best colours for a presentation

By Matt Moran January 3, 2024

22 Best PowerPoint Color Schemes to Make Your Presentation Stand Out in 2024

There’s nothing worse than an amateur PowerPoint presentation. If you’re going into a business meeting or sales pitch, your presentation slides should look as professional as you do. That’s why choosing the right color scheme is so important.

In this post, we’ll be sharing a roundup of 22 of the best PowerPoint color schemes you can use to make your presentation look the part. 

All the color schemes on this list have been incorporated into templates created by professional designers, so they’re super-stylish and guaranteed to make your slides stand out.

Whether you’re an educator looking for a color scheme that will keep your students engaged, or a business professional who wants to make an impact in your next meeting, you’re sure to find something suitable below.

Tips for Choosing the Best PowerPoint Color Schemes

Before we jump into the roundup, let’s talk about how to choose the right color scheme for your needs. Here are a few things to bear in mind when you’re comparing your options.

1. Use High Contrast Colors

When it comes to color, contrast is the number one most important consideration. Text, icons, and other important graphics on your slides need to be highly readable, so you need to make sure to use high contrast colors for these elements. 

In other words, use a color with a significantly different tone/brightness from your background. Certain colors are inherently lighter/darker than others. For example, blue is much darker than yellow. As such, these colors tend to pair well together.

I’d also recommend never combining warm and cold colors, like bright red on bright blue or vice versa. This is because human eyes have trouble distinguishing interactions between the different wavelengths, which causes eye fatigue.

2. Consider Color Associations (Psychology)

People have certain subconscious associations with different colors. For example, people associate blue with trust, calmness, and reliability, which makes it a safe choice for business presentations. 

Green is associated with nature, peace, and organic products, which might make it a good choice if you’re working on a sales pitch for an eco-friendly product. 

Black evokes sophistication, seriousness, evil, and mystery, so it can work just as well for spooky Halloween lesson PowerPoints as for high-end fashion brand presentations.

Try to choose a color scheme that fits the kind of associations you want to make. If you’re working on a brand PowerPoint presentation, a safe bet is to stick with your brand colors.

3. Always Use Gradients

In nature, colors rarely appear in solid blocks – they transition gradually from one hue to the next and blend into each other.  

Because we’re used to seeing colors naturally act this way, you should try to do the same in your PowerPoint presentations by blending colors into each other using gradients. Blocks of solid color can look amateurish. 

The good news is that all the templates on this list are designed by professionals who understand this and therefore use natural color gradients to create a professional look.

4. Choose the Right Color Scheme for Your Screen Type

Finally, don’t forget to consider the screen you plan on showcasing your PowerPoint presentation on. Darker color schemes will look good on close-up screens like tablets and desktops. However, lighter colors work better for projections as they tend to be more readable. 

In particular, never use red text if you’re projecting your presentation onto an external screen, as if any kind of unwanted ambient light/glare hits the screen, the color will wash out. In fact, it’s best to avoid any brightly colored text if you’re using a projector.

22 Best PowerPoint Color Schemes

Alright, let’s jump into the list. Below, we’ve listed our top 22 favorite PowerPoint templates with awesome color schemes.

1. Shades of Grey and Yellow – Our Top Pick

If you’re looking for a darker color scheme to use for a business presentation, you can’t go wrong with the Hornette template. Darker shades of grey and black strike a serious tone that befits a corporate environment, which is offset by bold yellow highlights. 

We like how the high contrast between the darker shades and the bold yellow can be used to direct the readers’ gaze to the most important elements on the page and make key messages stand out. 

The template itself includes 50 slides, including a gallery and portfolio slide, and features creative layouts and useful graphics. All graphics can be resized and edited.

2. Teal and White

Teal is a color that blends blue’s dependability with green’s optimism and healing properties. The result is a calming, balanced color that’s packed with personality. 

This multipurpose PowerPoint template uses teal alongside plenty of whitespaces and is perfect for business and personal presentations. All elements are fully editable, and if teal and white isn’t your style, you can pick another of the 5 included premade color schemes included. 

3. Shades of Black

Dark themes are very on-trend right now. If you want to add a touch of sophistication to your presentation or strike a serious tone, you can’t go wrong with this Halbert PowerPoint template. 

The all-black color scheme looks slick and elegant, and the white text is highly readable. This template works best when you don’t have to worry about room lighting, and might be a good fit for fashion presentations.

4. Color Fun

If you want something a little more upbeat, try this Color Fun PowerPoint template. It uses a wide color palette, which can help provide enough variety to better organize the different sections and elements on your slides. 

It’s bright, upbeat, and sets a positive tone – without being too overwhelming. The designer has toned down the colors just enough that they’re not distracting and won’t cause eye fatigue.

5. Monochromatic Blue

This Tortoise PPT template uses a mix of light and darker blues to create a stylish, professional look. The download includes 150 slides in total, split into 5 colors (30 slides per variation). All graphics included are fully editable and resizable in PowerPoint. 

6. Minimalist Light Colors

Bold and bright colors can work well but sometimes, it’s best to keep things simple. This clean and modern PowerPoint presentation follows the principle of minimalism, with very light shades like beige and pale green. It comes in a 1920x1080p format and includes a bunch of awesome icons and graphic elements that are fully vector editable.

7. Orange Burst

Orange is the most vibrant color in the color spectrum. It’s full of energy and life, so it’s perfect when you want to really get your audience excited about the contents of your presentation. This PowerPoint template from aqrstudio uses orange gradients alongside circular icons and graphics.

8. Yellows and Whites

If you’re looking for a yellow template, check out Soaring by Jumsoft. It features an energetic, professional design and includes 20 master slides in the standard 4:3 side, as well as charts, diagrams, tables, and other awesome visual elements. You can choose the layout that’s most suitable for your content and customize more or less everything in MS PowerPoint.

Pastels are the color trend of the year. These lighter, softer shades of colors have been embraced by younger generations like Millennials and Gen Z and have rapidly become associated with self-care for their ‘calming effect’. If you want to incorporate them into your PowerPoint color scheme, check out this pastel template by UnicodeID.

10. Organic Greens

Working on a food-related presentation for a culinary business? Or perhaps you’re putting together a pitch deck on an environmental topic? Either way, this organic green PowerPoint template has the perfect color scheme for you. It’s ideal for health and nature-related slides.

11. Bold Red and Black

The NOVA PowerPoint template by Artmonk uses a stunning red-on-black color scheme. It’s a bold color combination that packs a punch, so it’s great for presentations in which you’re trying to break the mold and make a statement. It’ll look great on screens but might not show up well on projector displays due to the dark background.

12. Bright Multicolor

Here’s another awesome multi-colored palette that’s upbeat and fun. Wide color palettes like this are great for large slide decks as they give you a lot of options to choose from. I can see this one working really well for creative agencies and personal portfolios. 

13. Lime and Dark Blue

Blue and yellow is a classic combination. This lime and dark blue template offers a new twist on that classic combo to make it a little more exciting. If you already use dark blue as part of your brand color palette, this is a great template to use.

14. Pretty Pink

The Pretty Pink color scheme is perfect for creating feminine and youthful PowerPoint presentations. This would be perfect for female-oriented business products, or presentations about beauty, pop culture, and more.

Teal is the perfect color scheme for exuding wealth and intelligence. In color psychology, green connotes wealth and money, whilst blue evokes intelligence. Teal is the perfect blend of the two colors, which makes it a great choice for financial presentations and documentation.

16. Dark with Splashes of Color

If you want a luxurious and ultra-modern color scheme, Black with splashes of color is just the ticket. The black creates a sleek and professional feel, whilst the bold and colorful highlights make the key information in your presentation pop.  

Coral is a bold and vivid color scheme perfect for making an impact on your presentations. This PowerPoint template utilizes coral as the background of each slide which helps the text and other visuals to really stand out.

18. Classic Blue and White

If you’re looking for a clean, modern, and professional color scheme for your PowerPoint presentations, you can’t go wrong with classic blue. The color scheme evokes professionalism and technological prowess and is perfect for tech businesses and startups. The Contact PowerPoint from Envato Elements is a great example of how this color scheme can be used.

19. Pinks and Purples

Pinks and Purples is a vibrant and feminine color scheme that would work perfectly for beauty brands and retail stores. The colors are bold and inviting and have a luxurious feel. This Beauty Care template from Envato Elements utilizes this color scheme as well as unique shapes to make for a visually interesting presentation.

20. Winter Watercolors

Winter Watercolors is a great color scheme for festive presentations. The muted, blue, and green cold tones are easy on the eye and evoke a homily feeling. This would be perfect for creating slideshows for Christmas parties or other winter-themed events.

21. Coral Highlights

Unlike the last coral color scheme we looked at, which used a coral background with white text, this template uses mostly white slide backgrounds. Coral is used much more sparingly to highlight key elements on the slide. This gives the PowerPoint a more relaxed and feminine touch.

22. Primary Colors

This Primary Colors color scheme is perfect for adding a vibrant touch to your presentations. This color scheme is a modern take on the classic colors of red, yellow and blue, and would be perfect for creating fun and engaging business presentations.

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How to Choose the Best Colors for Your Presentations

Choosing colors for your slides is one of the most crucial decisions to make even before starting to work on your Google Slides or PowerPoint presentation. Basically, colors can help you communicate your message more effectively, and they can evoke many different feelings or emotions on your audience. Keep reading to find out how to choose the best colors for your presentation.

Color Psychology

Color temperature, neutral colors, some tips on how to combine colors for your presentation.

It is quite important to know how your audience perceives colors and how these are related to the topic you are talking about. For example, red can convey a sense of danger, but also love, depending on the context. These are some common connotations that colors have on humans:

• Red : Evokes passion and strength. It’s an energetic and intense color that represents power and determination. It’s usually present on brands related to beverages, gaming and the automotive industry.
• Blue : Conveys a sense of security, confidence, responsibility and calmness. It is the most representative color in the healthcare and finance industries.
• Yellow : This is the color of light. It is a stimulating color that conveys energy, awakes awareness and inspires creativity. You will surely find yellow in the food industry.
• Green : Undeniably, the color of nature, life and peace. This color conveys a sense of growth, balance and stability like no other. It is quite popular among big companies, especially in the energy and tech industries.
• White : It is considered the color of purity and innocence. When it comes to evoking simplicity, optimism and integrity, white is second to none. You will find it for sure in the healthcare industry, and it is making its way in the fashion industry too.
• Black : Even though black is associated with seriousness, it can also convey elegance and courage. Fashion brands and luxury products make good use this color.

Take note of these hints and try to choose the color that best suits your message. For example, in this template we used bright and vibrant colors, since it is an education-themed presentation intended for a very young audience:

Click here to download this template

Colors can be grouped based on their temperature , which can be determined by comparing any given color in the visible spectrum with the light that a black body would emit when heated at a specified temperature. So, according to their temperature, there are two groups of colors: 

• Warm colors: These range from red and orange to yellow. If you click on the footer below, you will be able to download one of our templates containing a palette full of warm colors:

• Cool colors: These range from green and blue to violet. Again, click on the footer below to download a template that contains cool colors:

Mainly, warm colors convey energy and optimism—it is like giving a warm reception to your audience. On the other hand, cool colors are associated with serenity and confidence, just what you need to have a peaceful time.

White, black and all shades of gray are not considered neither warm nor cool. In fact, we could say colors such as creme, beige, brown and others with a high amount of gray are also neutral.  These colors do not influence others and can actually be combined with almost any color. As for their meaning, elegance and solemnity are pretty much guaranteed, as well as harmony.  When combining neutral colors, oftentimes a bright color is used as a contrast to highlight certain elements and bring them to the front. Click on the footer below to see an example of a presentation with neutral colors: 

To achieve a nice color harmony and make the most of it, it is best if you take into account the color wheel, as well as the concepts of hue, saturation and brightness. 

• Hue is basically what differentiates a color from any other. Thanks to the hue, you can visually tell apart red from blue, for example.
• Brightness defines how light or dark a hue is, and measures its capacity to reflect white light.
• Saturation refers to how pure a hue is. A saturated color appears more vivid, whereas a desaturated color looks duller.

With this information, you can make several different combinations: 

• Monochromatic Color Scheme: These contain different shades of a single color. Click on the footer to see one of our monochromatic templates based on red.

• Complementary Color Scheme: These are composed of a pair of opposing colors on the color wheel. If you click on the footer below, you will be able to download a presentation template with this scheme.

Analogous Color Scheme: This scheme includes colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. Click on the footer to see an example of this scheme applied to a presentation: 

Triadic Color Scheme: This uses three colors equally spaced on the color wheel. Click on the footer to download a presentation that makes use of the triadic color scheme.

In order to get the best combination, you will need to consider how many colors you will use in each slide and how you will manage the contrast between them. These should also be suitable for your intended message or your brand.   Finally, try not to overuse very intense colors—use them only for emphasis. Keep everything consistent by applying the same color to each instance of an element within your presentation (for example, use the same color in all the titles). Include illustrations or pictures that work well with the chosen palette. If you need to apply filters to the pictures, you can refer to our “ How to Apply Filters to the Pictures in Google Slides ” tutorial, or its PowerPoint equivalent. Some of our templates include color variants, making it so much easier for you to adapt them to your topic and/or brand. Just click one of the options that you will find below “Themes” on the right side of the screen. 

Selecting color variants

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Think Outside The Slide

Choosing Colors for Your Presentation Slides

What are the best background and text colors for a powerpoint presentation.

The best colors for slides have high contrast so they are easily seen. Dark backgrounds should have light text and bright accent colors. Light backgrounds should have dark text and bold accent colors. This way the audience can read the text and see the graphs or shapes on each slide.

The choice of colors for presentation slides is one of the important decisions that must be made at the start of the process of developing your slides. Most organizations today dictate a template with corporate colors that must be used for all presentations outside the organization as part of a branding initiative. In that case, you have no choice in the colors. But many internal presentations and in many other organizations you can choose your slide colors. So how do you choose? Here are some ideas to keep in mind when choosing colors for your next set of presentation slides.

Contrast Webster’s defines contrast as “To set in opposition, or over against, in order to show the differences between”. One of the most common mistakes in selecting colors for presentation slides is to not have enough contrast between the colors chosen for the background and the text or graphics. If you want the audience to see the text or graphics on the screen, they must be in a color that has a high contrast with the background color. This makes the text or graphic appear to float above the background instead of blending into it. In general, this will lead to selecting one of two color schemes – a dark background with light text and graphics or a light background with dark text and graphics. The further apart the colors are the more contrast they will have and the easier it will be for audiences to see the text or graphic you are using.  To ensure that the colors you have selected have enough contrast, use the online  Color Contrast Calculator  to test the colors using the two international standard tests for color contrast.

Using a corporate template If you work for a corporate or non-corporate organization, it is likely that you have a mandated template to use that defines the branding, fonts, colors, etc. (follow the steps in this article to use your organization’s PowerPoint template to create a new presentation ). Why do you need to know about color choice when the organization’s branding staff have already made these decisions? It is important to know how to select colors because when you create diagrams, graphs, or other visuals, you may have to select colors so that explanatory text can be seen on top of a shape or part of a graph. To make sure that the graphs you create in Excel follow the same colors your organization has set in the PowerPoint template, follow the steps in this article and video . Not all the decisions about color choice can be defined within a template, so you need to apply these guidelines using the colors defined in your organization’s template.

Emotional Meaning of Colors Studies have shown that different colors evoke different general feelings in many people. This can be important when selecting colors for your presentation slides since you will want to avoid colors that will negatively impact the message you are delivering. Here are some common interpretations for colors.

Given these general interpretations, you would want to steer away from using too much of colors such as black, orange, gray, red and brown, since they can either be too passive or too aggressive.

Color Combinations to Avoid Some colors should not be used together for a variety of reasons, so here are some combinations to avoid: Red & Green – these two colors clash with each other and are very hard to read. Also, people who have color deficiency will have trouble figuring out what you are trying to say on the slide (use the tool in this article to check colors for color deficiency ). Orange & Blue – another pair that causes a disturbing effect on readers as the colors seem to vibrate against one another Red & Blue – these two colors just do not have enough contrast to be seen well when used together. This combination also seems to suffer a further loss of contrast when projected on a screen.

Color Combination Suggestions The two color schemes that I suggest you use in presentation slides are either a dark background with light text and graphics or a light background with dark text and graphics. Here are the specific colors that I suggest for each color scheme.

Dark Background with Light Text and Graphics Background – a dark blue (navy shade) or dark purple Text and Graphics – white or yellow Accent Colors – red, lime green, camel orange, light blue The dark blue or dark purple background gives good emotional feelings as the predominant color on the screen and the yellow and white text and graphics have good contrast with the background. The accent colors should be used to highlight a word or portion of a graphic, not overused or they will become annoying.

Light Background with Dark Text and Graphics Background – warm beige Text and Graphics – dark blue, black, dark purple Accent Colors – dark green, burgundy The beige background combines the emotional impact of brown and white without gaining too much of the negative effect of these colors such as boring and staid. The dark text and graphic colors provide enough contrast to make the item stand out on the screen. The accent colors again are for emphasis and should not be overused.

Background Graphics or Patterns Many presenters want to make their slides more visually appealing by having a graphic or pattern as the background of the slide. This should be used with caution. Many times, the graphic or pattern has areas where the background color changes shade from dark to light or from light to dark. This means that the background is not actually one uniform shade and it makes picking a contrasting text and graphic color very difficult. I have seen slides where the text is visible on the first few words of a line but then disappear into the background for the rest of the line because of a change in the background. If you want to use a graphic or pattern, I suggest that it be very subtle, so there is very little difference between the lightest shade and the darkest shade in the background. One effect for graphics or logos is to use an embossing effect where the graphic looks like it is slightly raised in the background but the effect is very subtle and does not cause large changes in background color shade.

Getting the best image when connecting to a projector or screen for your presentation When you have carefully selected colors for your slides, you want them to look good when projected to the audience. The best connection is achieved when using a digital connection to the projector or screen if it is available. How you connect will depend on what ports your laptop has. Here are the most common options and the equipment I recommend using in each case.

