The Effect of colour contrast combinations on the simplicity and complexity of design.

Abstract

A common goal for designers is to deliver an intentional message from the sender to the intended receivers via design. !e design can be constructed to be a crystal-clear and interesting model that viewers can easily and immediately understand. However, some designs are intricate, complex, and layered in detail, and these require more e"ort on the part of the viewer if they are to understand the design messages. During the design process, designers pass through several stages that a"ect the design outcome. One of these key stages is the colouring process. Colour has the power to make or break the design intention. In addition, colour can either add complexity to the design by the use of di"erent colour contrasts, or help simplify a complex design form. !is research investigates the e"ect of colour combinations on simple and complex design appearance, with regard to the e"ects of contrast when colours are juxtaposed in a design. !e aim of the research is to identify which colour contrast a"ects the simplicity and complexity of a design’s appearance. !e research demonstrates how design form could be evaluated di"erently in terms of the use of di"erent colour combinations. !e research uses applied experimental methods to analyze participant responses to colour combinations. It reveals the result of the study by describing the signs of simple and complex colour combinations and the e"ect of colour on di"erent designs. !e research also proposes methods for increasing or decreasing the level of complexity of a design solution by using di"erent colour combinations with their associated e"ects on the diversity of colour contrast. All of this information is used to create a design tool which will help designers and students to make colour choices which are more suited to the design solution.