Selecting A Color Scheme For Your Brochure
The color scheme you choose for your company's brochure is vital if you want to have a successful print campaign. As you know, color can affect mood and perceptions. A brochure with an eye-catching and interesting color scheme will not only stand out, it will invoke curiosity in those who look at it, which means they will actually look at the brochure instead of dismissing it.
When you pick out colors for your brochure, your designer or printer may use terms that you're unfamiliar with. If you don't understand the terms, you may inadvertently alter the look you were trying to achieve. Following are some of the terms used by print professionals in regards to color scheme.
Color Terms and Descriptions
To the average layperson, the terms hue, shade, and tone may seem like they are interchangeable and synonymous with the word color, but they aren't. Each term has a specific meaning that can alter the color used on your brochure. Following is a quick guide to the most commonly used terms.
- Hue - Hue represents the actual color. For example, crimson, periwinkle, and lavender are all hues.
- Shade - If you look at a paint swatch, you will see that there can be many different shades of the same color. The term shade refers to the amount of black that is added to each hue to make it appear darker.
- Saturation - Saturation refers to the intensity of a color. High saturation means that a color will be bright and as pure as possible.
- Tone - When a color is toned, it is blended with gray in an effort to dull the color.
Color Combinations and Meanings
When asked what type of color scheme you prefer, your printer might use the terms analogous, complementary, and triadic. All of these terms describe how colors are related to each other on the color wheel. Following is a brief description of each of these terms.
- Analogous - An analogous color scheme is made up of colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. These colors don't contrast.
- Complementary - A complementary color scheme is made up of two colors that are opposites on the color wheel. This is a high-contrast scheme.
- Triadic - A triadic color scheme is made up of three colors that are evenly spaced on the color wheel. This is also a high-contrast color scheme.
As you can see, there are several terms that may be used when you pick out the color scheme for your custom printed brochure. If you understand these terms, it will save you a great deal of frustration, and it may even help you avoid a mistake.