Laptop has a full-size HDMI port If your laptop has a regular HDMI port, you can plug an HDMI cable in and you are ready to go. If the projector does not have an HDMI cable, but has a VGA cable instead, use this HDMI to VGA adapter . I have used it with a very long high-quality VGA cable and it worked perfectly. If the HDMI cable to the projector is not long enough to reach your laptop, you can use an HDMI extension cord and F-to-F HDMI adapter to connect the extension cord to the projector cable.

Laptop has a mini-DisplayPort port To connect your laptop to a projector cable you will need an adapter. I recommend one that gives you multiple output options, like this one that offers an HDMI, VGA, and DVI outputs . This is the one I use at my desk and when travelling. If you need to extend the projector connection, use the HDMI cable and adapter listed above.

Laptop has a USB-C port Newer laptops are moving to just offering a multi-function USB-C port instead of a port that is just for video output. If your laptop has this type of port, you will need an adapter that offers video outputs and a charging port if your laptop only offers charging through the USB-C port. The USB-C adapter/hub market is still developing and the one that looks best to me is this one from Anker , a company I have found reliable for adapters. Since this adapter (& most USB-C adapters) only offer an HDMI port, if you need to connect to a VGA projector cable or the HDMI cable is not long enough, use the links above to connect your laptop to the projector or screen.

By carefully selecting the colors for your next slide presentation, you can increase the impact your message will have on your audience.

Are you selecting colors and fonts to design a PowerPoint template? If so, you will want to get the book Building PowerPoint Templates Step by step with the experts. Read more and order here .

Are you looking for a customized workshop where your staff can learn to create PowerPoint presentations that have a clear message, focused content, and effective visuals?   Click here to learn more about my customized in-house workshops for executive presentations . If you are an individual who wants to learn these skills at your own pace, check out my guided self-study course .

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Dave Paradi has over twenty-two years of experience delivering customized training workshops to help business professionals improve their presentations. He has written ten books and over 600 articles on the topic of effective presentations and his ideas have appeared in publications around the world . His focus is on helping corporate professionals visually communicate the messages in their data so they don’t overwhelm and confuse executives. Dave is one of fewer than ten people in North America recognized by Microsoft with the Most Valuable Professional Award for his contributions to the Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams communities. His articles and videos on virtual presenting have been viewed over 4.8 million times and liked over 17,000 times on YouTube.

By Dave Paradi

Dave Paradi has over twenty-two years of experience delivering customized training workshops to help business professionals improve their presentations. He has written ten books and over 600 articles on the topic of effective presentations and his ideas have appeared in publications around the world . His focus is on helping corporate professionals visually communicate the messages in their data so they don't overwhelm and confuse executives. Dave is one of fewer than ten people in North America recognized by Microsoft with the Most Valuable Professional Award for his contributions to the Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams communities. His articles and videos on virtual presenting have been viewed over 4.8 million times and liked over 17,000 times on YouTube.

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10 Color Palettes to Nail Your Next Presentation

Bring your a-game to your next pitch meeting with these sure-to-dazzle color palettes..

Color is a powerful design tool. The right scheme can energize and motivate, soothe and inspire. With that in mind, we’ve put together a batch of ten eye-catching color palettes, each intended to have a different psychological effect on your presentation audience.

Perhaps you’re a young startup and need to excite potential investors , or maybe you want to ensure that viewers remain focused on important data. Whatever the style of presentation or pitch, you’ll find a color palette that suits your presentation needs in the list below.

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Simply take a note of the HEX codes in these inspiring color palettes, and apply your swatches to backgrounds , typography , or sales presentation templates for your next PowerPoint presentation or Google Slides pitch.

Now, let’s get started! It’s time to nail that pitch.

License this image via Pikoso.kz .

What Are the Best Colors for Presentations?

The best colors to use in PowerPoint , Google Slides, and other presentation software can vary widely depending on your audience, brand, and what you’re trying to achieve with the presentation.

A pitch for a new client might require exciting, inspiring color choices that help your audience to feel energized , while a data-heavy presentation to long-standing investors might require a more stable and reassuring color scheme.

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Below, you’ll find 10 color palettes for presentations that tap into the power of color psychology , helping you to choose colors that will always work in your favor.

These stylish color palettes can work for a variety of presentation purposes, like corporate reports, brand launches , and Q1 forecasts.

Scroll down to find the perfect presentation palette to help you bring the power of color to your next pitch.

1. The Perfect Color Palette to Energize Your Audience

Orange has been proven to promote energy and appetite in viewers, so it’s the perfect color choice for presentations that need to have an upbeat feel.

To keep your audience engaged throughout a long presentation, it helps to balance orange’s energy with the soothing, expansive mood of violet blue .

Blue-sky thinking is blue for good reason—this is a color that provokes inspiration and openness to new ideas.

To keep your energized palette crisp and clean, turn to ice white and pitch black to ensure your text remains crisp and legible. 

2. The Best Color Palette to Calm and Reassure the Room

Sometimes, it’s more important to calm and reassure your audience than to energize or surprise them. Presentations focused on mental well being , health , or wellness wouldn’t benefit from a neon palette , for example.

Instead, bring a zen mood to the boardroom with this palette of soothing hues. Spring green , mulberry purple, terracotta, and blue gray have a grounding effect and mimic the soothing colors found in nature to create an ultra-relaxing effect. 

3. The Perfect Color Palette to Boost Confidence

Red is traditionally the color of confidence, proven to make viewers feel stronger and more self-assured in its presence. However, pure red can be overtly aggressive, and the forceful effect of the color can be heightened on bright screens. Much better to temper red’s aggression with softer red orange , fuchsia , and shell pink .

This is still a highly confident palette with its graduation of warm hues, and its assertion is even stronger when paired with mysterious and authoritative plum purple .

4. The Best Color Palette to Appeal to Corporate Businesses

This color scheme gives a nod to the traditional palettes of the financial and legal world. Bottle green and cognac brown are teamed with dark racing-green and old gold for an established and luxurious effect.

Corporate presentations can be difficult to enliven, as they require a degree of formality and convention. However, this palette steps away from oft-used navy blue toward something more interesting.

Evocative of leather and velvet, this is a cocooning and moneyed palette that will help corporate clients feel like you understand their formal world. 

License this image via AlonaPhoto .

5. The Best Palette to Look Cool and On-Trend

Many startups, entrepreneurs, and young brands want to appeal to Gen Z audiences , and they need to have a cool color palette to match.

Whether you’re presenting a new product launch or looking to entice an on-the-pulse angel investor, this violet and neon palette will cement your cool credentials.

Look to urban colors, such as neons and grays, to create presentation slides with an ultra-cool mood.

This urban-inspired presentation palette combines deep and inky violet with acid lime yellow for a high-contrast effect, while concrete gray and moody black provide a neutral offset.

6. The Perfect Color Palette to Look Innovative

Young companies or startups pitching for their first round of investments need a palette that will communicate a spirit of innovation and fresh thinking. A perfect color palette for tech businesses or science startups, this palette has a futuristic, forward-looking mood.

Purple is the most intellectual and mysterious of all colors, making it a good fit for businesses offering something a little different from the norm, especially in the tech sector .

Neon pink is an unexpected choice for work presentations, but here it’s the perfect companion to purple and violet blue, bringing energy and a youthful mood. 

7. The Best Color Palette to Appear High-End

Elevate your high-end presentations with this luxurious color scheme that borrows from vintage color schemes of the 1930s and 1940s.

If you’re pitching for a high-end brand or simply want to bring an elegant mood to your presentation slides, this claret and copper scheme will help your PowerPoint templates feel opulent and expensive.

Dark brick red and olive green are traditional establishment colors that give a nod to beautiful brick architecture and vintage uniforms.

This affluent color palette would also be a good fit for the hospitality, travel, or luxury goods sectors. Team with metallic backgrounds and crisp white text for simple luxury.

8. The Best Color Palette to Improve Focus

If you have vitally important data or a specific message you want your viewers to remember, consider this presentation palette of focus-promoting colors that will prevent your audience from mid-pitch window gazing.

Blue and green are the two colors most associated with improving focus and concentration, with blue promoting expansive thinking and green providing a harmonic, nature-inspired mood.

In this business color palette, rich teal combines both of these hues for a serious focus hit. Earthy burnt orange prevents teal from feeling lethargic, while giving the palette a grounded edge that feels serious and cerebral. 

9. The Best Color Palette to Promote Sustainability

As sustainability is a central concern for many businesses today, it might be in your interest to give your presentations an environmental edge.

While businesses are often advised to avoid greenwashing , for the purpose of presentations, green is still the most reliable color for communicating environmentally-themed messages. It helps to immediately situate your audience within an eco-friendly mindset .

Whether you want to discuss how your company can become more eco-friendly or promote a sustainable product to a potential buyer, this fresh and verdant palette will give your slides a nature-inspired mood.

Emerald green , sage, and deep bottle green are made crisp and contemporary when teamed with chalk white.

10. The Perfect Color Palette to Boost Creativity

We could all do with a little more creativity in our working day, and you can turn to selective color choices to boost your weekly brainstorming session.

For presentations that need to appear creative or boost the creative potential of your audience, bright colors are stimulating, expressive, and promote a sense of childlike play and experimentation.

This is a colorful pick-me-up scheme for work-weary souls—a perfect presentation color palette for team-building days, ideation sessions, or for subjects that are more outside-the-box than usual.

Orange and pink perk up the palette with warm tones , while viridian green and azure blue bring a fresh, tropical feel to this fun, creative color palette.

License this cover image via VISTA by Westend61 .

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7 Things To Keep In Mind When Selecting The Best Colors For Your Presentation

• By Judhajit Sen
• May 8, 2024

The impact of colors on slide presentations is profound. Colors don’t just about make slides look pretty; they influence how your audience feels and understands your message. Different colors evoke various emotions and associations. For instance, red can express urgency or danger, while blue can evoke calmness and trust.

Choosing the right colors is crucial. For instance, a pitch to new clients might need exciting colors to energize them, while a presentation to long-standing investors might require stable and reassuring hues.

Professionalism is key. Amateurish presentations can tarnish your image. Your slides should match your professionalism, making color selection vital.

But it’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about conveying information effectively. High contrast between background and text aids readability, while low contrast can hinder comprehension. Striking the right balance ensures your audience grasps your message effortlessly.

Color choice impacts perception. It aids retention and enhances visual appeal, making your presentation memorable. Whether you’re restricted by brand colors or have the freedom to choose, picking the right palette is essential for success. So, ensure your color scheme reflects your message and captivates your audience, setting the tone for your presentation’s success.

Key Takeaways

• Branding : Incorporate your company’s color palette to maintain brand identity and convey a consistent message.
• Readability and Contrast : Prioritize high contrast between foreground and background colors for optimal device readability.
• The 60-30-10 Rule : Balance dominant, secondary, and accent colors using this straightforward guideline for harmonized color proportions.
• Color Psychology : Understand how colors evoke emotions and perceptions to convey your message strategically.
• Color Groups : Differentiate between warm and cool colors to avoid mixing across groups and prevent visual discomfort.
• Color Schemes : Choose color combinations that suit your audience and setting, prioritizing readability and consistency.
• The Color Wheel : Utilize this tool to grasp color relationships and categories, guiding your selection process for cohesive presentations.

Seven Things to Remember When Selecting the Best Colors for Your Next Presentation

Incorporating branding elements into presentations is vital for conveying a consistent message. Start with your company’s color palette, ensuring it complements the logo and brand colors. This cohesion reinforces brand recognition without overpowering the message. For instance, HubSpot subtly integrates its signature orange across presentation slides, maintaining brand identity without overt logos.

Even with predefined templates, understanding color selection remains crucial. You may need to choose colors for visuals to ensure text clarity, enhancing comprehension within brand guidelines.

Colors wield psychological influence, shaping perceptions and emotions, thus becoming integral to branding and marketing strategies.

Consistency reinforces professionalism. Use consistent color schemes, fonts, and layouts throughout presentations to strengthen your message, identity, and credibility. Aligning with brand colors fosters trust and familiarity, which is essential for audience engagement and recognition . Whether using predefined palettes or online tools, maintaining brand-aligned consistency enhances presentation effectiveness.

Readability and Contrast

Creating slides with optimal readability and contrast is crucial for effective communication. When choosing colors, prioritize high contrast between foreground graphics or text and the background to ensure clarity and visibility. This contrast not only enhances readability but also aids individuals with color blindness in distinguishing content.

Using light and dark contrasts within color groups, such as black text on a white background or white text on a navy background, enhances text visibility and readability. Avoid color combinations that strain the eyes or lack sufficient contrast, like neon green text on a dark background.

Incorporating neutral colors, such as gray or white, as background shades can further enhance readability and professionalism. Whether using dark or light backgrounds, ensure text colors contrast sharply for maximum impact.

Before finalizing your presentation, test your color choices for readability, accessibility, and compatibility across different devices and screens. Utilize contrast checker tools to measure contrast ratios and color blindness simulators to assess accessibility. By prioritizing readability and contrast, you can create visually engaging slides that effectively convey your message to all viewers.

The 60-30-10 Rule

The 60-30-10 rule is a straightforward guide for harmonizing colors in your slides. It advises using 60% of a dominant color, 30% secondary color, and 10% of an accent color. The dominant color serves as the backdrop or main hue. The secondary color complements or contrasts with the dominant one. The accent color adds emphasis to crucial elements like headings or graphs.

To apply this rule effectively, consider the rule of thirds. This principle advocates for distributing color proportions to create balance and visual interest. By allocating 60% to the dominant color, 30% to the secondary, and 10% to the accent, you establish hierarchy and contrast without overwhelming your audience. For instance, you might employ a light background (60%), dark text (30%), and vibrant highlights (10%) to achieve this balance.

Color Psychology

Understanding color psychology is essential when creating presentation slides. Colors evoke emotions and perceptions, influencing how your audience interprets your message. Different colors carry distinct meanings and associations, impacting your presentation’s overall mood and reception.

For instance, red signifies passion and urgency, while blue conveys trust and professionalism. Warm colors like red and orange grab attention, making them suitable for highlighting important points, while cool colors like green evoke a sense of trust and stability.

Cultural upbringing, brand exposure, and personal experiences influence individuals’ emotional responses to colors. Therefore, while color meanings provide guidance, they aren’t absolute. It’s crucial to consider your audience’s context when selecting colors for your slides.

Color psychology plays a crucial role in marketing and branding. It aligns colors with brand identity and messaging to evoke desired emotions and perceptions. By strategically using colors that resonate with your message and audience, you can enhance the effectiveness and impact of your presentation.

Color Groups

Colors can be divided into two main groups: warm and cool colors. Warm colors include reds, oranges, and yellows, which tend to stand out and attract attention. On the other hand, cool colors encompass greens, blues, and purples, which recede into the background and draw less attention.

It’s advisable to avoid mixing colors from these groups as they can create unpleasant contrasts. For instance, red text on a blue background or green text against an orange background can strain the eyes and make reading difficult.

Creating a color palette using colors from the same group is beneficial when designing presentation slides. For example, a combination of blue, purple, and gray blends harmoniously without competing for attention.

While warm and cool colors generally have distinct effects, they may vary depending on quantity and contrast. For instance, small black shapes on a white background may appear more noticeable due to the contrast, emphasizing the importance of considering these factors when combining colors on slides.

Neutral colors like white, black, and beige complement warm and cool colors and serve as versatile options for backgrounds or accents. However, caution should be exercised when crossing the warm/cool boundary, as mixing colors across these groups can lead to visual discomfort, especially for individuals with color blindness.

Utilizing PowerPoint themes can simplify color combinations, as theme colors are curated to complement each other and perform well in various presentation environments. By understanding color groups and their effects, presenters can create visually appealing slides that effectively convey their message while avoiding visual distractions and discomfort for the audience.

Color Schemes

A color scheme in presentations is a collection of colors that work well together, creating a pleasing and unified appearance. You can easily find suitable color palettes using online tools, or you can start with your logo or brand colors and build from there.

Professional presentations often use specific color combinations, such as gray and yellow or blue and white. These combos are seen as professional because they balance sophistication with energy and optimism or trustworthiness with clarity and authority, making them perfect for business settings.

Consider your presentation screen when choosing colors. Darker schemes suit close-up screens, while lighter ones are better for projections to ensure readability. Avoid bright colors, especially red text on projectors, as they wash out easily.

When choosing colors, think about your audience and setting. Neutral colors like blue, gray, and white are great for professional presentations, while brighter ones like yellow or green might work better for creative or educational topics. Always prioritize readability and avoid jarring color combinations.

Stick to your chosen color scheme throughout the presentation for consistency. Limit yourself to three or four colors to maintain cohesion and avoid distractions. Ensure enough contrast between text/graphics and the background for clarity.

The Color Wheel

The color wheel is a potent tool for understanding color relationships and categories. It features three primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) , three secondary colors (orange, green, and purple) , and six tertiary colors (like red-orange or yellow-green) . This wheel helps in creating diverse color schemes for presentations.

Isaac Newton, at the age of 23, invented the color wheel. He realized how colors, perceived by humans, blend to form captivating combinations. His categorization included:

1. Primary Colors : Red, yellow, blue 2. Secondary Colors : Orange, green, violet (formed by mixing primary colors) 3. Tertiary Colors : Colors like red-orange or blue-violet (resulting from mixing primary and secondary colors)

Understanding the color wheel involves recognizing warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) and cool colors (blues, greens, violets). Warm colors evoke feelings of energy and brightness, while cool colors suggest calmness and serenity.

Three fundamental color combinations are essential:

1. Complementary Color Combinations : Colors opposite each other on the wheel create high contrast and catch attention. 2. Analogous Color Combinations : Colors adjacent on the wheel, offering balance with one color dominating the foreground and the other as the background. 3. Triadic Color Combinations : These vibrant and harmonious colors evenly spaced on the wheel form a dynamic contrast. Creating a triangle on the wheel reveals these three colors.

Selecting the Perfect Palette: Best Color Choices for Your Presentation

Choosing the right colors for your presentation is more than just making it visually appealing. It’s about conveying your message effectively and creating a lasting impression on your audience. From branding alignment to readability and psychological impact, here are seven essential considerations when selecting colors for your next presentation.

1. Branding : Ensure your color choices align with your brand identity to reinforce recognition and trust.

2. Readability and Contrast : Prioritize high contrast for readability and accessibility across different devices and screens.

3. The 60-30-10 Rule : Harmonize colors using this simple guide for balanced color proportions.

4. Color Psychology : Understand how colors influence emotions and perceptions to evoke the desired response from your audience.

