Color theory teaches that colors have a strong psychological impact on us. In fact, a study found that 62-90% of our perceptions of a product are determined by its color[1]. Because of this, selecting the right colors for your sign can significantly impact your sales.
The Color Wheel
The three primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.
The colors you choose should make your sign stand out, These are called primary colors because they cannot be created by mixing other colors. However, by combining the three primary colors, you can create the three secondary colors: green orange, and purple. These colors can then be combined to make the tertiary colors of yellow-orange, red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green, and yellow green. These three sets of colors (primary, secondary, and tertiary) create the traditional color wheel that you may recall from your art classes in school. Of course, the tertiary colors can also be combined and ultimately, it is possible to make an infinite number of colors. Given all these color options, which ones are the best choices for your sign?be easy to read, and have psychological connotations that are relevant to your product.
One of the best ways to maximize readability of your sign is to select complementary colors; these are colors that are located opposite one another on the color wheel. These colors create a significant amount of contrast, similar to using black and white next to each other, so sign designers will often pick one as a dominant color and its complement as an accent color.
You will also want to select a maximum of two or three colors for your sign. Too many colors can detract from its readability and appear cluttered.
Color Connotations
The psychological connotations of color are also extremely important. Following are some of these connotations for the most popular colors:
Red: Danger, love, and energy. Red is also a great color to quickly grab attention.
Orange: Happiness, sunshine, warmth, and fun
Yellow: Similar to orange, yellow also connotes happiness and warmth. It is also energizing and is very easy to see, which is why “Caution” road signs are yellow. Yellow also is often used for children’s products.
Green: Nature, environment, health, and success
Blue: Calming and relaxing. When used as a navy blue, it also connotes masculinity and a sense of professionalism.
Purple: Luxury and royalty
Pink: Love and femininity
Brown: Wholesome, approachable, and comforting. It is often associated with food.
Black: Mystery, sophistication, and power
White: Innocence, cleanliness, and purity
At Sign Partners, our designers are well-versed in color theory and will work with you to select the optimal colors for your sign to ensure that it is attractive, highly readable, and creates instant positive connotations for your business. Contact us today to set up a consultation at 561-270-6919.
Sign Partners is a licensed and insured sign company in South Florida, proudly serving West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and surrounding areas. Our experts specialize in bringing your business to life through branded visuals throughout your building and beyond.
Our experienced team can craft all your signs: lobby and office signs, ADA compliant signs, monument signs, illuminated signs, business signs, vehicle wraps, trade show displays, outdoor signs, interior signs, window graphics, vehicle lettering, decals, and custom street signs, using state-of-the-art technology.
Contact us today at 561-270-6919 for a free consultation and let us provide you with a superior sign buying experience.
[1] Emerald Insight. Impact of color on marketing | Emerald Insight. Accessed April 19, 2022.
