The Psychology of Colour in Industrial Design
- equipedesign
- Mar 20
- 6 min read
Colour is one of the most powerful tools at the disposal of an industrial designer.
Colour communicates meaning, evokes emotions, and influences behaviour in ways that are both subtle and profound.
From product differentiation to creating memorable user experiences, the strategic use of colour can elevate a design from functional to exceptional. Inversely the double edge sword of colour can erode the impact of an otherwise successful design.
Colour is an area of design that I have found to be a bit of an enigma.
With that in mind, I thought I would delve a little deeper, with a little help from the iterwebs into the psychology of colour in industrial design, exploring its impact, applications, and how designers can harness its power to create compelling products.
It might also unveil why I cringe at certain shades of the colour yellow, but warm to others.
Understanding Colour Psychology
Colour psychology examines how colours influence human perception, emotions, and behaviours. While responses to colour can be subjective and influenced by cultural and personal experiences, certain associations are universal or widely recognized.
For industrial designers, understanding these associations is critical to creating designs that resonate with users and fulfil their intended purpose.
Key Principles of Colour Psychology:
Emotional Response: Colours evoke specific feelings. For example, red often signifies passion or urgency, while blue conveys calmness and trust.
Cultural Context: Colours carry different meanings across cultures. White symbolizes purity in some cultures and mourning in others.
Environmental Influence: The perception of colour can change based on lighting, surrounding colours, and texture.
Personal Preference: Individual experiences, memories, and tastes shape how people perceive and respond to colour.
The Role of Colour in Industrial Design
Attracting Attention:
In a competitive market, a product’s colour can differentiate it from similar offerings. Bold, vibrant colours are often used to grab attention on crowded shelves or online platforms.
For example, tech companies frequently use striking colours for gadgets to appeal to younger audiences and stand out in retail environments.
Communicating Brand Identity:
Colours are a cornerstone of branding. Consistent use of colour reinforces brand recognition and conveys the company’s values and personality.
Consider Apple’s use of sleek silver, white, and black tones to communicate elegance and innovation.
Enhancing Usability:
Colour improves functionality by guiding user interactions. For instance, brightly coloured buttons or indicators signal interactive or important components.
In industrial equipment, safety-related elements are often marked in high-contrast colours like red, yellow, or green.
Evoking Emotion:
Designers use colour to influence how users feel about a product. Warm colours like red, orange, and yellow create excitement, while cool colours like blue and green promote relaxation.
Luxury products often use dark, rich tones to evoke sophisticated and exclusive, almost regal qualities.
Defining Product Categories:
Colour schemes help distinguish product variations. For instance, different colours for performance tiers in athletic shoes (e.g., beginner, intermediate, advanced) make choices clearer for consumers.
Colour Associations and Their Applications
Take a moment to look through each of the images below.
Think about the emotional response that each one evokes in you.
Red:
Associations: Passion, energy, danger, urgency
Applications: Often used in automotive design to convey speed and power, or in retail to create a sense of urgency (e.g., clearance sales).
Passion or danger - you choose the context.
Blue:
Associations: Trust, stability, calmness, professionalism
Applications: Frequently used in tech gadgets, medical devices, and corporate products to instil confidence and dependability.
Feel calm yet?
Yellow:
Associations: Optimism, warmth, caution
Applications: Popular for children’s products to evoke cheerfulness, or in warning signs to draw attention.
Bright or aware?
Green:
Associations: Nature, health, growth, sustainability
Applications: Often seen in eco-friendly products, wellness equipment, and organic food packaging.
Feel rejuvenated?
Black:
Associations: Sophistication, power, mystery
Applications: Used in high-end products such as luxury cars, electronics, and fashion items to evoke elegance and exclusivity.
Presence.....
White:
Associations: Purity, simplicity, cleanliness
Applications: Common in minimalist designs, medical tools, and household appliances to suggest clarity and hygiene.
Pure as the driven snow.
Orange:
Associations: Creativity, enthusiasm, warmth
Applications: Frequently used in sports equipment and outdoor gear to convey energy and vitality.