5. Color Groups : Differentiate between warm and cool colors and use them strategically to create harmony and avoid visual discomfort.

6. Color Schemes : Explore various color combinations, considering your audience and setting, to maintain consistency and enhance readability.

7. The Color Wheel : Use this powerful tool to grasp color relationships and categories, guiding your selection process for cohesive and engaging presentations.

By mastering these fundamental principles, you can craft presentations that mesmerize your audience and convey your message.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do colors impact presentations? Colors play a significant role in presentations, influencing the audience’s emotions and understanding. They can evoke various feelings and associations; for instance, red can convey urgency, while blue instills calmness and trust.

2. Why is choosing the right color important? Selecting suitable colors is crucial as they reflect professionalism and enhance message clarity. Different presentations require different color tones; for example, vibrant hues may energize new clients, while stable shades reassure long-term investors.

3. How can I ensure my presentation looks professional? Maintaining professionalism in presentations is vital for a positive image. Matching color schemes to your brand’s identity fosters consistency and credibility, reflecting your expertise.

4. What role does readability play in color selection? Readability is essential for effective communication. Optimal contrast between text and background aids clarity, ensuring your message is easily understood. Consistency in color usage enhances readability and professionalism throughout the presentation.

Enhance Your Presentation with Perfect Colors

Are you struggling to find the right colors for your presentations? Let Prezentium , the AI-powered business presentation service provider, be your guide. With our expertise in visual design and data science, we offer three specialized services tailored to your needs:

1. Overnight Presentations : Send us your requirements by 5:30 pm PST, and wake up to a stellar presentation delivered to your inbox by 9:30 am PST the next business day.

2. Prezentation Specialist : Our team of experts transforms your ideas and meeting minutes into captivating presentations. We also assist in creating new designs and templates.

3. Zenith Learning : Join our interactive communication workshops and training programs, combining structured problem-solving with visual storytelling for maximum impact.

Harness the power of color psychology and strategic color selection to elevate your presentations. Whether you need to align with your brand, prioritize readability and contrast, or master the 60-30-10 rule, Prezentium has you covered.

Don’t miss the opportunity to captivate your audience and leave a lasting impression. Contact Prezentium today and take your presentations to the next level!

Why wait? Avail a complimentary 1-on-1 session with our presentation expert. See how other enterprise leaders are creating impactful presentations with us.

Introduction to Group Communication: Tips and Benefits

Shark tank presentation tips: winning shark tank pitch elements, visual communication: benefits, importance, and examples.

30+ Stylish PowerPoint Color Schemes 2024

Color is an element that can make or break a design, and that rule holds true for presentation design as well. Choosing the right PowerPoint color scheme is super important.

But there’s one extra thing to consider – where your presentation will be given. A PowerPoint presentation can look quite different on a computer or tablet versus on a projected screen.

When it comes to selecting a PowerPoint color scheme, this is an important consideration. We’ve rounded nearly stylish PowerPoint color schemes as inspiration. While darker color schemes might look great close-up on screens, opt for lighter backgrounds (for enhanced readability) for projected presentations.

Note: The last color in each scheme is for the slide background.

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1. Blue, Gray Green & Orange

With a bright overall scheme that’s easy on the eyes, this color scheme can help you create a modern PowerPoint presentation that’s readable and friendly. You can even tweak the colors somewhat to better work with your brand, if necessary.

The best thing about this color palette is that it lends itself to plenty of different presentation styles and applications.

2. Violet Gradient

Using the first two colors noted above, you can create a dark-to-light monotone gradient that can make for a modern PowerPoint design style.

Take this concept and expand it to any other colors you like for your spin on this modern color scheme.

3. Mint and Orange

On paper, these colors don’t seem to blend all that well, but with the right application min and orange on a black background can work.

Use a pair of colors like this for presentations where you are trying to make a bold statement or impact. This concept is often great for trendy topics or ideas that are a little unconventional.

4. Bright Blue and Light

The brighter, the better! Bright blue color schemes are a major trend in PowerPoint design … and for good reason. The color combination creates a bright, light feel with easy readability. Those are two things that pretty much everyone wants in a presentation template design.

The other thing that’s great about a color scheme like this – which focuses on one color – is that it matches practically everything else in the design with ease. It’s great for image-heavy presentations or those where text elements are a key focal point.

5. Teal and Lime

Two colors that you might not expect to see paired create a classy combo that’s interesting and engaging. Both teal and lime are considered “new neutrals” and work with a variety of colors easily. (What’s somewhat unexpected is putting them together.)

What’s great about this PowerPoint color scheme is that the extra interest from the hues can help generate extra attention for slides. The template in the example also mixes and matches teal and green primary color blocks to keep it interesting from slide to slide.

6. Colorful Gradients

Gradients are a color trend that just keeps reinventing and resurfacing. In the latest iteration, gradients are bright with a lot of color. Designers are working across the color wheel for gradients that have more of a rainbow effect throughout the design, even if individual gradients are more subtle.

What you are likely to see is a variety of different gradients throughout a project with different colors, but maybe a dominant color to carry the theme. Use this for presentation designs that are meant to be more fun, lighter, and highly engaging.

7. Light Blue Minimal

This color scheme with light blue and a minimal aesthetic is super trendy and so easy to read. You can add a lot of style with a black-and-white style for images or a deep blue accent for header text.

While a pale blue is ideal here, you could also consider experimenting with other pastels and the same overall theme for a modern presentation design.

8. Bright with Dark Background

The combination of bright colors on a dark background can be fun and quite different from the traditional PowerPoint color schemes that are often on white or light backgrounds. This design style for a presentation is bold and engaging but can be a challenge if you aren’t comfortable with that much color.

When you use a style like this, it is important to think about the presentation environment to ensure that everything will look as intended. A design like this, for example, can work well on screens, but not as well on a projector or in a large room.

9. Navy and Orange

The navy and orange color combination is stylish and classic for presentation design. To add a fresh touch consider some of the effects such as the template above, with color blocking and overlays to add extra interest.

What makes this color combination pop is the element of contrast between a dark and a bright pair. The navy here is almost a neutral hue and works with almost any other design element.

10. Dark and Light Green

A modern take on a monotone color scheme involves using two similar colors that aren’t exactly tints and tones of one another. This pairing of dark green and light (almost minty) green does precisely that.

What’s nice about this color scheme is that the colors can be used almost interchangeably as primary elements or accents. It provides a lot of flexibility in the presentation design.

11. Bright Crystal Blue

Blue presentation color schemes will always be in style. The only thing that changes is the variance of the hue. This pair of blues – a bright crystal blue with a darker teal – works in almost the same way as the pair of greens above.

What’s nice about this color palette though is that the dark color is the accent here. That’s a modern twist on color design for presentations.

12. Blue and Yellow

Blue and yellow are classic pairings and can make for a striking presentation color combination. With a bright white background, these hues stand out in a major way.

What works here is the element of contrast. A darker blue with a brighter yellow creates an almost yin and yang effect with color. The only real caution is to take care with yellow on a white or light background with fonts or other light elements.

Teal is a personality-packed color choice. If you are looking for a bold statement with a PowerPoint template, start here.

While the above color scheme also includes a hint of yellow for accents, the teal color option is strong enough to stand alone. You could consider a tint or tone for a mono-look. It also pairs amazingly well with black-and-white images.

Teal is a fun color option that will provide a lot of practical use with your slide deck.

14. Bright Coral

This color scheme is one of those that you will either love or hate. The bright coral color is powerful and generates an immediate reaction.

It’s also quite trendy and will stand out from many of the other more bland PowerPoint colors that you may encounter. This is a great option for a startup that wants to present with a bang or a brand that has a similar color in its palette. It may not work so well for more traditional brands or those that are more conservative with their slide designs.

15. Dark Mode Colors

A dark mode color scheme might be the biggest trend in all of design right now, and that also applies to presentation design.

This purple and emerald color paired with black with white text looks amazing. It is sleek, modern, and has high visual appeal without having to use a lot of images.

This works best for digital presentations when you don’t have concerns about room lighting to worry about.

If you aren’t ready to jump into dark mode on your own, the Harber template above is a great start with nice color, gradients, and interesting shapes throughout the slide types.

16. Navy and Lime

A navy and lime combination is a modern take on colorful neutrals that are anything but boring.

These colors have a nice balance with a white or light background and are fairly easy to use. With so many brands already using blue in their base color palette, this is an option that works and is an extension of existing elements for many brands. (Use your blue and add the lime to it.)

Also, with this color combination, the idea of a minimal overall slide structure is nice so that the power of the colors and impact comes through. They work beside images in full color or black and white.

17. Modern Blue

When you aren’t planning to use brand colors – or maybe as a startup or independent contractor so you don’t have them yet – a modern color combination can add the right flair to a PowerPoint presentation.

The bright grayish-blue in the Lekro PowerPoint template – you can find it here – adds the right amount of color without overwhelming the content. Plus, subtle orange accents help guide the eye throughout this PowerPoint color scheme. https://elements.envato.com/lekro-powerpoint-presentation-67YW3M

18. Blackish and Yellow

While at first pass, black and yellow might seem like a harsh color combination, it can set the tone for a project that should emanate strength. This PowerPoint color scheme softens the harshness of the duo with a blackish color, that’s grayer and has a softer feel.

Pair this combo on a light background or with black and white images for a stylish, mod look.

19. Orange and White

A bright color can soften the harshness of a stark PowerPoint design. Especially when used for larger portions of the content area, such as background swatches or to help accent particular elements.

The Sprint template makes great use of color with a simple palette – orange and white with black text – but has slide ideas that incorporate the color throughout for something with a more “designed” look to it. (And if you aren’t a fan of the orange, change the color for use with this template to keep the modern feel.)

Purple presentations are in. The color, which was once avoided by many in design projects, has flourished with recent color trends.

Because more funky, bright colors are popular, a presentation with a purple focus can be acceptable for a variety of uses. The use in Batagor template has a modern design with a deep header in the featured color, which works best with images that aren’t incredibly bold in terms of color.

21. Blue-Green Gradients

Another trending item in color is the use of gradients. This trend can be applied to PowerPOint presentations as well.

Use a blue-to-green gradient for a soft and harmonious color scheme that won’t get in the way of content. Use each hue alone for accents and informational divots throughout the presentation design.

22. Black and White

Minimalism is a design trend that never goes away. A black-and-white (or gray) presentation screams class and sophistication.

It can also be easy to work with when you don’t want the color to get in the way of your message. And if a design can stand alone without color, you know it works.

23. Reds and Black

If you are designing a presentation for viewing on screens, such as desktops or tablets, a dark background with bright color accents and white text can work well. (This combination gets a lot trickier on projector displays.)

While reverse text and red aren’t always recommended, you can see from the Nova template that they can be a stunning combination. But note, this modern color scheme is best for specific content and audiences.

24. Blue and Pink

This color scheme is a spin on Pantone’s colors of the year from 2016. https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/how-to-use-the-pantone-color-of-the-year-in-design-projects/ The brighter, bolder versions of rose quartz and serenity and fun and sophisticated.

The unexpected combo sets the tone with a strong, trustworthy blue and adds softness with the paler pink. The colors work equally well with white or darker backgrounds.

25. Blue and Green

Blue and green accents can help a black or white background come to life in a presentation template. The colors here can work with either background style, based on how you plan to display your presentation.

What’s nice about these colors is that they are pretty neutral – since both are found in nature – and can be used with ease for design or text elements in a PowerPoint color scheme.

26. Beige and Gray

If you are looking for a softer color palette, consider beige and gray. These hues can work well on screens or projected, making them a versatile option.

The nice thing about such a neutral palette is that it gives content plenty of room, so that will be the true focus of the presentation.

27. Tints and Tones

While the purplish blue-gray in the Business PowerPoint Presentation template is stunning, it represents a greater trend in presentation design. Pick a color – maybe your dominant brand color – and use tints and tones for the presentation color scheme.

By mixing the color with white or black and gray, you’ll end up with a stunning set of color variations that match your messaging.

28. Bold Rainbow

While most of the color schemes featured here only include a color or two, bright color schemes with wider color variations are trending.

This distinct “rainbow style” can be somewhat difficult to use without rules for each color. Proceed with caution.

29. Bright Neutrals

Lime green is the brightest “neutral” you might ever use. A fun palette that’s versatile can be a solid foundation for a color palette.

It works exceptionally well in the Rouka PowerPoint template thanks to a pairing with a subtle gray background. Using a light, but not white, background can be great for screens and projected presentations because it takes away some of the harshness of a white background. The subtle coloring is easier on the eyes for reading and viewing.

30. Rich Browns

Browns aren’t often what comes to mind when thinking of building a color scheme, but rich browns can be a modern option.

Pair a neutral beige-brown with a darker color for an interesting contrast that works with almost any style of content.

31. Mint Green

Go super trendy with a modern and streamlined palette of mint green and gray on white. While this combination can have a minimal feel, it also adds a touch of funkiness to the design.

Add another hint of color – think orange – for extra accents.

32. Dark Gray and Blue

It doesn’t get more classy than a combination of grays and blues. This new take on a classic color scheme adds another brighter blue as well to pick up on modern trends.

Just be careful with text using a dark background such as this one. White is probably your best option for typography (and look for a font with thicker strokes!)

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Color Theory for Presentations: How to Choose the Perfect Colors for Your Designs

Written by: Nayomi Chibana

Colors are all around us. Think about it. The bright blue in a clear morning sky makes us feel alive and free; the deep purples and reds in the flowers that bloom in Spring evoke emotions of warmth, life and energy; the pitch black sky at night, arouses thoughts of mystery and seduction.

Whether conscious of it or not, colors evoke a whole range of emotions in us that many times lead us to either enjoy a certain setting, feel drawn to a particular product or even reject a specific idea. They work at a subliminal, almost visceral level that we oftentimes take for granted.

Knowing this, it is imperative for anyone who strives to become a better visual communicator to familiarize themselves with the basics of color theory and how to choose the most effective color schemes for presentations, infographics and other visual content.

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To help you on your journey to becoming a DIY designer, we’ve compiled some useful tips for choosing harmonious and impactful color schemes that have the power to move your audiences to a specific action.

Color Theory Basics

Just like people are often judged by their physical appearance, so will your content be judged by the design elements used--many times even before it is read.

This is why it is so important to know what each color is actually saying to your audience. So let’s get down to some color theory basics.

The color wheel was the first model used to illustrate the relationship between different colors. The most basic of them are the primary colors, which are red, blue and yellow. They cannot be made from mixing any two colors and, as their name implies, they are the basis of all other colors.

The secondary colors are derived from combinations of the primary colors. They are violet, orange and green.

Lastly, the tertiary colors are created when you combine a primary color with a secondary color, resulting in one of the six following colors: red-orange, red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-green and yellow-orange.

These 12 colors compose the complete color wheel:

Next, it is important to differentiate between tints, tones and shades. When a color is mixed with white, you create tints. These are lighter than the pure hue:

When a color is mixed with grey, you create tones, which are duller than the pure hue:

When a color is combined with black, you have shades. These are darker than the original hue:

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “Why aren’t black and white on the color wheel?” The uncomplicated answer is that black is the absence of color, while white is the combination of all colors. (For a more detailed explanation, you can read here .)

What Colors Mean

Colors speak volumes all on their own. Color is so powerful, in fact, that it can improve learning by up to 75 percent and increase comprehension on a subject by up to 73 percent.

While warm colors communicate energy, optimism and enthusiasm, cool colors send a message of dependability, professionalism and peace.

Within these categories, each color is associated with an emotion or concept, depending on the cultural context (while red can mean passion and love in the West, in China, it is associated with prosperity). According to Smashing Magazine , some of the most common associations made in the West include:

• Red: passion, romance, anger
• Orange: optimism, happiness, energy
• Yellow: happiness, hope
• Green: fertility, nature, abundance
• Blue: professionalism, calm, transparency
• Purple: luxury, royalty, creativity
• Black: elegance, mystery, darkness
• White: purity, cleanliness
• Brown: enduring, dependability, nature
• Beige: conservatism, piety, dullness

How to Combine Colors

Now that we’ve gone through the basics of the color wheel, we can go through the process for creating different color combinations.

To do this, we must first learn the different classifications of colors, depending on their placement on the color wheel.

Warm Colors

For example, the warm colors on the wheel are the reds, oranges and yellows:

Cool Colors

On the opposite side are the cool colors: the greens, blues and violets:

Complementary Colors

To create complementary color combinations, you must select two colors that sit opposite each other--such as a warm color like orange and a cool color like blue:

Split Complementary Colors

These are comprised of two adjacent colors and another complementary color:

Triads and Tetradic Color Combinations

These color schemes use geometric shapes to choose and combine three or four different hues from the color wheel:

Analogous Colors

These colors sit next to each other on the color wheel:

Monochromatic Colors:

This type of color combination is made up of different tints, tones and shades of the same hue:

How to Choose the Ideal Color Scheme

Besides looking to the color wheel to select your color schemes, as covered above, there are a few other handy tips to keep in mind.

High Contrast

For one, it’s important to create high contrast slides to achieve the highest impact possible. For example, if you have a dark background, then it’s a no-brainer to use a lighter font.

Or if you’ve chosen a monochromatic color scheme, you want to accentuate important details with one complementary color on the opposite side of the color wheel.

It is important to understand that contrast is not simply about choosing different colors but selecting those that will create the most visual interest when placed side by side.

Since pure hues all have the same levels of saturation (the intensity of a color) and value (how light or dark a color is), creating a combination with only pure hues will result in an unimpressive scheme. This is why using varying tones, shades and tints is so vital to an effective presentation.

For example, in the color scheme below, the use of different tones, shades and tints makes this a very eye-catching combination:

Via Smashing Magazine

According to Smashing Magazine , an easy but effective way to create your own high-contrast color scheme is to select varying tones, shades and tints of a specific color (not the pure hue) and then select another pure color at least three spaces away on the wheel to act as an accent color.

Keep It Simple

You’ve probably heard this before, but when it comes to design, less is usually more. Try to keep it simple and don’t use too many colors. In general, three to four colors is sufficient for a presentation.

The 60-30-10 Rule

According to the award-winning presentation company Ethos3 , an easy way to create a balanced presentation is to stick by the 60-30-10 rule.

