Color Temperature

Ummm.... colors have temperatures? Well, not technically, but they can be either warm or cool. This metaphor of temperature is often used to describe the feel of colors. Sometimes you may hear someone refer to a color as a "summer" or a "winter"; same idea. Now, there isn't much proof that colors can invoke the same psychological meaning in everyone but it is an idea you will hear a ton about as a graphic designer. Real or not, thinking about color in this way can help you set the right tone for your design.

Read this Links to an external site. article from smashingmagazine.com Links to an external site. to learn more about color temperatures.

Red - Passion, Love, Anger

Orange - Energy, Happiness, Vitality

Yellow - Happiness, Hope, Deceit

Green - New Beginnings, Abundance, Nature

Blue - Calm, Responsible, Sadness

Purple - Creativity, Royalty, Wealth

Black - Mystery, Elegance, Evil

Gray - Moody, Conservative, Formality

White - Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue

Brown - Nature, Wholesomeness, Dependability

Tan or Beige - Conservative, Piety, Dull

Cream or Ivory - Calm, Elegant, Purity

 

References:

Chapman, Cameron. "Color Theory for Designers, Part 1: The Meaning of Color" SmashingMagazine, Jan. 28, 2010, smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color