Feeling energetic?
Purple or Burgundy:
Associations: Royalty, creativity, spirituality
Applications: Seen in beauty and personal care products to evoke luxury and individuality.
I feel the strange desire to bow.
Now apply critical thinking as a designer and try to separate the content of the image that I have chosen from the colour that it represents.
Would the image of the red rose petals evoked a different response if the content was the same but the colour was substituted.
Designing with Colour: Practical Considerations
User-Centric Approach:
Understand your target audience and their preferences. Use surveys, focus groups, or A/B testing to evaluate colour schemes.
Consider the age group, cultural background, and lifestyle of your users when selecting colours.
Contrast and Visibility:
Ensure sufficient contrast between elements to enhance readability and usability.
For example, use high-contrast colours for text and icons in user interfaces or control panels.
Colour Harmonies:
Use colour theory to create appealing combinations. Harmonies like complementary, analogous, and triadic schemes help achieve balance and visual interest.
Tools like Adobe Color can assist in generating harmonious palettes.
Material and Finish:
The interaction of colour with materials and finishes (e.g., matte, glossy, metallic) can affect its perception.
A glossy red finish may evoke a sporty feel, while a matte red finish might suggest understated elegance.
Testing in Context:
Evaluate colours in real-world conditions, considering lighting, environment, and proximity to other products.
Prototyping with physical samples helps gauge how colours will look and feel in use.
Case Studies: Colour in Action
Coca-Cola:
The brand’s iconic red communicates energy, excitement, and joy, making it instantly recognizable worldwide.
So recognisable. Is it the colour or the shape.
Dyson:
Dyson’s use of bold, contrasting colours like purple and silver highlights the premium nature of their vacuum cleaners and fans.
So classically Dyson.
IKEA:
IKEA’s blue and yellow colour scheme reflects its Swedish heritage and conveys reliability and warmth.
Inviting you to enter.
Tesla:
Tesla’s sleek black, white, and metallic tones underscore its focus on luxury, innovation, and sustainability.
An object of desire.
Challenges in Colour Selection
Cultural Differences:
Colours have varied meanings across cultures. For example, while white is associated with purity in Western cultures, it signifies mourning in some Asian traditions.
Conduct thorough research when designing for international markets.
Trends vs. Timelessness:
Balancing contemporary trends with long-term relevance is crucial. Trendy colours might appeal today but could feel dated in the near future limiting your products longevity in the market.
It may be a stronger market proposition to opt for timeless palettes for durable goods and trend-driven colours for seasonal or short-lived products.
Technical Limitations:
Colour reproduction can vary based on materials, manufacturing processes, and lighting conditions.
Collaborate closely with suppliers to ensure consistency.
The psychology of colour is a vital aspect of industrial design, influencing how users perceive and interact with products. By understanding the emotional and cultural significance of colours, designers can craft experiences that resonate deeply with users.
Thoughtful colour selection not only enhances aesthetics but also drives functionality, usability, and brand identity.
For industrial designers, mastering colour psychology is not just about making products look good—it’s about creating connections, evoking emotions, and ultimately delivering designs that delight and inspire. As technology and user expectations evolve, the role of colour in industrial design will continue to grow, offering endless opportunities for innovation and creativity.
Now back to that shade of yellow.
Every time I see it, I am reminded of a yellow lollipop from my childhood that was so sweat it made me physically sick.
I can picture it now so clearly many years later.
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équipe design & consulting is a Product Design Consultant in Sydney with 20 years experience in design and manufacture of Medical grade moulded parts and product, including 5 years at the coal face as Operations Manager at a world class medical grade moulding facility; we are specialist in Design for Manufacture (DFM).
Please reach out if you feel you need assistance with your part design for plastic injection moulding.
We offer Design Coaching and Guidance to Full Service Design Consulting.
www.equipedesign.au#Designforplasticinjectionmoulding #DesignForManufacturing #DesignThinking #DesignforManufacture #DesignConsulting #DesignCoaching #equipedesign #DesignforAssembly #IndustrialDesign #CREODesign
References: ChatGPT, Google Images
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