Why is Color so Important (and so Hard to Get Right)?

Technically, there’s only one day that’s officially “International Colour Day” (March 21). But every day is a color day at Datacolor offices around the world.

To celebrate everyone who works with color and everyone inspired by it, here are 18 facts about color you might not know.

Color can have a powerful influence:

• Seeing gold can influence how we spend money (via Fast Company)
• In 2018, the world’s most popular car color was white (via European Coatings)
• Airlines really like dressing their staff in purple (via Travel + Leisure)
• Paint color (supposedly) changes the sound of a guitar (via Guitar World)

A whole range of personal factors can influence the colors you see.

• Your age
• The medications you take
• Your memory (color perception involves both your eyes and your brain)
• Your mood
• Learn more here

Your environment can influence your color perception, too.

• The lighting in the room
• The background of the color you’re looking at
• Altitude (thanks to reduced oxygen levels)
• Noise

These factors can cause real problems at companies where getting color right is important:

• Production delays
• Material waste
• Quality control issues

But all hope is not lost. Instead of relying on our eyes, mathematical equations exist to define colors in an objective way. There are also specialized devices that ensure the color you’re looking at matches the color you’re trying to achieve. Learn more about this here.

If you’re interested in drawing color inspiration from the objects around you, there are tools for that, too. 

More industries rely on these equations and instruments than you might expect. It may seem obvious that color is important to companies in the textile and apparel industry, paint industry, and plastics industry. Here are a few industries you might not have expected:

• Cosmetics
• Food packaging
• Building materials
• Car interiors

Want to learn more about color? We’re just a message away.