How To Use Color — Color Basics

What is color theory? Why do your colors look awful? How do you use color? And why is it so difficult??

In this episode, Greg Gunn will teach you the basics of how color works and provide some easy tips and tricks for using it. Hue, Saturation, and Value are the building blocks of color. Once you understand how to use them your graphic design, digital art and illustration work will take on a whole new life.

00:46 - The Color Wheel
01:06 - Hue
01:16 - Saturation
01:37 - Value
01:59 - How to use colors together
02:19 - Top 3 reasons your colors suck
03:36 - Example of bad colors
04:18 - Fixing bad colors
05:11 - Before and after
06:36 - Saying goodbye

🎨Want all of Greg’s color resources? Download our free Color Resource Guide:

👋 Follow Greg around online via:

#color #colortheory #composition #colorpalette #illustration #graphicdesign

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[noahgeerdink]

I’m a colour blind graphic designer (mild protan), yes i know that sounds dumb. When I applied to my graphic design school they invited me for an interview, they were concerned that I couldn’t be a professional designer with color blindness.

I explained that I think there is more to design than just color and I think that my disability is not severe enough to limit my ability to create good looking designs. I also explained that there are solutions to color blindness like screen alterations and special glasses. They decided to let me in.

Teacher where often surprised by my work and the use of color. It was exceptional from other students and it looked good anyways since only hue is effected with my color blindness.

Today I’m running a profitable graphic design company and I’m designing may creative and good looking assets. Sometimes I struggle with a colorfull design, but this is often resolved by using technology and help from other designers.

Moral of the story is that I don’t think a disability should be seen as a disadvantage and in today’s time we can use technology and the internet to our advantage. Keep fighting until the bitter end or until the sweet success!

[QueenOfTheStars]

Life is amazing ! 5 years ago I wasn't even thinking about product design and how to use color. Today I stumbled across this video and I LOVED IT! It made me want to learn more .Sending love and light. Thank you so much

[barry]

4 years of design school and this one video made me 🤯🤯🤯

[gabrielcameron]

Man, another Greg Gunn classic. Been doing this design thing for a long time now, but never felt like I’ve mastered color. This video breaks things down in a way that helps bring it all home. Sharing with my team.

[colinvandenbroek]

The black & white tip is seriously super useful! Thanks!

[BrialMusic]

Been following since I saw Jose and Chris explain how to extract brand values and use them in a branding exercise. It helped me become a successful designer. You guys came a long way and the content just keeps getting better and better. Witty, tons of value and cool editing! Nice job guys! Much appreciated!

[KittieGreen]

15 years deep in design and still learning. Thanks for the reminder, sometimes I forget how fun colours are, especially when all your clients are wealth and financial companies

[blackoutput]

I would have loved for the timelapse part to be in real time and to have heard your thought process during that part. I feel like that could have been the most valuable part of the video.

[Cubannerd]

I'm loving these more illustration focused videos. I'm always struggling with color so I just use existing palettes to use in my work.

[ameereeo]

thank you man. this was so confusing before

[gokraw]

Even though i think this video has a nice approach to color 101, i was expecting a more indepth color theory video coming from The Futur Academy... anyways keep it coming, these videos are great

[vadymtymofiienko]

That's my favorite video about color use!!

[jimmacdiarmid]

Love the video! Your sense of humor and presentation are outstanding! My career has been in backend coding. Over the last 3 years I've tried to add web and graphic design into my workflow. Coming up with the proper color palette and how to apply it has been absolutely driving me nuts. Thank you for all that you do to put these videos together!

[arran]

This was an amazing video and so funny but engaging to listen to, great job!

[TheActualTed]

I expected another "this is a color wheel, choose different colors to make interesting combinations - that's all, now go experiment" video, but these examples are great. Good job!

[Niaenbitacora]

Insane video, great information, I'm actually watching every color video and I'm impressed, there's so much of this info that I didn't knew about. Thinking seriously about tthe color course.

[Uservisi]

Not only it is informative, it is also creative and funny, thank you ❤️🥳

[JayaprakashM]

You're lovely done. Thanks a lot.

[vivek]

it's interesting to watch such videos when you are colorblind.

[denisstpierre]

Just discovered this! Thank you so much for creating this. Fun and empowering