This means that if you’ve chosen three colors, as recommended above, then you should devote 60 percent of the space on your slides to the primary color, 30 percent to the secondary and 10 percent to the accent color.

Spread Content Out

Another simple rule is to spread your content out into bite-sized morsels throughout your presentation so that it is as easy to digest as possible.

Long gone are the days when you used to create presentations with 10 or 15 slides. Nowadays, engaging presentations that can be viewed in less than 3 minutes consist of 50 to 60 slides.

Why? Because the lower the slide count, the more information you’ve probably crammed into each slide. On the other hand, the higher the slide count, the more visuals and the less words you’ve probably used to explain each concept.

How to Create Your Own Palettes

One designer’s secret for finding just the right color scheme for your presentation is to use the tool Adobe Color CC .

Not only will it give you hundreds of predefined palettes to choose from--as well as the ability to create color schemes based on the color wheel--it will also allow you to create vivid color palettes from your favorite photos.

All you have to do is upload an image with a color scheme that evokes the emotions you’re going for and then save the hex color codes generated by the tool.

For example, we chose this image for the way the colors convey calmness and warmth:

The tool then generated this color scheme for us:

The beauty of this tool is that you can then modify this scheme by choosing from a variety of moods: Colorful, Bright, Muted, Deep and Dark:

We then chose this scheme:

And this is how it looks on a slide:

How about your color schemes? Do they convey the right emotions? We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Just drop us a line in the comments section below.

And if you want to learn all our secrets on how to deliver an unforgettable presentation (as well as how to create visual slides with impact), grab our free e-book below.

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About the Author

Nayomi Chibana is a journalist and writer for Visme’s Visual Learning Center. Besides researching trends in visual communication and next-generation storytelling, she’s passionate about data-driven content.

What Colors To Choose For Your Presentation?

Colors are not only a matter of personal taste. They convey feelings, influence people’s mood, and even carry specific meanings. That is why you should leave nothing to chance when choosing the colors of your PowerPoint presentation. However, you don’t need to be an expert in graphic design or color psychology to select accurately the shades of your backgrounds and fonts. In this article, you will find a series of tips to help you pick the right color scheme. Get ready to come through your presentation with flying colors!

1. Choose the right color to convey the right feeling

Psychologists have taught us that colors can influence people’s perceptions and even trigger emotions. That is the reason why they have become such important elements in branding and marketing. The same goes for your visual aids: your audience will not have the same emotional response if you use a bright red background or a light blue one. Once you have identified the feelings at the core of your message, you will be able to choose the colors that can transmit them. Let’s have a look at the most common colors and discover the feelings and connotations they communicate.

RED – A powerful color to use with moderation

In the Western world, red is associated with love, passion, strength, and energy. It is a great color to put emphasis on a specific feature but can be tiring throughout a whole presentation since it raises the heart and respiration rates. Remember red is also the color of anger and danger. In conclusion, use red with care, only if you have a specific goal, for example, if your topic is food and you want to increase your audience’s appetite!

BLUE – The safe choice

More than one-third of people consider blue their favorite color, so grab this opportunity!  The most popular color has a calming effect and suggests peace, sincerity, confidence, and security. It is therefore a great option as a background, especially used in the finance, business, computing, communication, and healthcare areas.

GREEN – A color with harmonizing effect, perfect for nature-related presentations

The third and last of the primary colors can have a positive impact on your public since it represents life, nature, and peace. Moreover, it conveys feelings of balance and growth. Green is also believed to increase interaction, so if you want to set a mood that leads to dialogue, go green!

YELLOW – Feed your presentation with positive vibes

Let there be light! If you want to be sure to capture everybody’s attention, yellow is the stimulating color you need. It inspires happiness, optimism, and creativity. Nevertheless, try to use a soft shade of yellow in your background, since a bright yellow can be perceived as unsettling.

ORANGE – Show your creative side

Why not try the color of innovation and creativity? If you want to convince your audience to try something new, orange will do the trick: it is the hue of extroversion and confidence.

PURPLE – Great for luxury topics

Even though purple is an intense color that can surprise your audience, the right shade of purple can transmit creativity, wisdom or even mystery. This color can also give a sense wealth and luxury. It is a good choice if you want your background to be original.

BROWN – A warm and earthy color

This color is generally associated with the Earth and more specifically wood. A light brown color with a discreet wood texture could be a great option if your presentation includes environmental elements. Besides, it suggests the idea of durability.

GRAY – A formal yet modern color option

Forget about the negative connotations of gray ! It might be considered as a conservative color, but it is definitely a popular one. It offers a softer alternative to the white backgrounds.

BLACK – A powerful color to be used sparingly

It is well-known that black never goes out of fashion. Even though it is not the most popular color for backgrounds, it can be used to suggest elegance, luxury, and seriousness. It may not be ideal for a whole presentation, but black slides can easily be used to indicate a transition or make a powerful statement.

WHITE – The simple color option, when your message is King (as it always should)

The classic white background works ideally to evoke purity or simplicity. However, some people deem it as unoriginal. It is also tiring for the eyes when projected on a screen, therefore a light grey background is often considered a better option. Nonetheless, it helps get your message across clearly and simply.

2. Combine your colors attractively to please the eye

Some colors simply don’t match! Be careful when you associate the font color and the background one! For instance, blue and green are red’s worst friends. Two colors too close together on the spectrum, such as black and brown or red and orange, will make your presentation unattractive and hard to read. On the other hand, the right combination could convey the perfect message: dark blue and golden symbolize refinement while dark blue and white refer to the ocean and suggest tranquility.

You can obviously choose a basic color scheme: one hue for your background and another for your font. You can nonetheless try more complex combinations with 3 or more colors. In this case, check that the palette you use is pleasant to the eye and that it evokes the emotions you want to transmit.

A great example of color matching can be the 2021 Pantone colors the year : Illuminating yellow and Ultimate gray. The first is bright and vivid, the second firm and reliable; together, they represent strength and optimism.

3. Improve your readability with the right contrast

Establishing the right contrast between your background shade and your font color is essential. The basic rule is a light font over a dark background or a dark font over a light background. A high contrast means an optimal readability, and thus a high level of impact on your audience. To avoid having the same level of saturation in both colors, try to choose different hues and tones. For example, the pastel shade of a color will create a better visual impression when combined with the pure hue of another color.

One last piece of advice: if possible, always try to visualize your presentation on the screen where it will be projected, in order to check the final visual impression. Now you have another string to your bow: you are ready to consciously choose the right colors for your PowerPoint presentation!

We hope you like these tips. Your feedback is very important to us. Tell us what is (are) the color(s) you love to use in your presentations.

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10 Best (Trendy) PowerPoint Color Scheme Combinations (2019 PPT Guide)

Great designs aren't an accident. Talented designers make conscious decisions about color and the message that it sends to an audience. 

As you prepare to speak, you're probably building a PowerPoint presentation to support your points. Choosing the best colors for your presentation requires careful thought. You need to match to the content and mood of your speech.

In this tutorial, you'll see the best PowerPoint color themes that you can use for an impactful message. Then, we'll look at PowerPoint color scheme ideas that are ready to use from Envato Elements.

The Importance of Color in Every Presentation

Remember that PowerPoint helps you build supporting slides for a speaking engagement. Every slide should tie into the message that you're delivering. The colors that you choose will play a part in supporting the message.

Let's look at how color impacts your presentation. We'll also discuss how to choose the right colors.

1. Color Sets the Mood

Above all, color sets a mood for a presentation. Think about the difference between a slide that starts with bright fluorescent color and a slide that starts with a grey opening slide. They're sure to set different tones before you even begin to speak.

As soon as your audience sees the first slide, they'll begin to form expectations for the content. And matching the color palette to your message ensures a successful presentation.

As you work to match your presentation visuals to your presentation message, keep a few basic color moods in mind:

• Red  is a color that invokes passion and intensity. Think of a bright red bullseye, for example.
• Light blues and greens  are cool and calming. Bodies of water and foliage come to mind and using these colors can help your audience connect with the outdoors.
• Yellow  feels optimistic and energizing. Reminiscent of spring and flowers in bloom. 
• Purple  has a history of feeling regal and royal. There's a sense of luxury and exclusivity.

Maybe there isn't a single "best color for PowerPoint presentations." Instead, it's about using colors that complement your message.

2. Color Palettes 

While choosing a single color is an important choice, an even more important decision is how you combine them. Few presentations will feature a single color, so it's the  color palette  or combination of colors that are important to consider as well.

Monochromatic  color schemes all key on one central color but use various shades, like the example below:

Complementary color schemes cross the color wheel for visual appeal. Think of the reds and greens you see around the holidays or the purple and gold uniforms of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Another option is a  triad  or three samplings of colors across the color wheel. It's great to use a color wheel tool to sample colors across a range. Keeping the arrangement of the triad in mind ensures the colors complement instead of clashing.

To learn more about color schemes and how you can use multiple colors, make sure to check out the tutorial below:

3. Top Color Trends for 2019 (and How to Explore Them)

If you're starting to think about color as a conscious choice when building a presentation, it helps to explore the best PowerPoint color scheme ideas. The best tool for the job is Adobe Color .

Not only can you explore color options, but you can also create cohesive palettes using the tool. Using the palette options and selecting your key colors helps you generate a palette that's ready to use in PowerPoint.

Make sure to check out the Trends section  to find fresh styles that are sure to resonate with an audience. Many top designers use this site to create on-trend colors, and you can sample from their creations.

So far, we've covered the principles that you can use to generate PowerPoint color scheme ideas. But if you want a head start, you can use pre-built templates with the best colors for PowerPoint presentations.

On Envato Elements, you unlock an unlimited number of PowerPoint templates that you can use to design your presentation. Each of these templates features the best PowerPoint color scheme ideas that you can use.

For a single flat rate, you'll unlock thousands of options with the best colors for PowerPoint presentations. Throughout this section, you'll see templates from Envato Elements and color schemes that help you give a bold presentation. 

Let's see 10 of the best PowerPoint color schemes. You'll see selections from top PowerPoint templates in the Envato Elements with fun names I've created for winning color schemes. 

1. Gradient Complements

A great way to blend multiple colors is by using a  gradient,  a blend between two colors. That's on display in the outstanding Analysiz PowerPoint template, where blues and reds blend seamlessly.

Maybe you don't think of red and blue as colors that you'd use side-by-side, but gradients are a great way to bring together two colors. Then, you can use either of the primary colors (red and blue) for critical elements. Consider a gradient if your brand has colors that aren't commonly paired together.

2. Shades of Seafoam

Remember, cool color tones like light blues and greens create a sense of calmness. That's exhibited perfectly in the PowerPoint template ,  The X Note .  It's one of the most popular templates on Envato Elements thanks to its flexibility.

Above all, The X Note features those calming and cooling effects that use shades of blue and seafoam green. You can use this for a calming presentation that's got a casual but professional feel to it.

3. Monochrome Color Shades

Pezia is another template you'll unlock with a subscription to Envato Elements. This template has a light and dark color schemes.

No matter which version of Pezia you start with, you'll find that the color scheme is monochromatic. A single color is used in various shades to lead the viewer's eye between key points naturally.

Shades of the same color are an engaging color scheme. You can use deeper shades for essential points and lighter shades for less common elements.

4. Approach With Seriousness

Yellow and black color shades are typically used for caution type, but they can also be used in combination as an engaging color scheme. These two colors in conjunction are sure to grab an audience's attention for your presentation in a template titled Company Profile .

Historically, these colors have been used in classic examples like caution tape. But just as those colors are used to grab before crossing a threshold, it's also a way to show serious content with the best presentation color schemes. 

When you use yellow and black together, you're sure to show the audience a sense of seriousness. No matter the message, this is one of those color palettes that immediately commands attention.

5. Shades of Pink

Remember, choosing a color palette is about setting the tone. The best PowerPoint color schemes align a color selection to the content and concept in your presentation.

What if your presentation focuses on softer, more classic elements? Consider the shades of pink in the STYLE Multipurpose PowerPoint theme .

A template like this is perfect for brands like fashion, cosmetics, and more. It creates a sense of elegance thanks not only to the color selection, but also the white space between elements.

6. Earth Tones

If you're building an outdoor business or advocating for the environment, earth tones might be the perfect choice for you. And those tones are captured perfectly in the Mandalika PowerPoint template .

Earth tones capture a wide variety of the best colors for PowerPoint presentations. Combining the perfect colors that harken back to clay, shrubbery, and more, they bring the outdoors indoors. This template provides an example of mixing and matching seemingly unique colors into the perfect palette.

7. Highlighting Success

The color scheme in this section is an excellent reminder that only a single hue is enough to create an engaging presentation. The best colors for PowerPoint presentations seek to complement the content, and this is the best example.

I like to call this color scheme, "highlighting success." A single bright color like the green shade in this color scheme is enough to accentuate your content. In the Blendu PowerPoint template, the best highlight color comes to life to emphasize your content.

When you use a single, eye-catching color, you draw a viewer's attention quickly. Use a color palette like this fluorescent green to stand out.

8. Pastels Plus

Everyone's familiar with the pastel shades that seem to come out every Spring. And the color palette in Color Fun captures those pastels perfectly with a bit more contrast.

While classic pastel templates focus on light, desaturated versions of colors, this template embodies "pastels plus." It samples the same primary hues but uses more contrast for a fun presentation.

The best color schemes for PowerPoint presentations are eye-catching. I love the Color Fun template for its unique "pastel plus" colors. It blends a wide variety of colors into a cohesive palette.

9. The Color of the Year Palette

If there's a single most powerful company for setting color trends, it's Pantone . They've got a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise in color calibration.

More notably, they also name a color of the year based upon design trends. For 2019, that color is Living Coral . This shade of pink was named as the most in-vogue color, and luckily, there's a corresponding template called Living Coral PowerPoint theme .

When you use a trendy color template like Living Coral, you're sure to align your design with the latest in presentation trends. Not only is it visually appealing, but it's also culturally relevant.

10. Spectrum of Colors

Many of the color schemes in this round-up use just a few simple colors to create attractive presentations. And while it's true that the best PowerPoint color schemes use a "less is more" mindset, sometimes you'll want to use more colors.

That's where a template like Spectrum comes into play. It's got a tasteful and balanced selection of colors from across the rainbow. Yet, it doesn't feel overly bright and overwhelming to the audience.

You've seen 10 of the best colors for PowerPoint presentations. But that's not all—there's even more included in the tutorial round-up below. Check it out for even more ideas for PowerPoint color scheme ideas.

As another option, you can also source excellent PowerPoint color scheme ideas with templates from GraphicRiver. There are more excellent PowerPoint color schemes on GraphicRiver, but you'll pay only for individual templates you choose.

Design a Presentation With Trendy Color Schemes Today

There are as many PowerPoint color schemes as there are hues in the rainbow. Choosing the best colors for a PowerPoint presentation is an essential step in the design process. With the help of the ideas in this tutorial, you're on your way to punchy presentations with the best color choices.

Don't forget: using a pre-built template with the best PowerPoint color schemes is sure to jumpstart your design work with the best colors for PowerPoint presentations . That's the value of using Envato Elements, the all-you-can-download library for creatives.

Use the best presentation color schemes to complement your message. When you do, you're sure to reach your audience with an impact.

• Documentation

How to Choose Background and Text Colors for PowerPoint Presentation

Colors play an important role in enhancing the visual appeal of your slides and conveying information. However, with countless color options available, it can be overwhelming to make the right choices.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the art of selecting the perfect background and text colors for your PowerPoint presentations. It will ensure they leave a lasting impact on your audience. 

Learn practical tips and insights to make your presentations visually appealing. We’ll also cover color psychology and how to match backgrounds with text. It’s a step-by-step guide to improving your presentation skills.

Get ready to make your slides stand out with our expert advice!

Importance Of Color Choices 

Colors significantly impact how we perceive and understand information in presentations. The psychological effects of colors play a crucial role in influencing our emotions. Knowing the significance of color choices can make presentations more effective and interesting. 

Certain colors evoke specific emotions and feelings. For example, warm colors such as red and orange energize and grab attention, making them ideal for highlighting important points. At the same time, cool colors like green have a calming effect and can be useful for conveying a sense of trust and stability.

Color contrast is also essential for improving comprehension. High contrast between background and text colors enhances readability, ensuring the information is easily absorbed. 

However, some color combinations can hinder comprehension. Using low-contrast colors, like light gray text on a white background, can strain the eyes and make the content difficult to read. It’s important to strike the right balance to ensure that your audience can effortlessly grasp the message you want to convey.

The importance of color choices in presentations cannot be overstated. When you understand the psychological effects of colors and use high-contrast combinations, you can create visually appealing slides that effectively convey your message to your audience.

Effective Background Colors

• Blue : Known for cultivating a sense of trust, calmness, and professionalism. Blue is widely used in business and educational presentations. Its versatility makes it suitable for various contexts, from corporate meetings to academic settings.
• Purple : Purple is usually associated with creativity and imagination. Also, it can add sophistication to your slides. It is a great choice for presentations related to art, design, and innovative concepts. It also represents royalty, wisdom, spirituality, and mystery.
• Green : Green symbolizes growth, harmony, and nature. It is perfect for presentations about sustainability, health, and environmental topics. It helps create a positive and refreshing atmosphere, making it suitable for inspiring and motivating your audience.
• White : A classic and timeless option, white backgrounds provide a clean and minimalist look, drawing attention to the content. It is excellent for professional settings, formal presentations, and showcasing visuals.
• Gray : Often used as a neutral backdrop, gray complements other colors and prevents distractions. It can add a touch of formality to your presentation, making it suitable for business reports and data-heavy slides.

Remember, it’s important to consider your presentation’s context and content. Make sure there is enough contrast between the background and text colors. Only then can people read it easily.

Also, consider how different colors might make your audience feel. Choose colors that match the mood and goal of your presentation.

Text Colors For Maximum Impact 

Contrast is key when selecting text colors. One of the most common mistakes in color selection for presentation slides is a need for more contrast between the background and text colors. If you want the audience to see the text on the screen, it must be a high-contrast color with the background. As a result, the text appears to float above the background rather than blend in with it.

Using lighter text colors like white, light gray, or pastel shades for a dark background creates a striking contrast that makes the text pop. This high contrast ensures clear visibility of the content and prevents eye strain. It’s particularly useful when presenting in dimly lit rooms or on large screens.

