There are a lot of colours in existence and you never know what you're going to get. But in design, you can't just leave it up to chance. That's where establishing a visual design language comes in handy, particularly when it comes to creating a color palette for design system.
A memorable design system color palette is the key to creating a cohesive and recognizable design system, so it's worth taking the time to do it right.
Why is Color Important in a Design System?
Colors play a vital role in shaping how users perceive a brand and interact with a website designed around cohesive visual elements. Colors in design system impacts emotions, creates contrast and harmony, and serves as a visual anchor for a brand.
The right color choices enhance brand recognition and create memorable user experiences, while poor color choices can lead to confusion or disengagement.
Key Benefits of a Well-Designed Color Palette
Brand Recognition
A consistent use of color increases the recognizability of your brand. Think of brands like Coca-Cola or FEDex– their color choices are instantly identifiable.
User Engagement
Color can guide users’ attention to important elements, such as call-to-action buttons, icons, and navigation. Strategically chosen colors can evoke emotional responses, making users feel more connected to the content.
Accessibility
Designing a color palette system with accessibility in mind ensures that all users, including those with visual impairments, can engage with your site. High-contrast visual colors palettes make it easier for users to read and navigate content, improving the user experience.
Concept of Establishing a Visual Language: Colors in Design
Establishing a visual language through color means using colors in an intentional way to communicate ideas, emotions, and brand identity. Language colors in design aren’t random; they’re meticulously chosen to enhance the brand's message, evoke emotion, and create visual consistency.
The Role of Colors in Design
From magazine covers to websites and apps, colors can be used to evoke emotion, create harmony and contrast, set a mood or tone for the design, or even serve as a visual anchor for a brand.
From magazine covers to websites and apps, color affects how we perceive and interact with visual elements. Whether it’s setting the tone for a landing page or reinforcing brand identity, colors act as a fundamental tool for designers and developers alike.
For example, Microsoft effectively uses color to distinguish between their various products, keeping a unified brand image across platforms.
Color can be used to enhance the user experience and create a visually appealing design.
Basic Rules for Creating a Color Palette
When it comes to using colors, there are some basic rules that should be followed.
Keep Your Palette Simple
An overwhelming number of colors can make a design feel cluttered. Stick to 2-3 primary colors, and build secondary and tertiary colors from them. This helps in maintaining consistency across various elements. For instance, check out how Atlassian’s Color System follows this principle.
Use Color with Intention and Purpose
Every color should serve a purpose. Use colors strategically to reflect your brand or enhance functionality. For example, avoid generic red for error states – instead, choose shades that align with your brand colors for more cohesive designs.
Consider Accessibility in Your Color Choices
A color palette should be accessible for all users, including those with visual impairments. Ensure you have sufficient color contrast for text and functional elements to improve legibility and navigation.
Creating a Color Palette for your Design System
Identify your Primary Brand Color
If you have a graphic designer or brand designer, this usually comes from their side. So follow the brand guidelines to pick the primary colors that you can start using. If you are the one creating this brand, go do some research on your market and come back to this article.
We are focusing on Design System for Digital Interface, so once you have that - continue this article.
Now assuming you have your Primary Color, we will use our Layer’s Foundation Purple to show you step by step how to get started.
Layers Foundation is a product created by the team of Neue World to bridge the gap between Clients and Freelancers to build a trustless platform by using the technology of blockchain. Because it’s the Neue World’s Design Team who created the complete website and brand guidelines. Let’s use that as a guide for us to move with this article.
Let’s use our Primary Brand Color #8E0DFF and use this tool called UI Color Palette to help us build a Color Palette based on Google Material Design.
And then once we have it, we will reduce the color palette from being so complex (remember, this is a beginners guide) and focus on just the ones that we want.
- Primary
- Primary Hard
- Primary Soft
- Primary Subtle
Purpose of doing this is such that the primary palette is comprised of neutrals, white, and purple (our primary) to make sure that the brand stays consistent due to the purple, while the neutrals and whites are used in logical ways throughout product and marketing to guide the eye and highlight the important bits.
We can then use Primary (#8E0DFF) for primary actions, buttons, text links, for indicating progress and represent the brand. Neutral can be used for text and headings, and white or Subtle Grey for page backgrounds.
You can also use a similar technique to build colors for the following
- Neutrals
- Error
- Success
- Warning
No Pre-Existing Brand Guidelines? Start Here
If you’re starting from scratch, crafting a cohesive color palette can feel daunting. This language contains elements such as shapes, typography, patterns, textures, and most importantly colors.
Establishing a color palette for a design system is key to achieving the desired aesthetic. It can be complicated to find the right balance between the tones you need to convey the message you want your designs to communicate.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to building a palette that will define your visual language:
1. Analyze Your Audience
Who is interacting with your design? Are they business owners, creatives, or tech-savvy individuals? Understanding your audience’s demographics and preferences can help you choose colors that resonate with them. Considering the audience’s culture, age group, and gender will help you create a palette that resonates with them.
2. Collect Reference Colors
Gather inspiration from your logo, existing assets, or industry-leading brands. This will help you stay consistent and create a palette that aligns with your overall design.
3. Choose Your Color Palette
Select a set of colors that represent your brand’s message. Use tools like Adobe Color to experiment with complementary and analogous color schemes.
4. Test Your Colors
Before finalizing, test how the colors work together. Will they remain legible across various devices? Do they reflect the emotions or values you want to convey?
Conclusion
Building a color palette that conveys the right message and enhances user experience is crucial for any design system. By following the tips in this guide, you can create a well-structured, accessible, and visually compelling palette that reflects your brand’s identity and values.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose colors for my design system?
Start with your brand’s core values and audience. Use primary, secondary, and accent colors that enhance usability and aesthetics.
What is color accessibility in design?
Color accessibility ensures that all users, including those with visual impairments, can easily engage with your content. High-contrast color combinations improve legibility and navigability.
Why should I limit the number of colors in my palette?
A smaller color palette promotes consistency, making your brand more recognizable. It also helps create cleaner, less cluttered designs.
How to name colors in design systems?
Color names should be intuitive and functional. Instead of generic names like "blue," use names tied to their roles (e.g., “Primary Blue,” “Action Green”) or emotional tone (e.g., “Ocean Calm”). This makes it easier for teams to reference and apply colors consistently.
What is visual language in design?
Visual language refers to the design elements and principles that create a unified and coherent aesthetic across your brand’s materials. It includes typography, colors, iconography, and layout rules. A strong visual language ensures your brand’s identity is consistent and recognizable across platforms and touchpoints.
