The colors around us are based on two models: additive and subtractive.

The additive color model forms the basis for all colors on screens. This model considers red, blue, and green (RGB) as primary colors. And further combinations produce secondary and tertiary colors.

Using additive color models can be tricky. The more light you add to the color, the brighter and lighter it becomes. People who are accustomed to the subtractive color model may have a different visual response than people viewing additive colors.

The subtractive color model encompasses the RYB and CMYK color systems. This color model also forms the basis for colors used in paintings, surfaces, arts, and digital prints.

The RYB is suitable for illustrating the relationship between physical colors in paints and inks during the color mixing process.

CMYK is another subtractive color system based on the theory that cyan, magenta, and yellow are the primary colors. As earlier mentioned, this color system is used in digital printing. Plus, photomechanical printing processes include black as a key component.

That’s the principle of color harmony. And it is achieved when different color elements come together in a unified manner to create a more profound visual appeal.

Using harmonious color combinations is critical for video creators. When colors are organized, they give viewers a sense of cohesion, pleasure, and calm.

Here’s something to ponder on. The average attention span for humans is decreasing by the day. So if your video is disharmonious or chaotic, video abandonment will be high, and your content won’t convert.

While playing around with colors, it’s okay to be adventurous, but sticking to the basic concepts of color harmony helps you appeal to your target audience.

Your audience may not know the color-related theories, but one thing is sure. They know when the colors, images, and other elements in your video are consistent and visually compelling.

As you create your video, you should strategically combine colors in a way that optimizes the user experience. Avoid dull and boring colors, except you are trying to depict sad events.

Your color combinations shouldn’t be too busy. And your video text should stand out from the background color or image. Oversaturated colors and excessively bright colors may strain your audience and make it difficult for them to watch your video to the end.

Here are a few approaches to help you combine colors effectively during the video-making process.

However, using complementary colors in large doses may be awkward. Besides, too much contrast may be a bit harsh. So it’s essential to manage this combination effectively to achieve the best visual results.

Complementary colors are the direct opposites of monochromatic and analogous color combinations because it maximizes contrast more than they do. And in most cases, they are not suitable for text.

In addition to the base color, it utilizes two colors that are adjacent to the complementary colors. For instance, if your base color is blue, you need to select two colors that sit on either side of the opposite color-yellow and red.

If you are new to design or video creation, you should explore this combination because they are versatile and easy to achieve.

This color combination is suitable for videos showcasing nature and serene environments. And that’s because they are visually pleasing and blend nicely to give you a peaceful and calm scenery.

Analogous color schemes have low contrast compared to complementary color schemes. So, you should use this color scheme if you don’t need contrast in your design.

Analogous color schemes use three colors to create harmony. The first color dominates the design, another one supports, and the third one is an accent. You can use the accent color sparingly in your video to lay emphasis or call-to-action.

This color scheme uses three colors that are evenly spaced around the wheel in triangular shapes like orange, green and purple. To achieve the right combination in your video, make one color dominant and use the other two colors as accents.

This color combination lets you create color-rich, fun, and exciting videos. And that’s because it enables content creators to explore different color variations.

However, balancing the colors in this scheme can be tricky. You need to be wary of the balance and variations between cool and warm colors.

With this color theme, experienced and skilled content creators can easily harmonize colors from different video elements. But, beginners may struggle to balance the colors in this theme.

If you make one color dominant and use the others as accents, you’d be sure to get a stronger visual response, video engagements, and stunning results.

This color scheme is created from different tones, shades, and tints of a specific hue or color. Monochromatic color schemes are easy to use because you can simply take one color and expand it into different shades and tones.

If you are an amateur content creator, this combination is an excellent place to start. You’ll hardly go wrong or create jarring scenes with this choice.

However, if your colors are poorly arranged, your video may become boring and dull. I’d recommend adding strong neutrals and accents like black or white in different scenes to keep your videos interesting.

Whether you are a new or veteran video maker, you should know how to utilize color temperatures in your videos to make your audience feel or think in a certain way. It’s not enough to make your videos well lit by merely adjusting the tone. The color and temperature must deliver information or evoke emotional responses in the minds of your audience.

For example, using an orange sky depicts sunset. A little splash of bright orange and yellow can also represent sunrise.

Another good example is Frozen, the 2013 animated film created by Disney Studios. The blue and iceberg color temperatures in the movie depict the freezing winter.

Warm colors include red, orange, and yellow. Before you use these colors, you should know what they mean to your target audience.

If you’re creating a marketing or explainer video or promoting a clearance sale, you can use the red color to create a call-to-action that encourages your audience to act. The red color ignites a sense of urgency, driving conversions.

Most food and drink brands like McDonald’s and Coca-Cola use the color red because it simulates movement, while creating excitement and passion. Countries like China associate the red color with happiness and prosperity.

