The Colour Palette

A colour palette, in the digital world, refers to the full range of colours that can be displayed on a device screen or other interface, or in some cases, a collection of colours and tools for use in paint and illustration programs. In the traditional RYB colour wheel, the primary colours are red, yellow, and blue. You can create secondary colours—orange, green, and purple—by mixing primary colours. Red and yellow create orange. Yellow and blue create green. The colour palette explains a lot about the design of the device or technology. It can also tell the visual capabilities for human users.

The palette's in earlier days used hexadecimal values to represent and select the variety of colours present in the system.  Modern colour palettes are likely to show a colour wheel or a sophisticated tab, with a variety of colours for users to choose from. 

Uses of Colour Palette

Colour Palettes help you find new colours by mixing two or more colours together. The palette allows us to decide the saturation of the colour, other colour schemes, value of colour, which colour to pick, and many more. 

It helps UI designers to make their interfaces bright and colourful. Colour palette plays an important role in your brand's identity and it is what makes your brand stand out. It helps the brand to make the UI pleasing and attractive when used properly. 

Main Types of Colour Palette 

There are several kinds of Colour Palette that you can use to create your own Colour Scheme, there are four main types that are widely used. These are:

Monochromatic Colour Palette: For keeping things straight and simple, you should go for a monochromatic palette as it provides the same hue in different shades and tones. It is best to choose this palette when working with a corporate colour that doesn't need a lot of mix-ups.

They are impossible to mess up because they're literally the same colour with different shades, so the chances of messing up are minimal. 

Monochromatic Colour Palette

Complementary Colour Palette: It consists of the opposite colours in the colour wheel, so they are best to use if you want to maintain balance and order. These are very bright and help to grab the eyes of the viewers. Companies use this palette mainly for logo or packaging purposes as it's very catchy.

Complementary Colour Palette

Analogous Colour Palette: These palettes are straightforward to create as you have to just pick a primary colour, for example red and pick some of the shades around it. These palettes help to gain the focus of the reader as they are of the same shade. Analogous colour palette should be used where we have to strike an image in the mind of the reader.

Analogous Colour Palette

Triadic Colour Palette: A Triadic Colour Palette consists of three colours placed evenly on the colour wheel. For example Red, Yellow and Blue, Purple, Green and Orange, etc. This is one of the most complex colour palettes, but if done correctly can give you tremendous results. You'd have to do a lot of experimentation to get the right colours together. 

Triadic Colour Palette

Ten Widely Used Colours in Colour Palettes and their Meanings

Many designers and marketers use colour psychology to strategize and create better product lines that increase sales. They have to use the right colours to send the right meaning to the target audience so that they can get the desired result. 

Here's a list of the most common colours and what are their meanings:-

• Red:- Red symbolises energy and power.

• Blue:- Blue symbolises confidence and calm. 

• Yellow:- Yellow symbolises positivity and zest.

• Green:- Green symbolises Natural and security.

• Black:- Black symbolises power, mystery, and maturity.

• White:- White symbolises purity and perfection.

• Purple:- Purple symbolises luxury and royalty.

• Pink:- Pink symbolises feminine and safe. 

• Grey:- Grey symbolises elegance and uncertainty. 

• Orange:- Orange symbolises enthusiasm and creativity.

Summary

• Colour palette refers to the full range of colours that can be displayed on a device's screen or on some other programs like Paint.

• Colour Palettes help you find new colours by mixing two or more colours together.

• It helps the brand to make the UI pleasing and attractive when used properly. 

• There are four main types of colour palette. These are monochromatic, triadic, analogous, and complementary Colour Palette.

• Colours play a significant role in the mind of the readers, so it's important for us to choose a colour scheme properly.

Learning by Doing

1. Which are the types of colour palettes?

• Triadic colour palette

• Analogous colour palette 

• Complement colour palette 

• All of the above

2. What does green colour in a colour palette symbolise?

• Elegance and uncertainty

• Enthusiasm and creativity

• Luxury and royalty

• Natural and security 

Sample Solved Questions

1. What is a colour palette?

Ans: Colour palette refers to the full range of colours that can be displayed on a device's screen or on some other programs like Paint.

2. How many colours are there in the colour palette?

Ans: There are eleven standard colours in every colour palette. These are black, white, red, green, yellow, blue, pink, grey, brown, orange, and purple.

3. What are the main types of colour palettes?

Ans: The main types of colour palettes are listed below:

• Monochromatic: It is straight and simple. You should go for a monochromatic palette as it provides the same hue in different shades and tones.

• Analogous: These palettes help to gain the focus of the reader as they are of the same shade. These make an impact in the mind of readers and last for longer durations as they're catchy.

• Complementary: It consists of the opposite colours in the colour wheel, so they are best to use if you want to maintain balance and order.

• Triadic: A Triadic Colour Palette consists of three colours placed evenly on the colour wheel. This is the most complex one out of all the other palettes as it requires experimentation to get the desired result.