Color

Color is used in design to attract attention, group elements, indicate meaning, and enhance aesthetics.

Color can make designs more visually interesting and aesthetic, and can reinforce the organization and meaning of elements in a design. If applied improperly, colors can seriously harm the form and function of a design. The following guidelines address common issues regarding the use of color.1

Number of Colors

Use color conservatively. Limit the palette to what the eye can process at one glance (about five colors depending on the complexity of the design). Do not use color as the only means to impart information since a significant portion of the population has limited color vision.

Color Combinations

Achieve aesthetic color combinations ...

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