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Graphic Design vocabulary · Colour Theory

Colour palette

Meaning in graphic design, with examples

/ˈkʌlər ˌpælət/nounCore term

In graphic design, colour palette means: The limited set of colours chosen for a project or brand, usually with main colours, supporting colours and neutrals, so that all designs look consistent.

In Turkish: renk paleti, renk seçkisi

How it is used

Used in branding, presentations and brand guidelines. You choose, define, limit or expand a colour palette; people speak of a primary and secondary palette or a muted, bold or earthy palette.

Example sentences

  1. The new colour palette has two main colours and four neutrals for backgrounds and text.

  2. Let's stick to the brand's color palette; the client didn't approve any new colours.

Common collocations

  • choose a colour palette
  • brand colour palette
  • limited colour palette
  • secondary palette
  • colour wheelA circle that shows colours in order around it, such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet, used to explain how colours relate and to build colour schemes.
  • brand guidelinesA document that explains how to use a brand's logo, colours, typefaces, images and tone correctly, so that everyone who works with the brand produces consistent designs.
  • HEX codeA six-character code starting with #, such as #E63946, that defines an exact screen colour using hexadecimal numbers for its red, green and blue values.
  • complementary coloursTwo colours that sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, such as blue and orange or red and green. Side by side they create strong contrast and energy.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Colour Theory

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