1 Learn the concept
Color plays a major role in graphic design. It sets mood, draws attention and builds brand recognition. Color has properties you can control: hue (the color itself), saturation (its intensity, from muted to vivid) and brightness (how light or dark it is). This lesson explains how color works and how to choose a palette.
2 See it in action
- Hue, saturation and brightness define a color.
- Warm colors feel energetic. Cool colors feel calm.
- Use a limited palette of a few colors.
- Check contrast so text is readable.
Worked example
Testing contrast
Pair: light yellow text on a white background.
Result: very hard to read.
Fix: use dark text on the white background, and keep yellow for small accents.
Check: view the design in grayscale. If it is still readable, the contrast is probably fine.
3 Study an example
Example scenario
A wellness brand chooses a soft green, a warm neutral and one accent color. The restrained palette feels calm and is easy to apply across everything it makes.
4 Apply it and download
- Choose a three-to-five color palette.
- Check text contrast.
- Add it to your style guide.
Worksheet Brand style guide templateOpen, print or save as PDF