Conversely, darker text colors like black, dark blue, or deep brown for a light background create a sharp contrast that enhances readability. The dark text stands out vividly against the bright background, making it easy for the audience to follow the presentation, even from a distance.

Remember, the goal is to ensure that the text is readable without causing any discomfort to the audience. Maintaining a strong contrast between text and background can effectively convey your message and keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.

Common Mistakes In Color Choice 

Red and Green- Using red and green together can be tough for color-blind people. Many people need help telling these colors apart, leading to confusion and misunderstandings.

Another mistake is using too many bright and clashing colors. It can make the presentation look messy and unprofessional. Also, using text and background colors that need more contrast can make it hard for everyone to read the content. 

To avoid these pitfalls:

• Consider using color combinations easily distinguishable by individuals with color blindness.
• Opt for high-contrast colors for text and background to enhance readability.
• Use a color palette with limited colors that complements the presentation’s theme and maintains consistency.

Test your color choices on different devices and screens to ensure they appear as intended. By being mindful of color choices and their potential impact, you can create visually appealing presentations that effectively communicate your message to all viewers.

Color Schemes For Professional Presentations

• Grey and Yellow : Grey represents neutrality and sophistication, while yellow symbolizes energy and optimism. They create a balanced and modern look suitable for business and corporate presentations.
• Blue and White : Blue is widely associated with trust, reliability, and professionalism, making it a popular choice for business settings. White complements blue, providing a clean and minimalist backdrop that enhances readability. This combination exudes a sense of clarity and authority, making it suitable for formal presentations and reports.

Using professional color combinations makes the presentation look nice and put together. It shows that the presenter is skilled and trustworthy, which helps build a good impression with the audience. Also, these colors are easy on the eyes so that the audience can focus on the content without problems.

The Role Of Color Psychology in Presentations 

Understanding the fundamental concepts of color psychology allows you to strategically use colors to deliver your message and impact your audience.

Warm colors grab the audience’s attention and emphasize essential points in the presentation. For example, highlighting key statistics or impactful quotes in red can draw the eye and make the information stand out.

Conversely, cool colors like blue, green, and purple are often used in professional settings to convey a sense of reliability and credibility. 

Neutral colors, like gray and white, can be used as background colors to enhance readability. Combining neutral colors with bolder accents can create an elegant and professional look.

Colors have a strong effect on how people feel and think. Companies pick colors that match their personality for logos and ads. Using these colors in presentations can help people recognize the brand. People remember the message better. By knowing how colors make us feel, presenters can use them wisely to get the audience’s attention. 

Customizing Your Presentation’s Color Scheme 

Step 1: Launch PowerPoint and open the presentation you want to customize.

Step 2: Tap on the “Design” tab at the top of the screen. It will display various design options.

Step 3: Select “Customize Colors…” from the drop-down menu to open the ‘Create New Theme Colors’ box.

Step 4: Choose the colors you want for your slide by clicking the color button next to the item. Select a new color from the pull-down menu if you want to change it.

Step 5: The Colors dialog box’s Standard tab displays a total of 127 colors, as well as white, black, and various shades of gray. Tap the Custom tab to use a color that doesn’t appear in the dialog box.

Step 6: Click Reset to start again using the colors you used when you first started.

Step 7: To save your customized color palette, enter a name in the Name area below and tap Save. The palette you saved gets added to the pull-down menu’s Colors gallery.

By following the above steps, you can customize the color scheme of your PowerPoint presentation.

Start Working On Your PowerPoint Background And Text Colors

We must consider the importance of background and text colors in PowerPoint presentations. Selecting the right color schemes can impact the audience’s perception and engagement. 

Aim for high contrast between text and background to ensure readability. And avoid potential pitfalls that may hinder comprehension. Professional color schemes, like gray and yellow, can elevate the presentation’s impact. It creates a polished and cohesive visual experience.

By making thoughtful color choices, presenters can craft attractive PowerPoint presentations. These well-designed visuals communicate their message, fostering better understanding.  The strategic use of colors makes the presentation impactful, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.

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What are the Best Colours for Your PowerPoint presentation?

• By Illiya Vjestica
• - January 26, 2023

Choosing the best colours for PowerPoint isn’t as black and white as it seems. Many factors go into picking a powerful palette – involving everything from your audience’s emotions to your talk’s cultural context and, of course, to how your slides look.

Suppose you’re taking it as seriously as you should. In that case, you need to consider all of these when deciding on your colour scheme – as nailing this aspect of your presentation’s design will help you to communicate your message in the most impactful way possible. Interested? Let’s get stuck in.

Complementary colours

It would help to consider contrast when picking two or more colours for your presentation.

Contrasting colours are valuables when it comes to heightening the visual effect of your slides. They’re instantly impactful – reeling your viewers in by drawing their eyes to the screen. Also, they enhance your slides’ other elements – such as any fonts or tables used – increasing their visibility when used correctly. There’s a reason why black is nearly always paired with white and blue with yellow or orange. Together, they create a powerful impression… and it’s all thanks to contrast.

There’s a simple way to discover contrasting colours, and that’s by using a simple colour wheel. With this tool, you can easily see which colours are the opposite of which… helping you to refine your palette and ensure your presentation has colourful clout.

It also helps to follow the 60-30-10 colour rule . It’s generally for interior decorating but can support picking a colour scheme.

What Colours should not be used in PowerPoint?

When choosing colours for your slides, it’s important to create a contrast between the background and the text. I recommend avoiding using light text on a light background.

For example, a yellow background with white text often makes the text difficult to read. Likewise, with yellow text on a white background, it’s challenging to see.

Make sure your presentation content can be seen at the back of the room. You can use a colour contrast checker to ensure you have a strong contrast ratio to ensure your slides will be readable. This will help make your text more readable and provide a clear contrast between the text and background of your slides to enable your audience to follow along easily.

What are the Most Popular Colours for PowerPoint?

Here are some of the best colour combinations in PowerPoint. You can choose to experiment with your own as well.

Red & Black

Black & Yellow

Others include:

Blue & Yellow

Black & White

Orange and blue

Yellow and purple

Black and white

The selection method is slightly different for more complex presentations using three or more contrasting colours (triadic colours, for those who want to know). Pick three equally distanced colours around the colour wheel to choose the best complementary shades. These colours should, again, work beautifully together – providing that perfect contrast you crave.

Popular triadic choices include:

• Orange, green and purple
• Yellow, blue and red

Generally, we wouldn’t advise throwing a fourth colour into the mix – or more, besides. While using bright colours can have a wonderfully eye-catching effect on your PowerPoint slides, using too many at once could make them too “busy” – overloading the audience and detracting from the potential power of the colour combinations you’ve used. Adhere to the cliche “less is more”, and your simple yet striking presentation should speak for itself.

Colour psychology

You’re probably already familiar with the basic principles of colour psychology. Essentially, it’s been said that specific colours have set effects on people – specifically, causing them to feel a particular way. For instance, red is purported to inspire anger, blue to calm, and yellow to feel joy.

While there’s something to be said for this, colour psychology (as many people understand it) isn’t a flawless theory for one big reason: emotions aren’t quantifiable! Therefore, we can’t honestly claim that specific colours create the same feelings in every person – everybody’s different, and shades carry unique meanings for most of us.

You want to tap into your audience’s context of specific colours and other psychological and physical factors that may come into play. This is where the true magic of colour psychology lies. By understanding what influences your audience when it comes to colour – and knowing which colours are paired up with which emotions and responses in their lives – you can design something that sings. For instance, did you know that while, in Western and Japanese culture, the concept of love is associated with the colour red, it’s symbolised by the colour blue in African culture and yellow in Native American?

You can also your colour choice to the theme of your presentation. More on that later.

Know your audience. Get to know what inspires them, and let that influence your palette. It could make all the difference.

Colour symbolism

So, now you know to look into contrasting colours and your audience’s association with them. But we’re missing one major factor: you. What colours reflect you the best?

There are two ways that you can approach figuring this out. The first is straightforward: looking at your brand’s existing design. If you have a strong image already – of which colours will doubtlessly play a role, used on your website, logo and elsewhere – this is where you should start when designing your presentation. After all, these colours are already associated with you, so using them will create a strong link between your PowerPoint and the rest of your materials. Further, use colours so your audience can recognise you more quickly, and your presentation should look more professional. There are a lot of pros.

Option two requires a bit of decision-making. Suppose your brand doesn’t have any firm affiliations to colour already. In that case, you should consider which colours are associated with what in the context of your presentation and overarching brand ethos. Similarly to the colour psychology we’ve discussed, these hues will help you communicate your message clearly (and colourful). Some colour combinations are considered classic. They go together

Some popular colour associations include:

• Green – nature, the environment
• Blue – the ocean, sadness (referred to as “the blues”!)
• Orange – warmth, autumn
• Red – anger, love, energy

So: what are you talking about? Are there any clear colour associations to that topic already? Drill down to the heart of your presentation’s message, and choose the colours that reflect that the most.

One final thing. Once you’ve discovered your “essential” colour – whether that’s the colour that’s most strongly associated with the topic of your presentation or the colour that you’re hoping will have the biggest influence on your audience – make sure to make it the strongest colour on your palette (for instance, the background of your slides). This should ensure it delivers the impact you’re hoping for… levelling up your talk. Perfection.

Over to Hue

We know that we’ve given you a lot to think about, but if you’re ever feeling confused over colour, remember that it all boils down to the following factors:

Your brand + your audience’s colour associations + visual effect = the best palette

Once you’ve nailed this equation, the rest should come quickly. Good luck!

Choosing the right colours is one thing – putting together a presentation your audience will never forget. That’s another. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help your slides shine.

Create stunning presentations with our templates, toolkits and guides.

Illiya Vjestica

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9 Beautiful Color Palettes for Designing Powerful PowerPoint Slides

Anuj Malhotra

Color is fascinating. It is stimulating. It is like the universe itself- Infinite.

No matter how much you read on colors and their meanings, color theories, color wheel and types of color schemes , importance of color in design and what not, it still appears fresh and enlightening. Such is the power of colors- it makes you hungry for more knowledge, more thinking, more feeling and literally more hungry if you use warm colors like the exciting yellow and orange at an eating place. Even more romantic: just recall the abundance of colors and the romantic energy they evoked in La La Land!

Source- YouTube

So when we say, “Color plays an important role in design”, it is actually an understatement. It plays a huge role. It evokes a range of emotions, helps our eye navigate smoothly across the design, and sets the tone for the overall message you want to convey.

Unfortunately, as much as colors and their combinations are put to a wonderful use in web design and graphic design, they are grossly neglected in the presentation business. Half of the presentations are still reminiscent of stone age- dot points and essays thrown on white slide. The other half uses the safe blue (nothing wrong in that as blue represents professionalism) but all the time blue, seriously? Audience begins to feel blue.

P.S. Did you know Blue is the world’s favorite color ! It is! But I can place a bet of million dollars (not that I have it) that it is not the above blue. This is PowerPoint’s default color when you insert a shape or SmartArt.

It’s time to get creative while using colors in presentation slides! Forget about your brand colors if they are not exciting. Change them too. We desperately need to use this powerful design element and nonverbal communication tool to bring our presentations to life! But how?

We have done the hard work and found 9 awesome color palettes that would work wonders for presentations. Many are a beautiful combination of warm and cool colors (warm colors being red, yellow and orange that seem to approach us while cool colors being violet, blue and green that appear to recede from us). Also sharing the inspiration behind these color palettes. Let’s devour them one by one:

Also Read : A Super-Fast Guide to Business Plan Templates

9 Creative Color Combinations You Can Steal for Your Slides

Color palette #1- powerfully memorable (red and grey).

This color palette comprises basically 2 colors- red and grey and shades of them. This high contrast color scheme is applicable to all types of presentations, especially where you need to pitch your products or services. Red adds energy to the content and the slide, while grey grounds the slide, makes it look professional and lets red be the centre of attraction.

Red is also a great color for a brand since it signifies warmth, confidence and energy. Being such a memorable, emotionally intense color and having high visibility, it boosts brand recognition, and hence, is an integral part of bold color palettes. Here’s the color palette for you:

Download this Color Palette

We have also provided the darker variations of each color (called as Shades in color terminology) and lighter versions (called tint) in case you need to highlight or tone down a certain color based on your requirements and company branding.

P.S. To use such color palettes, simply save them and use the Eyedropper tool from the Color menu in PowerPoint:

If you want the exact color code in case you are using an older version of PowerPoint, you’ll have to manually enter the RGB color values for each hue. Simply click the More Colors… option given above the Eyedropper option and manually enter these values:

• Color 1- Red (Red- 224, Green- 69, Blue- 86)
• Color 2- Dark Red (Red- 43, Green- 21, Blue- 21)
• Color 3- Grey (Red- 242, Green- 242, Blue- 242)
• Color 4- Dark Grey (Red- 127, Green- 127, Blue- 127)

Inspiration Behind this Color Palette:

DDB Canada created a heartfelt campaign for The Historica Dominion Institute and in support of The Memory Project to pay tribute to its soldiers on 11/11/11. The sombre grey and lots of white space evokes the vacuum caused by the absence of those soldiers. The use of a single bright color- red- creates a dramatic effect and evokes awe in the viewers. Here’s the brilliant print ad:

Source- bestadsontv.com- The Historica-Dominion Institute: Remember 11/11/11

Do not draw the meaning that this combination is for special occasions. Every presentation is special for you. You want your message to be remembered. So use light grey as background and red in the foreground to highlight the most important phrase, icon..basically the core of that slide. Here’s a real estate PPT slide that applies such color palettes beautifully:

Also notice how dark grey has been used for text instead of the standard black. It creates a harmonious look and feel, and the slide overall looks creative and professional at the same time.

Give a Red-Carpet Look with this Color Scheme:

When following color palettes, you can switch the background and foreground colors- red as background and white or light grey as foreground. That will give a red-carpet look to your presentation:

Presentation Rule To Remember: Have High Contrast for Easy Readability

By and large, this rule will save you from making color disasters:

• Light Background Colors- Dark Foreground
• Dark Background Colors- Light Foreground

There was another color in the color scheme- dark red, almost resembling brown which is a very masculine color. You can use that too where you need to use color other than red; as we did in the slide below:

Alternatively, we could replace the serious dark red with the happy bright red in the above slide and use a shade of grey for the remaining 28% as we do not want to highlight that portion. We want to highlight 82% and since red is a perfect accent color (accent colors are colors used for emphasis); let’s use the same:

Which slide would perform better? Tell us later when you are done with this article; let’s move on to our second color palette:

Color Palette #2- Vibrant and Young (Plum, Orange, Teal & Grey)

Why do presentations have to look “old”? Why have they become synonymous with draining life out of audience? Too much text. Check. Bad design and layout. Check. Devoid of color or dull colors. Check, check. Well, for those who cannot chop off content due to some reason and have limited design and layout knowledge, we published an article on 15 Ways To Turn A Very Text-Heavy, Bullet-Ridden Slide Into Amazing! For the last problem i.e. dull colors, we are publishing this article. This color scheme (comprising plum, orange, teal and grey) screams young and is in no way less professional than any other color scheme:

Grab this Color Palette

Color codes for the hues:

• Color 1- Plum (Red- 184, Green- 13, Blue- 72)
• Color 2- Orange (Red- 242, Green- 151, Blue- 36)
• Color 3- Dark Teal (Red- 43, Green- 106, Blue- 108)
• Color 4- Dark Grey (Red- 64, Green- 64, Blue- 64)

The beauty herself and icon of the young generation- Emma Watson- stuns in a color-oozing ad by Lancôme, owned by L'oreal. She is the brand ambassador of Lancôme and her vibrance is matched by the beautiful spring colors in the ad below which you would have surely looked even before reading all this text.

Courtesy: Lancôme

Warm orange, seductive plum, innocent pink, mysterious dark teal- the above ad has all the face-turning colors. Doesn’t look relevant to presentations? That’s what I thought too before I extracted the colors and applied it to my slides. Boy, they look so vibrant!

The dark grey adds a professional touch while the plum and orange colors inject interest into the slide. Plum, very similar to purple, is a rich color that is associated with royalty and romance. Orange is the color of joy and creativity while Teal is the color of sophistication, confidence and serenity. If you feel combining these colors is creating a color riot, just choose any 2 contrasting colors from this palette and make your slides rock like these:

Color plays a very important role of grouping elements here. The reader can easily read the content alternatively as the process goes, or read the dark teal group and orange group separately. A picture will form in his head and if asked to recall the process later, he will remember the color blocks and quickly recall the content too.

The color palettes you choose depend on your preferences totally. That said, try using the brightest color sparingly or else it would overwhelm the audience and overpower everything. In the slide below, we reserved the plum color for the title alone:

Have you ever seen any Human Resource presentation so vibrant before? I never had. Let’s move to color palette 3:

Color Palette #3- Retro Rocks (Dark Blue, Tan & Green)

As conflicting as it may sound, your presentations can look old but it has to be stylishly old! Yes, I mean retro. Who doesn’t like the retro look and feel whether it is fashion, art or presentations for that matter. Here’s a color palette (comprising dark blue, tan and green colors) to give that retro vibe to your presentations!

Download this Color Scheme

Here’s the color code for each hue:

• Color 1- Dark Blue (Red- 4, Green- 37, Blue- 58)
• Color 2- Tan (Red- 225, Green- 221, Blue- 191)
• Color 3- Green (Red- 76, Green- 131, Blue- 122)

“Home is wherever you park.” A beautiful vintage poster I came across on the web immediately caught my attention thanks to its classic and nostalgic color scheme.

It’s dreamy quality comes from the dark blue sky, the green ground and the moon and the stars. The best color palettes mirror real life- they are relatable and thus more “human”. Since Dark Blue signifies power and knowledge, it is a perfect color for corporate presentations. Let’s apply it to our slides and see how it looks:

The slide looks a poster, doesn’t it! What better do you want. Each PowerPoint slide should be worthy of sharing on social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Since the look is so classic, your presentations also get the timeless look and feel. Here’s another presentation slide that is so poster-ish and larger than life:

Color Palette #4- Dominating Duo (Teal & Red)

This brings two of my favorite design colors together- Teal and Red. Color experts, interior designers and graphic designers can’t get enough of Teal. It is trendy and unique- neither blue nor green. It appears as if it has been discovered only recently, especially where presentations are concerned. I see Teal dominating infographics but can’t recall even one in presentations!  

