementary, and clashing colors. The subject is more fully
explained in this Color Basics article. But below is a brief synopis:

• Adjacent or harmonizing colors appear next to each other on the color

wheel. Harmonizing colors often work well together but if too close in value they
can appear washed out or not have enough contrast.
• Complementary colors are separated by another color on the color wheel.
Complementary colors printed side by side can cause visual vibration making
them a less than desirable combination. However, separate them on the page
with other colors and they can work together.
• Clashing or contrasting colors are directly opposite each other on the color
wheel. Despite the name, colors that clash are not always a bad combination if
used carefully. They provide great contrast and high visibility.

On each of the cool, warm, mixed, and neutral pages are links to profiles of specific groups of
colors with descriptions of their nature, cultural color meanings, how to use each color in
design work, and which colors work best together.

On the next few pages we'll explore the color meanings of four different groups of colors.

• Cool Color Meanings (calming): Blue, Green, Turquoise, Silver

• Warm Color Meanings (exciting): Red, Pink, Yellow, Gold, Orange
• Mixed Cool/Warm Color Meanings: Purple, Lavender, Green, Turquoise
• Neutral Color Meanings (unifying): Brown, Beige, Ivory, Gray, Black, White

Cool colors tend to have a calming effect. At one end of the spectrum they are cold,
impersonal, antispectic colors. At the other end the cool colors are comforting and nurturing.
Blue, green, and the neutrals white, gray, and silver are examples of cool colors.

In nature blue is water and green is plant life - a natural, life-sustaining duo. Combine blues
and greens for natural, watery color palettes. Heat up a too cool color palette with a dash of
warm colors such as red or orange. If you want warmth with just a blue palette, choose
deeper blues with a touch of red but not quite purple or almost black deep navy blues.

Cool colors appear smaller than warm colors and they visually recede on the page so red can
visually overpower and stand out over blue even if used in equal amounts.
The profiles for each of these cool colors include descriptions of their nature, cultural color
meanings, how to use each color in design work, and which colors work best together.

• Blue
• Green
• Turquoise
• Gray
• Silver
• White

Warm colors rev us up and get us going. The warmth of red, yellow, or orange can create
excitement or even anger. Warm colors convey emotions from simple optimism to strong
violence. The neutrals of black and brown also carry warm attributes.

In nature, warm colors represent change as in the changing of the seasons or the eruption of
a volcano. Tone down the strong emotions of a warm palette with some soothing cool or
neutral colors or by using the lighter side of the warm palette such as pinks, pale yellows, and
peach.

Warm colors appear larger than cool colors so red can visually overpower blue even if used in
equal amounts. Warm colors appear closer while their cool counterparts visually recede on the
page.

The profiles for each of these warm colors include descriptions of their nature, cultural color
meanings, how to use each color in design work, and which colors work best together.

• Red
• Pink
• Yellow
• Gold
• Orange
• Black
• Brown

Colors with attributes from both the warm and cool colors can calm and excite. These are
colors derived from a mix of a cool and warm color such as blue and red or blue and yellow.

A cool blue and a warm red combine to create deep purples and pale lavendars. To a lesser
extent, shades of green, especially turquoise and teal, also have both the warming and cooling
effects born of warm yellow and cool blue. Some light neutrals such as cream, pale beige, and
taupe evoke some of the same warm and cool feelings of purples and greens. The opposite or
clashing color for purple is green and for green, purple.

The profiles for each of these mixed colors include descriptions of their nature, cultural color
meanings, how to use each color in design work, and which colors work best together.

• Purple
• Lavender
• Green
• Turquoise
• Beige
The neutral colors of black, white, silver, gray, and brown make good backgrounds, serve to
unify diverse color palettes, and also often stand alone as the only or primary focus of a
design.

Neutral colors help to put the focus on other colors or serve to tone down colors that might
otherwise be overpowering on their own. To some extent blacks, browns, tans, golds, and
beige colors are considered warm. While white, ivory, silver, and gray are somewhat cooler
colors. Yet these warm and cool attributes are flexible and more subtle than that of reds or
blues.