Unfortunately, the downside of using red is that it also represents violence, anger, and danger.

The orange color is the mainstay of Harley Davidson’s logo. It also forms a part of Amazon’s and Fanta’s logos. The color depicts enthusiasm, excitement, adventure, and vitality.

Before you create your video, think about the type of emotions you want to elicit. Also, keep in mind that warm colors make objects and design elements look closer to viewers.

Increasing the intensity of these warm colors may impact your audience’s visual appeal. So it’s best to keep your color temperatures at optimal levels.

Cool colors include green, blue, and purple. They are known to give a mellow, calm, and soothing impression. Plus, they often retreat into the background in images and videos.

The green color is associated with nature, health, growth, rebirth, new beginnings, and relaxation. Video marketers use the green color to draw attention, explain difficult topics, and encourage users to make crucial decisions.

Popular brands like Starbucks, British Petroleum, Whole Foods etc. use different green shades to amplify their brand image. Tons of agricultural and energy companies also adopt the green color because it relates to healthy and organic food products, nature, and our physical environment.

You may have heard that purple is associated with royalty and depicts luxury, grandeur, beauty, wisdom, and creativity. However, purple is still associated with products typically marketed to women, like jewelry, flowers, spas, and salons.

Although companies like Yahoo, Hallmark, and Cadbury use different purple shades to represent their brand, most consumers still relate the color to female items. With companies like Twitch and Roku joining the purple team, we expect artists to be open to using more purple for non-feminine designs.

The blue color makes up the brand logo of companies more than any other color. It is often associated with strength, trust, peace, intelligence, and communication.

Most technology companies like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, PayPal, Dell, Skype, Intel, IBM, etc., adopt blue as their brand color. Blue is also the color of choice for firms that offer accounting, legal or professional services. The color stimulates productivity and conveys a feeling of security, reliability, and trust.

It is also important to note that white, gray, brown, and black are neutral colors. That’s because they are pure and don’t have hue undertones.

Technically black is the absence of color, and using it in marketing can be tricky. They are associated with strength, stability, power, and confidence. But you need to build a brand story around it to convey positive meaning. Otherwise, it will be associated with death, sadness and mourning, terror, and dark times.

For instance, Nike has built a powerful brand image around the black logo but the captivating tagline, “Just do it.” Nike’s video ads and content tell a powerful brand story that keeps their audience glued to their screens.

Before you choose colors, you need to create a compelling script that appeals to your target audience.

Although compelling stories attract attention, excellent color combinations create an emotional connection and inspire the viewer to watch the video to the end and take action.

Before you write your script, research your target audience to fully understand what storyline and color temperature will deliver your message perfectly.

There are several story archetypes you can use for sales and marketing videos. For example, if you are selling a health improvement product, the rebirth storyline can depict how customer habits affect their daily lives. It will also show how using your product improves their quality of life.

You may want to start with dull colors like black or gray, which shows how their habits reduce their lifespan. Your content will then transition into bright colors like green or yellow to show how your product brings happiness or a new lease of life.

Bear in mind that you aren’t limited to two or three colors. You can use multiple transitions and different colors as your story progresses.

We have discussed how different colors can make your audience feel a certain way. If you are creating sales ads, your color choice and call-to-action (CTA) should inspire them to take action.

Colors like red, green, yellow, and orange are the most popular CTA choices for video marketers. That’s because they stand out against the background and drive conversions. If you are creating educational content, you can use blue and green colors to draw attention, communicate and explain difficult topics.

Using your brand color isn’t a general rule of thumb for creating videos. However, it can help build or reinforce brand image, especially if you’re a startup or growing business.

If your video is for sales, marketing, or brand promotion, the colors should complement or align with your brand image and color. You should go ahead and decide on color palettes that are memorable and connect to your customers.

Customers prefer to buy from brands that have a consistent and strong brand identity. Even if you aren’t using your brand colors for the entire video, you should use them to adorn vital aspects of your video.

Now that you understand color theory, it’s time to explore your creative ability and put your imagination to work. Think of each animation project as an opportunity to use your color theory skills.

You may not have the budget to hire an animation expert. But you can create professional whiteboard animation videos with Doodly–even if you have zero tech or design skills. The beautiful thing is that Doodly gives you plenty of artistic freedom.

For instance, with the Doodly Rainbow add-on, you can play around with different colored images that complement each other during pre-production. Or, if you want, you can use a background image that captures the mood of the video and a color tone that drives action.

Alternatively, you can use Toonly, animated explainer video creation software that, like Doodly, is also created by Bryxen.

Toonly lets you modify the intensity and saturation of different color hues to create eye-catching videos. By achieving harmonious use of color on your project, you can create videos that attract attention, drive audience engagement and increase conversions.

If you’re interested in learning more about creating videos with Toonly or Doodly, check out our free Toonly tutorials or subscribe to our Doodly YouTube channel.