Color Palette: Definition, Issues, and Explanations

A color palette is a selected set of colors used in a graphic or digital project. It serves to standardize the visual appearance and reinforce the identity of a brand or interface.

It generally includes primary and secondary colors, and sometimes neutral or accent colors that will be used in different contexts to ensure consistency and harmony.

This palette is essential in UI/UX design to guide the user experience through an aesthetic and functional interface.

Using a color palette ensures strong visual consistency, which facilitates brand or product recognition.

It also improves the ergonomics of the interface by using colors to prioritize information, indicate actions or statuses, and improve readability.

Finally, a well-designed color palette influences users' emotions and behavior, contributing to a more engaging and memorable user experience.

Creating a color palette begins with choosing the dominant colors that represent the main visual identity. These colors often come from the brand or its graphic universe.

Next, secondary colors are added to enrich the overall effect and allow for variations without losing harmony.

Neutral shades or accent colors usually complete the palette to ensure readability and draw attention to specific elements such as buttons or calls to action.

The advantages of a color palette include enhanced visual consistency, which makes it easier to identify the brand or product.

It also allows for better prioritization of information and an improved user experience thanks to adapted colorimetry ergonomics.

However, a poorly chosen palette can impair readability, create visual overload, or fail to meet users' emotional expectations.

A color palette is used in the creation of a company's visual identity, including its logo, website, and marketing materials.

In UI/UX design, it is used to define the colors of buttons, icons, backgrounds, and fonts to ensure optimal consistency and accessibility.

For example, a palette dominated by cool colors can convey a sense of calm and seriousness, while a warm palette encourages energy and friendliness.

• MDN Web Docs - CSS Colors: comprehensive documentation for understanding color management in CSS.
• W3C - CSS Color Module Level 4: the official specification on color manipulation in CSS.
• Coolors: online tool for generating and exploring harmonious color palettes.
• Material Design - Color Guide: Recommendations for using colors in modern interface design.
• Adobe Color: a powerful tool for creating and saving custom color palettes.