Karen Haller
I designed a visual to help learners create a color palette, especially for branding. Simply choosing popular colors won’t make a brand stand out—if everyone did this, every logo would be blue. Instead, selecting a color based on its meaning and building a palette around it is more effective. This visual focuses on choosing that initial color. I was inspired by a video on color palettes and The Little Book of Colour, which explores how colors affect our mindset.
The visual is organized like a rainbow, with colors aligned to the visible spectrum (except for pink). Text aligns with the rainbow’s shape, reinforcing the connection between colors and their meanings. Contrast enhances readability and accessibility, with color names included for color-blind viewers. The title, “Psychology of Color,” is in violet, encouraging reflection on how each color represents a brand.
During creation, I struggled with deciding which colors and details to include. I omitted black, white, gray, and brown for aesthetic reasons, and on positive psychological effects.
I’m pleased with the result but see room for improvement in text layout. A contrasting visual on negative color effects could also be valuable. Though a tagline to add context would be beneficial, leaving it out makes the graphic more flexible. Though I envisioned this would support graphic designers, it could also be used in interior design, fashion, education, and more.
References
CareerFoundry. (2021, April 29). UI design – How to choose colors (A deep dive) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLFKKVzpIVA
CoBlIS — Color Blindness Simulator – Colblindor. (n.d.). https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis-color-blindness-simulator/
Haller, K. (2019). The Little Book of Colour: How to Use the Psychology of Colour to Transform Your Life. National Geographic Books.
Tol, P. (2021). Paul Tol’s notes. https://personal.sron.nl/~pault/