Be certain that you understand the content of the story, the meaning of the piece and the spirit of the entire page before selecting color to enhance the page. Color is not decoration, it is information, giving readers clues and emotions and responses whether they are aware of it or not. Color can be used as an information device in very specific ways, such as a punctuation device to help the reader travel through the journey of the page. Color can be used to unify elements in a package. When one color is used in an illustration, a headline and a fact box, the eye gathers all those pieces together to create a unified package.
Color can also add dimension on a page by creating multiple layers of information for the reader.
Dark tones sit in front of light tones, large objects in front of small, Warm colors in front of cool colors. These contrasts allow information to be presented to the reader in different levels, creating a journey that is organized and easy to follow. All rights reserved. This article may not be republished without express permission of The Poynter Institute.