Color Guidelines
Consistent use of color can help your viewer understand how information is organized on your poster. When choosing colors, select 2-3 to keep your poster easy to navigate.
Some things to keep in mind while selecting your colors:
- If you are creating images on the computer, note that colors may appear differently on your screen than it will in print. As such, it's a good idea to do a small-scale test print of your poster before getting it professionally printed;
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Avoid relying solely on color to convey meaning. Instead, use patterns or shading in addition to color on charts, graphs, illustrations, and maps where color differences are intended to convey information;
- Choose high-contrast colors for text and backgrounds: use dark text with a light-colored background or light text with a dark-colored background. You can check your color contrast and its accessibility using WebAIM's free color-checking tool;
- The University of Chicago has a primary and secondary color palette (designed with contrast in mind) that you may consider for use in your poster.
Additional Resources
Best Practices for Graphic Designers, Color Works by ISBN: 9781610587839This is the go-to guide for designers as it outlines and details the essential color design skills needed to create successful, meaningful, and aesthetically compelling designs. Along with hands-on projects, it offers unique insights into strategy and business when working in the real world with real clients. Color Works starts with basic information on color practices and fundamentals, and then delves more deeply into theory and application on a project-by-project basis. Illustrated with real-world projects and case studies, this book offers a behind-the-scenes take on the design process and the necessary steps to go from concept to final outcome, including the challenges encountered along the way.
Design Elements, Color Fundamentals by ISBN: 9781610581899Color is an integral part of any design solution. Design Elements, Color Fundamentals is an essential resource for designers who want to create memorable design and successfully communicate with their audience. With this book, designers will: --Learn how to effectively communicate with color and integrate color with type and image to affect meaning and create order --See how known pairings and selection methods can be used in real-world projects --Explore hundreds of visual examples, illustrating how effective color combinations can be applied to any project, across media, and in diverse, cultural, and geographic situations --Realize the basic tenets of color theory as it is broken down into clear and actionable directives --Uncover tips and techniques for using color in client-based design work.
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UChicago's Branding Assets
- UChicago's Branding AssetsThe University’s Brand Identity Guidelines provide guidance on branding, as well as proper usage of the University’s logos, colors, fonts, editorial style, video, and photography style.
Download University brand assets, such as logos, the Shield, the Phoenix, video templates, and color libraries.