The profiles for each of these neutral colors include descriptions of their nature, cultural color
meanings, and how to use each color in design work.

• Black
• Gray
• White
• Ivory
• Brown
• Beige

Color Meaning
Red
Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power,
determination as well as passion, desire, and love.

Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and
raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are
usually painted red. In heraldry, red is used to indicate courage. It is a color found in many national flags.

Red brings text and images to the foreground. Use it as an accent color to stimulate people to make quick
decisions; it is a perfect color for 'Buy Now' or 'Click Here' buttons on Internet banners and websites. In
advertising, red is often used to evoke erotic feelings (red lips, red nails, red-light districts, 'Lady in Red',
etc). Red is widely used to indicate danger (high voltage signs, traffic lights). This color is also commonly
associated with energy, so you can use it when promoting energy drinks, games, cars, items related to
sports and high physical activity.

Light red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love.

Pink signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness.
Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
Brown suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.
Reddish-brown is associated with harvest and fall.
 Orange
Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the
tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success,
encouragement, and stimulation.

To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not
as aggressive as red. Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and
stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a citrus color, orange is associated
with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is
symbolic of strength and endurance.

Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important
elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys.

Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust.

Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action.
Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often
symbolizes high quality.

Yellow
Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.

Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle
energy. Yellow is often associated with food. Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is the reason
taxicabs are painted this color. When overused, yellow may have a disturbing effect; it is known that babies
cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow is seen before other colors when placed against black; this combination is
often used to issue a warning. In heraldry, yellow indicates honor and loyalty. Later the meaning of yellow
was connected with cowardice.

Use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings. You can choose yellow to promote children's products and
items related to leisure. Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the most
important elements of your design. Men usually perceive yellow as a very lighthearted, 'childish' color, so it
is not recommended to use yellow when selling prestigious, expensive products to men – nobody will buy a
yellow business suit or a yellow Mercedes. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous color, so avoid using
yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety. Light yellow tends to disappear into white, so it usually
needs a dark color to highlight it. Shades of yellow are visually unappealing because they loose
cheerfulness and become dingy.

Dull (dingy) yellow represents caution, decay, sickness, and jealousy.

Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and joy.

Green
Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong
emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.

Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green
suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn'
is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green, as opposed to red, means safety; it is the
color of free passage in road traffic.
Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to
nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with
money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.

Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.

Blue
Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty,
wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming
effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety
and sincerity.

You can use blue to promote products and services related to cleanliness (water purification filters, cleaning
liquids, vodka), air and sky (airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea voyages, mineral water).
As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow; blue is linked to consciousness and
intellect. Use blue to suggest precision when promoting high-tech products.

Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated
with depth, expertise, and stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America.

Avoid using blue when promoting food and cooking, because blue suppresses appetite. When used together
with warm colors like yellow or red, blue can create high-impact, vibrant designs; for example, blue-yellow-
red is a perfect color scheme for a superhero.

Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.
Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

Purple
Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes
power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom,
dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

According to surveys, almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors. Purple is
a very rare color in nature; some people consider it to be artificial.

Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. You can use bright purple when promoting children's
products.

Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.

Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration.
 White
White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of
perfection.

White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation.
White can represent a successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and purity.

In advertising, white is associated with coolness and cleanliness because it's the color of snow. You can use
white to suggest simplicity in high-tech products. White is an appropriate color for charitable organizations;
angels are usually imagined wearing white clothes. White is associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility,
so you can use white to suggest safety when promoting medical products. White is often associated with low
weight, low-fat food, and dairy products.

Black
Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative
connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to
be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black Mercedes). In heraldry, black is the symbol
of grief.

Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a black background diminishes readability. A black suit
or dress can make you look thinner. When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a black
or gray background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined
with red or orange – other very powerful colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.