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Everyone knows that color can make a presentation more
interesting and stimulating to look at. It can also convey
information, as in the differently colored slices of a pie chart.
But color used improperly is worse than no color at all. Bad
color choices or combinations can actually distract viewers from
your message and can even cause unpleasant feelings in them. The
following guidelines can help you use color effectively in your
presentations:
* Too much color can be distracting. Resist the temptation to
decorate your slides with a rainbow of colors. Graphic elements
(such as charts) should never contain more than five colors;
text slides should use at most two main colors and a third for
highlighting.
* Keep the colors, and their meanings, consistent throughout the
presentation. This will unify your presentation and give it a
professional look.
* Even if you've chosen a harmonious set of colors, don't use
them arbitrarily. Let the colors to show the relationships
between elements, with related things in related colors.
* As with the colors, keep the text (font) styles in your slides
consistent.
* Don't arbitrarily switch colors (of background, text,
graphics, or anything else) during the course of the
presentation. A change of color should only be used to emphasize
key information or to indicate a change of topic or message.
* Don't use red and green at the same time, because colorblind
people can't see the difference between them.
* Backgrounds consisting of more than one color should use
dithering (a gradual blending from one color to the next) for
easy viewing. It's usually preferable to use a solid light color
(light blue or gray) for the background with a dark color for
text. This is the most effective combination for projected
slides.
* To help maintain visual consistency, develop a template that
you can use to create each slide. A template is just a basic
slide containing the background colors, font style, and graphics
that will be common to every slide.
* Test your color combinations on the actual projection
equipment that will be used, or at least on a similar type of
projector. The projected image will usually appear brighter and
more vivid than it does on your computer screen. You may
discover that your perfect color scheme doesn't look so perfect
when projected. It's better to discover this while creating your
template than during your presentation.
Color Meanings
Colors in themselves, of course, have no specifically defined
meanings. Nevertheless, colors tend to carry subtle, subliminal
emotions to viewers, whether by convention or by some natural
perceptual process, and you should bear these traditional
associations mind when making your color choices.
Color preference:
9% Choose Black - Reliability, Authority, Power, Constancy,
Prudence Black feels formal and powerful. Formal clothing tends
to be black for this reason.
20% Choose Blue - Tranquility, Intuitiveness, Trust, Loyalty
Peaceful, tranquil blue relaxes the nervous system and increases
productivity. People seem to retain more information when
reading blue text.
3% Choose Brown - Credibility, Solidity, Strength, Maturity. The
color of earth and wood, brown creates a neutral and comfortable
environment.
13% Choose Green - Life, Growth, Abundance, Vitality. Green is
the easiest color on the eye. It calms and has a neutral effect
on the nervous system.
7% Choose Orange - Warmth, Happiness, Courage, Success. Orange
is the color most associated with appetite. It has a broad
appeal. Suitable for anything and anyone.
11% Choose Purple - Luxury, Wealth, Sophistication. Purple
conveys a feeling of passion, romance, and sensitivity.
14% Choose Pink - Romance, Imagination, Fantasy. Pink feels calm
and soft-hearted, with a tranquilizing effect.
12% Choose Red - Power, Warmth, Energy, Determination,
Excitement, Passion. Red dominates and grabs attention. It
stimulates people to quick decisions and increases expectations.
4% Choose White - Purity, Innocence, Sterility. White is cool
and refreshing.
5% Choose Yellow - Enthusiasm, Light, Creativity, Spirituality.
Yellow draws attention, feels warm, and is the most visible
color of all.
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