Teal, as we said before, signifies trustworthiness, serenity and reliability. Complementing it and conflicting it is the energetic and sexy red. Use the lighter version of Teal which is Aqua as your slide background and you have a soothing, calm effect while red grabs the audience eyeballs.

Use the Eyedropper tool to extract these colors or apply the following color code:

• Color 1- Aqua (Red- 131, Green- 211, Blue- 212)
• Color 2- Dark Teal (Red- 45, Green- 129, Blue- 131)
• Color 3- Dark Red (Red- 145, Green- 12, Blue- 7)
• Color 4- Orange (Red- 244, Green- 129, Blue- 83)

A movie poster. Didn’t know my search for comedy movies would land me to the colorful and lively movie poster of Nacho Libre . The red flowing cape is understood and nothing out of the box but the hero’s teal tights surely caught my attention. Red looks all the more ravishing thanks to the ample teal in the background. Have you watched this movie? If you judge a book by its cover and correspondingly a movie by its poster, then the movie surely appears interesting.

Well, presentation mostly is not a comedy affair or a showbiz. But like any other visual communication, it has to attract audience attention and sustain it. Let’s replicate this color combination in our presentation slides and see how it looks:

The font is awesome but even an ordinary italic font in bold red could hardly go unnoticed. The darker shades of teal and red add mystery to the look and feel making one curious to see what comes next. This scheme is great for your Title slide and Section Header slides.

If you are using images in your text slides like in the one below, you can use just one color since the image already contains its own colors and adding teal and red would make the slide look busy. So you can use shades of teal and create a beautiful slide like the one below:

Color Palette #5- Authoritative Punch (Dark Green & Tan)

It’s said that age also influences your color preferences. Probably, the audience of your presentation is not the millennials but the investors and C-suite executives. You do not want to risk using orange and reds and appear non-serious. You want to look dead-serious and super-professional. Blue is a safe choice as I said. However, color palettes like this comprising 2 colors- Tan and Dark Green- are a better alternative and makes your slides look different from others:

Use this Color Palette Template

• Color 1- Dark Green (Red- 42, Green- 50, Blue- 46)
• Color 2- Tan (Red- 216, Green- 203, Blue- 187)
• Color 3- Blue-Gray (Red- 33, Green- 36, Blue- 39)
• Color 4- Brown (Red- 141, Green- 128, Blue- 111)

We have all searched for breathtaking wallpapers for our laptops and phones. What makes them breathtaking? Amazing landscape and colors. Here’s one such wallpaper I found on Pixabay. It is magical and mysterious. The forest dark green evokes awe, especially when it is surrounded by plenty of white space and light colors.

Let’s apply this color scheme to a serious presentation topic such as Customer Relationship Management:

Since dark green is an established army color as it camouflages with surroundings, you can leverage this association to your advantage. Use shades of green and tan in the slides that follow and give an authoritative look and feel to your presentation:

Color Palette #6- Crystal Clear (Turquoise, Teal & Blue)

If you have been using sky blue in your presentations, you can continue doing that. It is a refreshing and calming color that instantly brings to mind images of sky and sea. Also want to add a touch of sophistication to your presentations? Choose the Turquoise color instead. It is a combination of pale blue and green and brings to mind the turquoise gemstone.

Like blue, it is also refreshing and calming and symbolizes depth, stability and wisdom. More importantly, it’s crystal clarity signifies open communication, healing and emotional stability. A shade of turquoise is Teal that we used a little while back along with red. A lighter version of turquoise is aqua which when contrasted with white looks all the more pure and relaxing.

Color palettes like this one however puts turquoise against its darker shades like dark blue, teal and green to add authority, wisdom and sophistication to your presentation.

Grab this Beautiful Color Scheme

• Color 1- Turquoise (Red- 39, Green- 195, Blue- 243)
• Color 2- Dark Teal (Red- 12, Green- 113, Blue- 133)
• Color 3- Dark Teal (Red- 5, Green- 112, Blue- 145)
• Color 4- Dark Blue (Red- 3, Green- 52, Blue- 83)
• Color 4- Black (Red- 0, Green- 0, Blue- 0)

One can watch marine life for ages. The colorful beings inhabiting the crystal clear waters are a treat to watch. So, when I stumbled upon this BBC One documentary on tiny Japanese fish “pufferfish” designing a sculpture on the seabed, I was awestruck. It proved useful for my color palettes inspiration too. Here’s the cute fish:

Source- Youtube (BBC One Documentary)

Imagine this is as the background for your presentation- Lovely! The fish’s piercing black eye, dark blue shadow, the specks of green on its tail and skin wonderfully complement to create this natural color scheme. Let’s steal it for our PowerPoint presentation:

White looks the perfect contrasting color for blue. But the Teal color lends more power to the word “grow”. Of course, the typography also plays its part in reinforcing the message. By the way, if you want to add typography to your skill arsenal, do check out these 11 Typography Tweaks And Text Effects To Spice Up Your Presentation Content .

There is a lot of blue in this color palette but it won’t make anyone feel the blues. Take a look at this business slide to adapt to the right color palettes:

Color Palette #7- It’s American-ish (Red & Blue)

Fourth of July is around the corner. So why not use a color palette inspired by it.

There’s a reason America adopted red and blue along with white for its national flag. Red symbolizes courage and sacrifice, blue symbolizes vigilance and justice while white represented innocence and purity. The beloved American superheroes wear their patriotic colors with pride. See Spiderman's suit- red and blue. What about Superman and WonderWoman! Their traditional outfits too had dominantly red and blue combination.

That does not mean you have to be an American to use the color palette that we are sharing. We are using a totally different variation of red and blue. So use the following color palette without any hesitation:

Download this Dynamic Color Palette

RGB values for each hue:

• Color 1- Rose (Red- 255, Green- 86, Blue- 87)
• Color 2- Dark Teal (Red- 55, Green- 108, Blue- 138)
• Color 3- Light Orange (Red- 242, Green- 217, Blue- 187)
• Color 4- Blue-Grey (Red- 99, Green- 143, Blue- 169)

Never knew surfing on Facebook during office hours could also be productive. A video on my timeline “7 Signs You Are Perfect For Each Other” by FilterCopy got me glued with its beautiful color scheme.

Let’s apply this dynamic color scheme to our slides. Here is a slide which looks bold and powerful. There is a beautiful balance of masculinity and femininity too with dark blue and soft red.

White is a perfect contrasting color for easy readability, whether you take red and white combination or blue and white. Blue on red doesn’t look bad either. It scores a little less on readability as compared to white but if font size is not too small, you can carry off red and blue together with style like in the slide below:

Color Palette #8- Opposite Attraction (Blue & Yellow)

Opposites attract. So let’s take 2 opposite color forces- one that is attention-grabbing and one that is conservative. One that represents summer and the other winter. Yellow and blue. A warm and cool color in one single slide gives you the perfect balance- the youthful energy and the professional touch.

Use this Color Palette

Color 1- Dark Blue (Red- 2, Green- 81, Blue- 150)

Color 2- Orange/Mustard (Red- 253, Green- 179, Blue- 56)

Inspiration Behind This Color Palette:

A newsletter from an online shopping portal in my inbox coaxing me to shop for Father’s Day definitely convinced me (to steal the color palette for this article). It was perfect for the occasion as blue is considered the color of men and yellow calls for celebration.

So, if you love using blue for your presentations, please do. But try yellow or mustard this time as in the color palette and breathe life into your corporate presentations! Yellow is also the color of innovation; so we felt the color palette was perfect for this slide:

The yellow used here is not the bright yellow or the bright orange that professionals detest using. It is soft orange or mustard that does not look childish from any angle. Use shades of blue and yellow to avoid making the slides look too colorful. Notice how dark blue has been used for human face instead of a new color:

Color Palette 9- Down to Earth vs. Royal (Brown & Gold vs. Dark Purple)

How about using earthy colors for our presentation that gives an impression we are grounded in our roots! Earth tone color schemes include combination of browns and tans. The soil, clay, dirt and rocks give us neutral colors that can be used to give a down-to-earth look to our presentation. Here’s such a scheme that contains all the neutral colors except one- dark purple that is a color of royalty:

Grab this Color Scheme

According to your choice of color palettes, here are the values to get the exact hue:

• Color 1- Gold (Red- 254, Green- 174, Blue- 2)
• Color 2- Brown (Red- 110, Green- 54, Blue- 42)
• Color 3- Light Yellow (Red- 241, Green- 226, Blue- 160)
• Color 4- Dark Purple (Red- 32, Green- 12, Blue- 37)

An image of a yellow excavator on a construction site on Pixabay had all the feel-good earthy colors. You could also extract the sky blue color from this image although it is mostly covered by yellowish clouds. Wonder where we got the purple from? See the excavator’s shadow and the front portion where vehicle number is displayed:

Source: Pixabay

Let’s take the first 2 colors from such color palettes and apply this to a presentation slide- golden background and brown foreground. The gold color adds spark and prestige to the slide while the masculine brown gives power to the content:

Now, let’s apply the last 2 colors from this palette- pale yellow and dark purple. It’s a high contrast scheme and gives a royal look and feel to the slide. Let’s use the pale yellow as the background on the same slide and replace brown with purple. Which looks better?

Want to make your presentation look more royal and sophisticated? Use purple as the presentation background and use the soft yellow for your content, shapes and icons:

That’s all we had to share on color palettes with you for today. As we said in the beginning, color combinations can be infinite. Hope you exploit the power and psychology of color palettes to inject vitality into your PowerPoint presentations and other designs!

And hey, which color palette(s) did you like the most? Please give us your valuable feedback in the comments below. And if you found the article useful, spread the word. Here’s a pre-populated tweet to get you started:

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How to choose the best presentation colors

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Kelly Morr July 05, 2016

It’s no secret that humans are drawn to visual stimuli, but many underestimate how colors affect our emotions and responses to information. Our color associations are not merely preferences, they’re also influenced by culture and evolution. For instance, it’s thought that humans have an aversion to brown because of its associations with rotting produce. However, the color red captures our attention because it’s a universal sign of heightened emotion. Presentations that are not only visual but also thoughtful when it comes to color, have a better chance of effectively communicating their message. That’s why in this article, we’ll share some of our top tips for putting together a powerful presentation color palette.

Presentation colors: Setting the mood

To choose your presentation colors, start by determining what mood you’re trying to set. Is the message supposed to be exciting? Perhaps it’s intended to keep people calm during a time of high tension, or maybe it’s full of important information that will require your audience to stay alert and attentive throughout. In any case, try using the guide below to help you select the right starting point for your presentation colors.

A dash of color theory

Once you’ve used mood to determine your base color, you can move on to choosing the rest of your presentation colors. At 99designs , we use a color wheel and a bit of color theory to help us out. Consider one of the following themes:

Monochromatic : one color in multiple shades or hues.

A monochromatic theme will give your presentation a feeling of harmony and be visually pleasing to almost everyone. If this were a food, it would be spaghetti with meatballs: it’s a classic and when done right it can be amazing, but even if not done right it’s pretty hard to offend anyone or make it terrible.

Analogous : two colors right next to each other on the color wheel, you’ll want to pick different shades or hues of these colors, as well, for contrast.  

This approach adds a nice level of variety but is still fairly safe. This is good for helping people pay attention and take in complicated topics without overwhelming them. If this were a food it would be enchiladas: it has a little spice, but it’s still a pretty safe thing to serve at a dinner party.

Complementary : two colors across from each other on the color wheel, again, with a couple shades/hues of each.

This will get attention! When we see complementary colors next to each other, it overloads our brains. This sort of scheme is best used when you definitely want to make a splash. If this type of theme were a food it would be screaming hot chili: some people are going to love it, but it may be too spicy for others.

Triadic : three colors equally spaced around the color wheel, with small variations in the shade of two colors.

This is a color scheme for advanced color users. When done right, it can guide where people look, creating balanced and visually compelling presentations, but it’s also really easy to mess up. Triadic themes are chocolate souffle : gourmet, delicious, will win you praise from almost anyone, but are super hard to make a right. One tip to keep in mind is to give each of your presentation colors a purpose. For example, one color should be more muted to ground viewers and the other two should be intentionally used as accents.

Tips for choosing the best presentation colors

Choosing the right presentation colors is crucial because they can significantly impact the audience’s perception and understanding of the content. Here are a few tips to help you select the best colors for presentations:

Think about what colors mean

Different colors can make people feel different ways. For example, blue is often seen as trustworthy, and red can grab attention. Choose presentation colors that match what you’re trying to say. If your theme is more on the formal side, blues and greens are great. For something that needs to pack a punch, you might want to go with reds and oranges.

Know your audience

People from different places or backgrounds might see colors differently. And it’s not just about culture; age and gender can play a role too. Younger folks might like bright, bold colors, while a more mature audience might prefer something less flashy.

Simplicity is key

Stick to a few presentation colors so you don’t overwhelm your audience. A good starting point is one main color for the background, another for your text, and maybe one or two extras to highlight important points. This makes sure your audience knows where to look.

Make sure it’s easy to read

You’ll want to pick presentation colors that stand out against each other so everyone can read your text easily. A dark background with light text or the other way around usually works best. 

Test it out

Colors can look different depending on where you’re presenting or what device you’re using. Always check how your presentation colors look in the room you’ll be in or on the device you’ll use. This way, you can make sure everything looks just right, no matter where you are.

Brand alignment

When picking colors for your presentation, it’s key to match them with your or your company’s brand. This consistency helps people recognize the brand and keeps things looking sharp. If you’re presenting on behalf of a company, starting with the brand’s colors is a smart move.

Trend awareness

Staying up to date with current color trends can give your presentation a modern and relevant vibe. But remember, it’s crucial that these trendy colors fit well with what you’re trying to say and don’t shift focus away from your main points.

Be aware of accessibility needs

Make sure to consider how accessible your color choices are for people with color vision differences. It’s important to steer clear of color pairs like red-green or blue-purple that might be hard for someone with color blindness to tell apart. 

Feedback loop

It’s a smart move to get some outside opinions on your choice of presentation colors. Chatting with colleagues or friends can shine a light on aspects you might not have considered. They might see things differently, which can really help you fine-tune how your presentation comes across.

Keeping these points in mind can help you choose the right presentation colors, making it clear, engaging, and accessible to your audience.

How do colors work? 

Colors carry distinct meanings, allowing you to shape audience perception in your presentation. Understanding these meanings helps in choosing the right presentation color palette to achieve the intended impact on your audience.

• Red: Signals urgency and excitement. It’s powerful for grabbing attention and can evoke strong emotions like passion and danger.
• Blue: Conveys trust and calm. It’s preferred for its soothing effect and is often used in corporate and healthcare settings to inspire confidence.
• Yellow: Associated with happiness and energy. Its brightness catches the eye quickly, making it effective for highlighting important points.
• Green: Represents growth and harmony. It’s easy on the eyes and used to denote eco-friendly concepts or financial themes.
• Orange : Suggests creativity and enthusiasm. It’s less aggressive than red but still effective in drawing attention and showing warmth.
• Purple: Implies luxury and wisdom. It’s used to create a sense of mystery or to appeal to the imagination.
• Black: Denotes sophistication and elegance. It’s powerful for conveying seriousness and can make other colors stand out when used as a background.
• White: Symbolizes purity and simplicity. It’s great for creating contrast and making content appear cleaner and more accessible.
• Pink: Evokes femininity and romance. It’s softer than red and can attract attention with its nurturing and calming qualities.
• Gray: Represents neutrality and balance. It’s versatile, often used as a background to help other colors pop or to convey a sense of sophistication without overwhelming.

What colors attract people’s attention?

When selecting colors for presentations, our primary goal is to capture the audience’s attention. This requires a thoughtful selection of colors that complement each other well. Here are several attention-grabbing color combinations designed to catch the eye, tailored to suit many themes and styles:

• Red and white: This mix is great for when you want to get people excited or to act on something, like in a sales pitch or a pep talk. It’s clear and direct.
• Navy blue and gold: Perfect presentation colors for serious business talks, financial updates, or anything where you want to look sharp and trustworthy. The use of a blue color theme keeps things looking professional.
• Yellow and gray: This combination is perfect for sparking creativity or presenting something new, like a startup idea or a design project. It’s bright and keeps things interesting.
• Turquoise and coral: This one’s refreshing and works well for topics on health, wellness, or the environment. It feels fresh and easy on the eyes, great presentation colors for learning settings.
• Purple and lime green: If you’re aiming to stand out, especially with tech or futuristic themes, this is your go-to. These are colors that grab attention without being too much.
• Orange and teal: Ideal for talking about marketing, travel, or anything adventurous. It’s engaging and makes people want to listen, perfect for a younger or dynamic crowd.
• Black and electric blue: When you’re dealing with high-tech or luxury products, this beautiful color combination gives off a cutting-edge vibe. It’s sleek and makes a statement.

Each pair is picked to not just look good but to help convey your message effectively to your audience, depending on what you’re talking about.

Presentation colors: careful application is key

When you’ve got your palette together, remember to use it to direct attention rather than steal the show. For example, see how the monochromatic theme below was applied to the dinosaur illustration. From left to right, the first color was used for headlines, the second for body text, the third for background, and the fourth and fifth are accent colors.

Also, remember that accent colors should be used sparingly. Try using them to draw attention to the most important parts of your presentations, such as the 1-3 key takeaways you want people to remember.

If you’re interested in learning more about creating an effective presentation, read the following article on presentation design .

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Home Blog Design Color Theory for Presentations: A Detailed Guide for Non-Designers

Color Theory for Presentations: A Detailed Guide for Non-Designers

Color theory is a common conversation topic for graphic designers as its rules guide every aspect of a quality-crafted project. We can ask ourselves then: does color theory apply to presentation design? The short answer is: definitely yes.

To elevate the impact that your presentations can have, we designed this guide, intended to help people who are not necessarily knowledgeable in graphic design. We will cover in detail what color theory is, how different color schemes make a psychological effect on your target audience, recommended color schemes and pairings, and accessibility rules. Also, you can find two step-by-step examples in the final section on how to craft high-quality presentations by following these rules.

