Fact of the Day: 16/11/2022

Colors are something most people are familiar with—you probably learned about them very early on— but they might be more complex than you think. For example, do you know what color theory is? According to Interaction design.org, “Color theory is the collection of rules and guidelines which designers use to communicate with users through appealing color schemes in visual interfaces” (par. 1). Even simple things like colors have rules! The developer of color theory was Isaac Newton. Newton looked at colors in a more technical way, as evidence of how humans perceive wavelengths of light (par. 2). Designers use Newton’s ideas to create visual designs that are pleasing to the eye. They pair together complementary colors (colors that go well together) and work with colors partially based on whether they are 

• Primary (red, yellow, and blue) 
• Secondary (a mixture of the primary colors) 
• Tertiary (a mixture of primary and secondary colors) 

How people react to colors can depend on how colors are put together, but also on  their culture, gender, and age. Colors like red may mean good things or bad things depending on your culture. In the USA, red normally means danger; in other places, like China, it can mean good fortune (sec. 4). So, in summary, colors are complex and even scientific. They have been used and appreciated since the beginning of time, and are so much more than meets the eye.

Reference(s): https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/color-theory 

Fact Author: Bailey W.

Fact Editor: Ace

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