When you want to stand out with your artwork, design, clothes, or even your interior decorating, bright colors are a sure way to go. They tend to be loud, so to speak, but rather than turn some people away due to the intensity, you can utilize them in proper ways to draw the right kind of attention.
Let’s have a closer look at some bright colors and the right and wrong ways to use them.
What Are Bright Colors?
There are millions of colors in the world, but how do you classify certain ones as “bright”? The most straightforward answer is that a bright color is a color with high intensity. However, there’s more to it than that.
A color can be bright if it captures the eye, not just due to intensity, but also the hue itself. Some colors may even have a neon or fluorescent appearance.
Examples of Bright Colors
Bright colors are on a remarkable spectrum, giving you plenty of room to play around with different hues. We’ve listed a collection of these colors along with their hexadecimal code if you want to use them in your design:
- Bright Red | Hexadecimal Code: #FF000D
- Fire Engine Red | Hexadecimal Code: #FE0002
- Bubble Gum | Hexadecimal Code: #FF85FF
- Hot Pink | Hexadecimal Code: #FF028D
- Bright Violet | Hexadecimal Code: #AD0AFD
- Neon Purple | Hexadecimal Code: #BC13FE
- Bright Blue | Hexadecimal Code: #0165FC
- Bright Cyan | Hexadecimal Code: #41FDFE
- Burning Orange | Hexadecimal Code: #FF7124
- Fluorescent Orange | Hexadecimal Code: #FFCF00
- Electric Green | Hexadecimal Code: #21FC0D
- Green | Hexadecimal Code: #00FF00
- Lemon | Hexadecimal Code: #FFF700
- Yellow | Hexadecimal Code: #FFFF00
Those are just some common bright colors, but there are many more you can utilize to draw attention.
Capturing Attention: Best Ways to Successfully Use Bright Colors
It is far too easy for bright colors to capture attention in all the wrong ways. Meaning they can be a bit too bright, too intense, and too overwhelming on the eyes.
On the other hand, when used correctly, bright colors can make a statement. These types of colors tend to be lively. They can invoke feelings of happiness and excitement, but all of this can only happen if you don’t overuse them or use a wrong combination of them.
So what’s the correct way to capture attention with bright colors? It all starts with what you’re doing and what you’re trying to achieve.
Interior Decorating
Are you decorating a room? If so, then there are a few routes you can take.
For starters, if you have neutral colors on the walls, flooring, or furniture, then consider adding some bright colors as accessories. This can include throw pillows on a sofa, a large area rug for the center of the room, or some colorful paintings lining the walls.
If you don’t want to go for neutral hues, then consider using an all-white decorating scheme for the foundation of the room. This way you can add on colorful pieces throughout to steer attention appropriately, since these colors will pop better against the white backdrop.
Clothing and Style
The same rules can apply for coordinating an outfit as they would if decorating a room. When you want attention drawn toward a specific area, then put your focus on that using bright colors.
Let’s take a darker outfit, for instance, such as all-black. If you want to bring awareness to your waist, a colorful belt easily stands out.
Perhaps you are more interested in making the entire outfit pop. In that case, consider balancing and mixing brighter shades from the same palette.
Various lighter or vivid hues of red, yellow, or even hues of purple can create a stylish look that’s a good balance of monochrome and bright, so it’s not overpowering.
Art
With artwork, it seems you have far more freedom to use bold, bright colors in any way you wish. Abstract art especially is a good route to take as you can honestly use every color in the rainbow and still make a stunning work of art rather than something that’s an eyesore.
Bright colors can also be expertly used to highlight specific areas whether you are doing a landscape, still life, or a portrait. Likewise with clothing or room decorating, these colors can pair well with neutral tones if you want to direct attention to one area over another.
Final Thoughts
When you see bright colors, it’s easy to instantly feel a wave of happiness since these colors are readily attention-grabbing. However, it’s also far too easy to fall into the trap of using too many colors, or not using the bright tones in a way that make others appreciate them rather than overwhelm their senses.
Remember these tips the next time you put together an outfit, decorate a room, or create a work of art. This way you can reap the full benefits that come with successfully using bright colors to draw attention.