Table of Contents

Color properties and models

• On primary, Secondary, and Tertiary colors

Color temperature

Why do we use color theory, monochromatic, complementary, rectangle or tetradic, split complement, accessibility rules for color theory, black: luxurious, sexy & powerful, white: fresh and clean, silver: innovation and modernity, red: power, action & confidence, blue: trustworthiness, stability & safety, yellow: happiness, energy & attention, green: money, health, nature & luck, purple: wisdom, creativity & ambition, brown: strength, security & isolation, orange: uplifting, attention & energy, pink: girly and romance, case study 1: creating a presentation with contrasting values, case study 2: create a presentation for eco-friendly purposes, case study 3: create a vibrant presentation to engage your audience, final tips for proper usage of color theory in presentation design, what is color theory.

We can resume color theory as guidance on color mixing and combinations for achieving harmonious results, but to truly understand color theory, we must understand the concept of color itself.

The initial findings and research on color date back to ancient Greece , where Aristotle understood colors as “a mixture of light and darkness,” but discordances were seen in the way the human eye was able to perceive the phenomenon of color. Demokritos understood colors as the energy emitted from self-radiating objects but could not be extracted for artistic purposes. For philosophers like Plato, color was perceived after the rays emitted by the self-radiating objects collided with “pure rays” placed in the human eyes by the gods. Therefore the perception of “color” mainly depended on the properties of those rays (size, strength, and speed). 

Even if we can criticize such simplistic approaches to color perception these days, the truth is those definitions aren’t that far from contemporary concepts. The color theory formalization process started with the findings of Leone Battista Alberti, referring to the mixture of colors as an infinite process in which other hues are created, but recognized only four true colors: red, blue, green, and grey. For Alberti, white and black were alterations in different colors.

The works of Leonardo da Vinci were geared toward the interaction of light and shade, where white represented the light and black the absence of color. This formulation was adequately analyzed by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666 when he observed that white light was composed of the entire spectrum of colors present in the rainbow. His experiment, made using two prisms, proved that light lacked any proper color on its own, but “color” was a human perception of the range of energies emitted when light fulfilled these three premises:

• It had a medium for propagation: air, water, etc.
• It involved interacting with at least two elements: an object and light.
• It had a spectator whose rational interpretation was able to “decode” the energy into a “color.”

The direct consequence of Newton’s findings is the method by which we can analyze a color’s properties.

• Hue : How is the color perceived (if it is blue, red, yellow, etc.).
• Saturation : Also known as Intensity, it refers to how vivid color is. The more saturation it has, the stronger the color it will be. The lower the saturation value is, the more grayish the color would look.
• Value : Speaks of the amount of light present in color. Colors with considerable amounts of light are referred to as Tints , whereas colors lacking light are known as Shades . 

Thanks to these properties, colors can be classified according to their interaction with each other in two big models:

• Additive color model : This is where RGB comes from. Red, Green, and Blue make the primary colors as they are the colors available in the photoreceptors of the human eyes. Since white is conceived as the combination of red, green, and blue in equal parts, any ratio alteration creates the different colors we can perceive. Hence, black is defined as the removal of the three primary colors. This theory was conceived by James Clerk Maxwell and is fundamental for any kind of visual media.
• Subtractive color model: This model refers to CYMK, the acronym being Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, and Black. It is called subtractive as the concept behind it is purely physics-based. If we take the light spectrum and mix it with pigments, certain pigments absorb part of the light spectrum before letting the light bounce. Therefore, light waves are “subtracted” from the original light source when the color reaches the viewer’s eye. For instance, white objects lack pigments; that’s why the full spectrum reaches the object and can be perceived as white. As you add more pigments, you subtract more light waves from the light source, getting to the point where an object is perceived as black (hence why the letter K is in the acronym). 

Now, these two different color perception models are applied in various mediums. As mentioned above, the RGB color range from the additive color model is used in visual media, such as computers and television. Up to 16.7 million colors can be created from this model, and the methodology for this is by mixing each channel (red, green, and blue) in a range from 0 (least saturated) to 255 (most saturated). 

The CYMK color range from the subtractive color model is used for print media in a broad range of options: paper, textile, dyes, ink, etc. Unlike the RGB mode, CMYK is heavily restricted to an estimated 16k possible colors. Since CMYK is based on pigments, the conformation of each color is expressed in percentages for each tint.

On Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Colors

We have approached a great deal of information, but what about what the teacher told us about “primary” and “secondary” colors in school? Well, let’s blame artists for this. 

During the 18th century, discussions about color vision came to the convention that all elements were made out of three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. This was due to the belief that these three tints could mix all the other colors perceived by the human eye. The RYB model distinct red, yellow and blue as the primary colors , where the mixture of these hues produces the secondary colors : orange, green, and violet.

Tertiary colors result from mixing a primary and a secondary color but include a higher ratio of the primary color. By doing that, you end up with these colors:

• Blue-green (Teal) = Blue + Green
• Yellow-green (Chartreuse) = Yellow + Green
• Red-orange (Vermilion) = Red + Orange
• Red-purple (Magenta) = Red + Purple
• Blue-purple (Violet) = Blue + Purple
• Yellow-orange (Amber) = Yellow + Orange

Although lighting professionals typically coin this concept, the truth is we can classify colors by their “temperature.” For artists and any kind of visual/printed medium, color temperature is a relative concept that relates to how cold or warm a color is perceived and the psychological effects linked to it.

Why is the color temperature a relative concept? Simple, it’s strictly related to the color in proximity to it. For example, if we take a wine color sample (red-violet) and put it close to a blue-colored object, the wine color will be perceived as warmer . On the other hand, if we take that same sample and place it next to a red thing, the wine color is observed as cooler due to the presence of blue pigment.

As a convention, colors can be classified according to their temperature as:

• Warm colors : Red, yellow, and orange hues
• Cool colors : Blue, blue-green, and violet hues

Some colors are “in-between” as they can both be warm or cold. Examples of these are pink, green, and gray.

In a later section, we will analyze the impact color temperature has on psychology and its usage for transmitting emotions in a message.

As in any discipline, we need a framework to provide quality results. Color theory is the consequence of centuries of research made by thinkers, scientists, and artists about the behavior of color and the human psyche. 

This framework ensures we work under visually harmonic results for the desired outcome. Correct usage of color theory can elevate a design to its maximum potential. Although, we should consider that design is not the ultimate reason why the research on color and its theorization happened in the first place. In 1879 Odgen Rod published Modern Chromatics , the first scientifical publication made by a physicist about color theory taking notions from Jack Clerk Maxwell’s postulates. His work inspired the creation of a color standardization system, resumed in the 1912 book Color Standards and Color Nomenclature by Robert Ridgway.

In a different line of research, color representation was an idea often revisited during the 18th and 19th centuries. 3D shapes displayed the different hues, shades, and tints: spheres, pyramids, and cones. Eventually, the method was inefficient for any respectable academic or professional work. It was by the hand of professor Albert Munsell (creator of the Munsell Color System, still used to date) that a proper relationship between hue, saturation, and value was established. His discoveries involved a rigorous methodology in which the three color properties were expressed in percentages as a “rational way to describe color” – contrasting with the traditional (and misleading) color naming system.

Munsell’s first findings were published in his 1905 Color Atlas , improved later in the 1929 Munsell Book of Color . The impact of Munsell’s research was that his system was almost instantly adopted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for soil research and later on by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the standardization of skin and hair colors in forensic pathology. Other known usages of Munsell’s system include dental restoration practices (for defining dental pieces’ tint) or comparing digital media to human color vision.

A final application of color theory and the one that mainly involves us in crafting presentations came from the findings of art theorist and artist Wassily Kandinsky . He established the nexus between colors and the effect on human behavior – a study that later evolved into the discipline of Color Psychology . His perception of the spirituality found in art is heavily used to date in marketing as specific colors were able to alter the mood of the audience. We will elaborate on this topic in a later section of this guide.

Types of Color Schemes

In this section, we will explain in detail each of the color schemes. Consider this article on color mixing for presentations as complementary information about tips for how to balance the color ratio and how to select a scheme.

A monochromatic color scheme applies a single color with variations in shades and tints. This kind of scheme is often found in house paint palettes, and the overall effect is consistency.

Whereas it lacks contrast to make it look “vibrant,” the monochromatic scheme is one of the preferred choices of many designers as simply you cannot go wrong with it. It takes the decision of color matching out of the scene, and you can play with different shades and tints of the same hue to make transitions, highlight an element, etc.

The analogous color scheme works with a pairing of the main color and the two directly next to it in the color wheel. One example we can take is an analogous scheme of blue with blue-green and green. 

Overall, it is a color scheme that can be applied in most scenarios without harsh dynamic range impact. Its expected usage is for logos or branding, looking for a harmonic result in which the different colors blend together to convey a message.

If you want to create an impactful contrast, this is your color scheme. The complementary color scheme uses two colors directly across the color wheel. Any other tints or shades relevant to those two colors can also be used. 

And here’s why color theory is critical when approaching a presentation design. How would you actually use the colors in this complementary color scheme? 50/50? If that’s your initial guess, you are awfully wrong.

To preserve harmony in the composition, the advisable route is to consider one color as the predominant and the second contrasting color as the accent . The different tints and shades can be used in similar proportions, always as subordinates of those two. 

The complementary color scheme is ideal for graphs, charts, and infographics. Its striking contrast makes elements outstand; thus, it’s advisable not to overload the balance between predominant and accent. One part can be colored in the accent color, then tints and shades of that color make the different points of the graph. The predominant color becomes the background for that presentation.

The tetradic color scheme defines a rectangle area where the four corners are the selected colors for the palette. It is one of the schemes that oughts to be used with extreme caution.

As a result of this selection process, we end up with two bold tones, and two muted ones, which are secondary colors related to the first ones. To apply the rectangle color scheme, start by making one color dominant . Balance the rest of the colors as subtle accents for different sections. To avoid its overwhelming effect, you can use either black or white (depending on your selection of colors) to tone down the color explosion.

Mobile development is a fine example of applying a tetradic color scheme, where we can see menus with cards in different colors. Keep a close eye on it; you will subtly find the other three tones in each card. Companies like Google or Microsoft use tetradic schemes for their logos, as it boosts the idea of diversity and openness.

The triadic color scheme is trendy in flyers design and is also known to produce the best colors for presentations. Since all colors are equally distant in the color wheel, you get a high contrast composition; however, the best part of this color scheme is to play with the softer tints each color has as it gets closer to white.

Say you pick blue-violet as the dominant color. Yellow-green will be the color to contrast that blue-violet for a balanced look (red-orange if your take was to make it highly vibrant), so you can use either 100% yellow-green or a softer tint of it for different parts of your design. Then, the red-orange becomes a hue to add dynamism to the composition in attention-grabbing details. 

The square color scheme is a bolder version of the rectangle color scheme. Coining the idea of even spaces between colors, you end up with dramatic changes in hues while preserving one primary color, which is one of the reasons why web designers often pick this color scheme. 

For correctly applying this scheme, we suggest you pick the darkest hue as the dominant color , then gradually introduce the others using the 60-30-10 rule for a balanced composition. Using white or black as the predominant color is an alternative, whereas the others picked by the square color scheme make the composition pop.

Finally, we have the Split Complement or Split Complementary color scheme, which resembles a tree structure. This scheme picks a primary color. Instead of selecting its direct complementary, it opts for a split in which the two colors are chosen on each side of the complementary color. 

This kind of scheme is ideal for infographics and presentations since you balance the high contrast of the Complementary scheme with two subtler but intense colors. The second reason why so many users are fans of this scheme is that it keeps a proper balance between warm and cool colors. 

Let’s assume red-violet is going to act as the base color . Then blue-violet can be used to enforce some shadow areas and yellow to bring life to the composition in a striking way. Since the contrast can be overwhelming, be mindful about the dosage of color you apply, and mostly: choose the base color with care . As an extra note, you can use a tint of the selected base color if you consider the chosen one is far too bold (e.g., if you picked yellow as the base color).

Color isn’t the answer to every project. Even if you consider the first step of picking the proper color scheme for your design is done, there are some extra rules you ought to check to ensure design accessibility . We cannot be more clear about this topic: if your design doesn’t follow the basic accessibility rules, all that hard work was done for nothing. Why? Let’s consider the following scenario.

You designed a presentation. The slides are done and ready to be projected for your audience. After the conference started, people in the back rows complained they could not understand what was written in your slides. Or worse: they get confused when trying to visualize graphs. And this doesn’t just affect people with visual impairments (which you should always consider when designing your slides) – different lighting conditions can hinder your own presentation performance from your workspace if the color contrast isn’t appropriate.

Therefore, we will resume the principal guidelines for accessibility that concern color theory:

• Contrast foreground and background : To ensure your presentation is readable, apply a color contrast of 4.5:1 for placeholder text and 3:1 for titles. This also applies if the text was rasterized as part of an image. You can see the difference below between what’s considered a faulty contrast and a well-made pairing.
• A word of caution : Please look at the font color’s overall lightness. There’s a specific reason for not using 100% lightness because it causes visual discomfort to the user.

• Don’t assume people understand color the same way: As we’ve seen above, the perception of color is subjective and can be influenced by factors that can be both psychological, physiological, or even educational. Let’s take a classic as an example. A form section that says, “Required fields are in red.” Whereas this can be simple to understand, a person with daltonism or achromatopsia (total color blindness) won’t even know where to look. Instead, use a visual cue to help the user understand where to look, such as “Required fields are marked with an *.”
• Test designs in different sizes: Something that can be seen as balanced on a printed paper or computer screen may be overwhelming when reduced to mobile format. It’s a good practice to test the color schemes in different screen sizes to be confident users can read and understand our content, regardless of the medium they use.

Psychological effects associated with effective color theory application

Even though the naming is relatively recent, color psychology is the discipline that understands the relationship between color and human interaction. So significant is the importance for this study area that food packaging doesn’t happen accidentally, as improper color usage can alter how you perceive that food. Marketing, interior design, gaming industry, graphic designers , and so many other industries apply the guidelines of color psychology in their daily production to grant consumer satisfaction. 

This section will explore the intrinsic messages that color can transmit and how our presentations can benefit from that.

As an easy term, black can be understood as the absence of color. People can also interpret black as the lack of light or the technical fact that black can absorb the entire light spectrum.

Since we can analyze the color meanings by its positive and negative associations, we start with the positive feelings oozed by the color black. It is a direct message of sophistication and luxury. People instantly associate black with the color of tuxedos, black limos, and many spy-themed movies. 

The black color also speaks of power, and it’s not without a cause, as court dresses historically have been black. Banking institutions reserve the black color for their premium members’ cards.

Negative connotations of the color black are feelings that evoke depression. This can be easily fixed by a sound, contrasting presentation color palette.

Opt for a black-themed presentation if you wish to transmit exclusivity, a VIP product or service for your audience. Gold accents work perfectly for this kind of topic, although somewhat cliché. Instead, you can work with ochre and coffee tones with subtle white accents to make the design tridimensional. Use texture images, such as carbon fiber, to reinforce the message of something luxurious that can elevate the customer’s standards.

Word of advice: not all black colors are precisely “black” – You can find warmer blacks, which work best with ochre tones, and cooler blacks that get along best with silver/gray hues.

White speaks of purity, of something clean and innocent, hence why it is the main color picked for wedding dresses, baptisms, or hotel bedding. White also transmits minimalism, which is why nordic styling often pairs warm wood with matte white finishes for table lamps or furniture. It has a conveyed message of austerity.

As a color, technically speaking, is the full spectrum of light without being bounced. Therefore, white can be understood as a blank state, a new beginning of sorts. Its simplicity makes easier the effort to craft a presentation, so that’s the reason behind many users opting for classical white-predominant themes.

Negatively speaking, white can evoke bad feelings for those who have photophobia (intolerance to harsh lights) due to its striking contrast. Remember the recommendation above for not using pure 100% lightness in the white text? The same applies here for backgrounds unless you have a keen desire to hurt the spectators’ eyesight. Lower the value of white to 80-90% if your presentation is going to be purely white-based, and use 100% lightness for accent details if you prefer.

Pure white can also be perceived as dull, so pairing it with another hue is necessary for specific industries for quality presentation design.

Silver or gray (depending on whether it resembles a metallic look) is a color of grace and modernity. It transmits a message of a change of direction, as light can bounce off it. Hence, professionals use it not just for technological aspects but also mental health as you feel all mental blocks are getting lifted.

It is a color often associated with wealth – its direct relationship with the silver metal – and thanks to being shiny, clean, and alluring, it is associated with everything modern and hi-tech. 

Whereas it can be seen as a perfectly balanced color, it can easily be misused and fall under the bland side of the color spectrum. Melancholy and loneliness are negative feelings sometimes associated due to the lack of a prominent hue on them. Don’t be fooled by such a statement as there aren’t two equal grays in the world: put two gray color samples side by side, and you’ll notice the subtle differences in hue.

It is a color that dignifies, speaks of maturity, and a well-organized scenario. The corporate world uses this color in almost every scenario without even relating that embedded message, and at the same time, it reinforces the meaning. 

In color psychology, the primary colors are the ones that transmit the most powerful messages. Red conveys the fiery energy that fuels power and confidence. It is a color with a duality no other hue can express, and we will analyze why.

On a positive note, red is associated with love and passion. The image of a woman wearing a red dress or holding a red bottle of perfume not just seeks to evoke passion but to present the woman as a confident person, capable of making her own choices to shape her future. She is the coveted element of desire, not by her sex but by the ideal of power she can transmit. 

Traditionally, red is the color of power in cultural scenarios. The Academy Awards attendants and nominees walk over the “red carpet.” Political parties use the color red for their logos. Anyone who sees the color red can instantly associate with the brand Ferrari and their Cavallino Rampante logo. 

Physiologically, red is powerful enough to produce these physical effects:

• Elevate blood pressure
• Enhance metabolic rate
• Increase heart rate
• Induce hyperventilation
• Increase appetite

That’s why using red is not something to take for granted. Abusing the usage of red in a presentation can cause discomfort, whereas proper usage of red makes it engaging and dynamic. Remember that red is also the color used for signage in the case of “danger,” “stop,” “fire,” and several other negative connotations.

Be cautious when using pure red as your dominant color. Sometimes it’s best to play it safer and opt for a shade or a tint not so predominant in the message.

Blue is a color that instantly uplifts productivity. Commonly found in nature as in the daytime sky or water, it inspires serenity in the spectator, building confidence to become more productive. 

One of the reasons blue is so commonly used in designs is because it’s felt as something conservative. Like you cannot go wrong when using blue or pairing blue with another color. That’s another sign of how much of an intense presence blue has in our daily life that we feel natural to pair blue with another hue. 

As one of the primary colors, blue creates a strong feeling of stability and safety. Businesses, banking institutions, and health centers use blue to transmit their values of professionalism and trustworthiness. Psychologically, blue has the opposite effect to red regarding pulse rate, so it’s not unusual to find blue hues in offices requiring much concentration time. 

Negatively, blue is associated with sadness, as in the common saying “feeling blue.” Pure blue schemes can seem detached to some audiences; therefore, opt for a Split Complement , Analogous , or Rectangle color scheme to make it look attention-grabbing. Some schemes pairing blue shades with ochre, brown, or orange can transmit the message of luxury when done with subtlety. 

As the final primary color, it’s bright and intense, becoming one of its main usages as an attention-grabber. In general guidelines, we must not overuse yellow as a color in designs since it quickly builds visual fatigue. Physiologically, that has been related to the amount of lighting it emits in comparison with other colors (hence, its similar performance to white in cases of photophobia). However, we must not forget yellow can also increase the metabolic rate.

Yellow can get perception dualities as we’ve seen with red: some people find it cheerful, inspiring happiness and energy (e.g., SpongeBob SquarePants character), and others perceive it as absolutely annoying. That’s due to the attention-grabbing factor, so we must apply it carefully in presentation design.

Due to it being a stimulating color, we would recommend using tints of yellow as background color if yellow is a must. Avoid pure yellow at all costs. Some people interpret the yellow color as aggressive, and your presentation conveys the wrong message. Psychologically, it has been studied that conceited people prefer yellow color , whereas introverts react negatively to it. Instead, use a color scheme that pairs yellow with a less dramatic color, and apply yellow as the accent color of your scheme.

Is there any other instant connotation for green besides nature, outdoors, and ecology? Green is distinguished as a refreshing color and associated with health and eco-friendly practices.

As a combination of the steady blue and the happiness-booster yellow, green mellows the soul, taking us to a relaxing atmosphere. This is why designers create “green spaces” inside office buildings – becoming critical in dense capital cities with limited outdoor places to unplug from work. 

Historically, humanity has associated green with different values:

• Money : Currency bills, such as the US dollar.
• Health : There are cultural associations of the color green with fertility, eating healthy, the agricultural industry, and living stress-free.
• Nature : The outdoors, green energy, eco-friendly organizations.
• Luck : A four-leaf clover, casinos, winning.

On the other hand, there’s the common saying that one can be “green with envy”, or relate to motion-sickness. Thankfully, that’s not the message green transmits when used in the design.

Before applying green to your slides, remember it’s not the same message you send when using an olive green (that speaks of elegance and earthiness) as when using an aqua green (freshness, sports). Be mindful when picking the green hue and research its own meaning before using the color because you just like it.

Although this color is associated with feminist movements these days, purple historically speaks of wisdom and creativity. It has an embedded message of ambition due to its cultural references to royalty and the clergy. You may ask yourself why if black is associated with the luxurious, we say that purple is the color of royalty. Well, the answer to that question we have to speak about a dye named Tyrian purple , with an insanely costly procedure that only allowed the extremely wealthy population to wear clothes in that color.

Changing perspectives, we can speak of the purple color from a creative aspect as a color that boosts inspiration. Its link to spirituality is well-documented, and one of its most controversial usages is the work of artist Francis Bacon in Study after Velázquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X . Also, purple is a color associated with courage. The Purple Heart medal is a military decoration of the United States awarded in the name of the US President to those wounded or killed during service. 

The shades of purple can evoke exotic perceptions, from wine to delicate flowers such as orchids to precious gemstones such as Amethyst. 

Since it’s not a color felt as natural by humans, we can create vibrant presentations on different topics that take the user away from conventionalism. 

Brown is a color commonly used for outdoor adventures or to introduce all-terrain experiences in isolated places. Being the color usually associated with earth, it’s not a surprise to find the values of strength and reliability linked to the color brown, even if it’s not a color easy to manage as it leans towards both orange and yellow. 

Warmth, comfort, and security are feelings transmitted by the color brown for its close relationship with nature. That could explain why security firms opt to include brown in their branding strategies and pair it with black to enforce the importance of “securing the valuables.” 

To apply it in presentation design, it is a color that must be balanced in a complementary or split complementary scheme, preferably with a blue tint. Orange can bring far too much energy to the scene, so use the combination of brown + orange with caution (the same rules apply with brown + yellow).

Depending on where its hue leans, we can say orange can be an uplifting color on an extremely attention-seeking one. The strong-red oranges are used for attention, such as in signage, whereas yellow-orange speaks of happiness, of being carefree. The “ideal” orange – such as the one in the photo above – is a color that transmits the feeling of energy, leading parcel delivery companies to use it for their marketing strategies. 

As a highly energetic color, it’s often found in uniforms for sports, mascots, energy drinks, etc. People associate orange with summer and autumn: spectacular sunsets, orange juice, flowers, and so on. For the Asiatic culture, orange is a spiritual color that speaks of meditation, leaving materialism behind and Buddha. For Americans, orange is linked to Thanksgiving and Halloween. 

Thankfully, orange is a color easy to pair in most scenarios as it blends with a multitude of colors. Still, we recommend it to mute the pure orange, opting for a sophisticated shade of it and leaving the intense orange hues as accent colors. 

Last but not least, we will speak about the pink color. It is a color associated with the feeling of kindness, love, and femininity. A broad range of shades transmits different messages: whereas pastel pinks can evoke tenderness, a vibrant shade of pink such as magenta can be observed as aggressive by some audiences. 

Joyful, pink is a girly tone that makes you feel integrated. As if you achieved your most desired dreams and you celebrate the outcome surrounded by your loved ones. For artists, it is a vibrant color that contrasts with often “dull” colors such as gray and black for interesting composition values.

If you can look aside the simplistic “girl” color concept, it’s a refreshing color that instantly takes people to a feeling of inspiration and renewal. 

Case studies for color theory

In this final section of the article, we will use four different case studies to explain why some color selections are made in regard to sending the viewer a message with the presentation. Please keep in mind that most presentation templates are fully editable; therefore, if you love a design, but you don’t feel comfortable with its color range, you can change the color palette for ppt presentation by making a custom theme in PowerPoint .

This first case study involves a medium-sized company that seeks to automatize its candidate selection process for the HR department through AI technology. As not every single member in the managerial area is convinced about this idea, the HR department prepared what’s known as a force field analysis presentation . 

Thanks to the force field analysis model, the HR department presents the initiative, its driving forces (being the Pros of the initiative), and the restraining forces (the cons of this initiative) are easy to identify and represent with the help of a force field analysis slide template .

In a Complementary color scheme, the elements that weigh on the decision are represented in two colors: sapphire blue for the driving forces and orange-red to expose the restraining forces. Since we talk about something corporative, the same sapphire blue was used for the initiative area, not influencing the palette with another color.

Conducting the analysis from a color psychology perspective, the orange-red is attention-grabbing enough for people not to ignore the cons that this project can experience over time, whilst also reflecting an energetic resistance to change. Sapphire blue, on the other hand, speaks of professionalism. Of trusting the process in the decision to make since it’s time to move on and pursue bigger horizons – and the current selection process for new personnel is both time-demanding and often not tailored for certain departments.

In our second case study, a waste management company is visiting potential customers to offer their services whilst also educating company owners on the importance of treating production waste with the care it requires. 

This next slide introduces the ecology of waste management, in which, depending on the original materials, there are multiple methods to repurpose waste rather than piling it up in open outdoor spaces.  

The waste management presentation template used features a Monochrome color scheme in shades and tones of green. The greens used are not also randomly selected:

• Dark green used in the title and accent effects speaks of the fact that waste can be repurposed into money, and that fact can easily become a driving force for customers to change their waste management policies.
• Bright green in the accent sections and number of slides refers to rebirth. Of giving new life to what’s considered decay.
• Pale green in the cogwheels and placeholder text percentages is a symbol of peace. Remembers the audience that being mindful about the final destination of our production processes is part of having a corporate social responsibility.
• Mint green is a signal for refreshment. Of lifting taxing decisions and outsourcing from people knowledgeable in the subject.

With this case study, you can appreciate how slide color schemes can reinforce the message to transmit without filler words.

The next case study to analyze comes from a group of young software developers presenting their skills to a customer for a web design project. Despite not having a large trajectory in the industry, their team is well-balanced between experienced developers and creative designers to meet the demands of their clients.

This programming presentation template is the chosen asset to introduce their services visually compellingly while also listing their project portfolio.

A fine example of a Split Complementary color scheme, no doubt. The color selected was yellow-red, using blue and violet as the other two colors that made up this scheme. Since yellow is far too intense, it’s left as the accent color for some sections, and the background is a darker blue leaning towards blue-violet. The vector images follow suit by combining the colors selected in the palette, using gradients and lighter tints. 

The question becomes now: what about the aqua tone? Sometimes, designers can combine color schemes inside a design to balance the overall composition. Since yellow would be too much attention-grabbing, and the presence of blues and violets is covered, there is a secondary usage of the Analogous color scheme, opting for a tint of the blue-green next to the blue color. The discrete way in which it was used brings life to the image and centers the vision in the placeholder text area. 

To conclude this guide, it is essential to answer a common question: how do I pick the colors for my slide design project?

For some people, inspiration about a word, a concept, or a product to present directly leads to the color selection of the main color – or at least an indicator of which hue would work best. Then, the selected color scheme helps to build up the entire color palette for the presentation. In some other cases, an image can become the leading source of inspiration. That’s the reason why you should check tools such as Design Seeds’ Instagram Profile or even Pinterest. 

Online tools can help us easily come up with good colors for presentations. Some recommendations for this are Coolors or COLOURlovers . Although… what if you already got inspiration from a presentation you attended but don’t know which colors were used? This incredible tool may cheer you up: Site Palette , a Google Chrome extension that gives you the entire list of colors used, with their HEX values to reproduce them in your designs.

Check out our complete tutorial on how to make a PowerPoint Presentation .

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• Design Tips

Best Colors for Presentation Slides That Will Dominate Today’s Trends

Nurma Febriana

• Published on March 11, 2022

Table of Contents

Choosing the best colors for presentation slides is the most critical part. The purpose of selecting the best colors for presentation slides is to read the text and see the graphics or shapes on each slide.

Today, most organizations are dictating a template with corporate colors for all presentations outside the organization as part of a branding initiative. So, in the end, they have no choice in color.

Besides, we can choose the color of the slides in many internal presentations and many other organizations. Then, some attractive colors can communicate the message more effectively and evoke many different feelings or emotions in your audience.

How do you choose the best colors for presentation slides?

Here are some tips when we are going to choose the best colors for presentation slides.

One of the most common mistakes we often make in choosing the best colors for presentation slides is not having enough contrast between the colors we choose for the background and the text or graphics.

When presenting the slides, we want the audience to see text or images on the screen, so the presentation slides should have colors with good contrast. The tips choose one of two color schemes – a dark background with light text and graphics.

We can use a light with dark text and graphics. The best colors for presentation slides are that the further apart the colors are, the more contrast the colors will have.

Then, the easier it will be for the audience to see the text or graphics you’re using. Just a suggestion, to make sure that the color you choose has enough contrast, then use the online Color Contrast Calculator . This testing color calculator uses two international standard tests for color contrast.

Using the company’s template

When we work in a company or business, perhaps we have to use company template rules. These rules, of course, relate to brands, fonts, and colors. Besides, w e need to know how to choose colors when creating charts, graphs, or other visuals.

We can ensure that the chart you create in Excel follows the same colors that your organization has set in the presentation template. Even so, we need to know about the best colors for presentation slides. Then, we must also select a color to see the explanatory text above the shape or part of the graphic.

Color emotional meaning

The best colors for presentation slides can evoke different general feelings in many people by choosing different colors.

Some common definitions that color has in humans:

• Red means a arouse passion and strength. The color red is usually for beverage brands, games, and the automotive industry.
• Blue means to convey a sense of security, confidence, responsibility, and serenity. The color blue is most representative of the health and finance industry.
• Yellow means the color of light. Yellow color that stimulates and conveys energy awakens awareness and inspires creativity. Yellow is usually for the food industry.
• Green means the color of nature, life, and peace. The green conveys a sense of growth, balance, and stability. This color is popular among large companies, especially in the energy and technology industries.
• White can mean purity and innocence to evoke simplicity, optimism, and integrity. White is popular in the healthcare industry and the fashion industry.
• Black means seriousness, elegance, and courage. This color is for fashion brands and luxury products.
• Orange means optimism, happiness, and energy. 
• Purple means luxury, royalty, and creativity.
• Brown means enduring, dependable, and natural. 
• Beige means conservatism, piety, and dullness.

Selecting the best colors for presentation slides can avoid colors that will hurt your message.

When we study color, we will get acquainted with the term psychology of color. Color Psychology finds out how the audience views color related to the conversation.

Warm colors symbolize energy and optimism-like giving a warm welcome to your audience. There are two groups of colors based on temperature:

• Warm colors range from red and orange to yellow.
• Cool colors range from green and blue to purple. On the other hand, cool colors symbolize serenity and self-confidence.

Besides knowing the two-color groups above, we will know neutral colors:

• Neutral colors like white, black, and all shades of gray, cream, beige, and brown. These colors do not affect others but can combine with almost any color. It means elegance and service.

After learning about color groupings and their types, the following color schemes we can use as a guide in choosing the best colors for presentation slides .

• Background – dark blue (navy shade) or dark purple with text and graphics colors, white or yellow. Accent Colors, such as red, lime green, camel orange, and light blue.
• Dark blue or dark purple background – dominant color on screen and yellow and white text and graphics. We can use an accent color to highlight a word or part of a picture.
• Background – warm beige
• Text and graphics – dark blue, black, dark purple
• Accent color – dark green, burgundy

In general, dark text and graphics colors provide enough contrast to make items stand out on the screen, while accent colors are for emphasis only and should not be overused.

Combine colors for your presentation

You have to consider the color wheel and hue, saturation, and brightness concepts to achieve excellent color harmony. Here is the basis for learning about the best colors for presentation slides:

• Hue is what sets a color apart from the rest. For example, you can visually distinguish red from blue.
• Brightness determines light or dark color and measures its capacity to reflect white light.
• Saturation refers to the purity of a color. Saturated colors appear more vibrant, while desaturated colors look duller.
• Color wheel to illustrate the relationship between different colors. Primary colors, such as red, blue, and yellow. They are the basis of all other colors. Secondary colors are two primary colors: purple, orange, and green. Finally, tertiary colors combine primary colors with secondary colors, such as red-orange, red-purple, blue-purple, blue-green, yellow-green, and yellow-orange.

We can create several different combinations with the color wheel: 

• The monochromatic color scheme contains different shades of one color.
• The complementary color scheme consists of opposite colors on the color wheel.
• An analogous color scheme includes colors close to each other on the color wheel.
• The triadic color scheme uses three colors equally spaced on the color wheel.

Plus, we have to consider the colors we use in the slides and adjust the contrast according to your intended message or brand.

Background graphics or patterns

We must be careful when creating slides with graphics or patterns to choose the best colors for presentation slides because it has areas with a background color that change color from dark to light or from light tonight.

When we use a chart or pattern, it should be subtle. So there is still a slight difference between the lightest shadow and the darkest shadow in the background. One of the effects that we often use for graphics or logos is the embossing effect.

The embossing effect causes it to lift against a backdrop, and the result is very subtle and doesn’t cause any significant changes to the shadows of the background color. Choosing suitable background graphics or patterns is one way to select the best colors for presentation slides.

See also: Make Green Your Favorite Color with Our Best Environment PowerPoint Templates

Get the best picture with a projector.

Once we’ve chosen the best colors for presentation slides, the next step is to notice that the slides look good if we connect them to a projector or screen. We need a port on the laptop to connect to the projector. 

Here are the most common devices we need, such as:

The laptop has a full-size HDMI port

If your laptop has a regular HDMI port, you can plug in an HDMI cable to connect to the projector. We can use this HDMI to VGA adapter if the projector does not have an HDMI cable but a VGA cable.

If the HDMI cable to the projector cannot reach the laptop, we can use an HDMI extension cable and an HDMI F-to-F adapter to connect the extension cable to the projector cable.

The laptop has a mini-DisplayPort

We need an adapter to connect the projector cable to the laptop. In addition, we can also use an HDMI cable. We also need some outputs like HDMI, VGA, and DVI.

The laptop has a USB-C port

If our laptop or computer has a USB-C port, then. We need an adapter that offers a video output and a charging port. If our laptop/ computer only charges, it only needs a USB-C port.

See also: 20+ Color Tools for Designers to Help You Creating PowerPoint Color Schemes

Keep simple.

The best colors for presentation slides are that we keep it simple and don’t use too many colors. We use only three to four colors for a presentation.

Rule 60-30-10

The way to create a balanced presentation is to follow the 60-30-10 rule . It will produce the best colors for presentation slides. Suppose we’ve chosen three colors, as recommended above. In that case, you should use 60 percent of the space for the primary colors, 30 percent for the secondary colors, and 10 percent for the accent colors on the presentation slides.

Share Content

In addition to choosing the best colors for presentation slides, we also need to share content with the audience. It’s a good idea to break down content into smaller chunks throughout your presentation so it’s easy to digest.

We should make a presentation with 10 or 15 slides. Because the fewer the number of slides, the more information you can fit into each slide presentation. An eye-catching display to view in less than 3 minutes consists of 50 to 60 slide presentations. 

See also: 2022 Color Trends You Will Meet: Serenity Will Take Part This Year (+Pantone Color of the Year)

Simply put, we might understand that. The best colors for presentation slides have high contrast, so they’re easy to see. Dark backgrounds should have the light text and a muted accent color, and light backgrounds should have the dark text and bold accent color. By choosing the best colors for presentation slides, we can increase the audience’s engagement and understanding.

Let’s visit RRSlide to download free PowerPoint templates . But wait, don’t go anywhere and stay here with our Blog to keep up-to-date on all the best pitch deck template collections and design advice from our PowerPoint experts yet to come!

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