Hey there! 👋 Are your slides looking a little lackluster lately? Then you are in the right place! Welcome to the fourth week in this series - Creating Captivating Presentations.

If you have been bogged down by email, no worries! You can catch up on the series here:

​Week 1 - Guiding Principles

​Week 2 - Creating Engaging Visuals

​Week 3 - Text and Font Selection

And this week's topic - color and contrast!

Color is not just for visual interest - it's a powerful tool that can enhance readability, direct attention, and create a cohesive visual experience. However, if not used thoughtfully, color choices can just as easily distract, overwhelm, or even make your content inaccessible.

In this week's newsletter, I will share my top tips for using color and contrast effectively.

🔍 Highlight Key Information

One of the best ways to use color is to emphasize your most important elements. Whether it's a critical statistic, a call-to-action, or a transition between concepts, a bold accent color can help that information really stand out.

Just be careful not to overdo it - using too many bold colors can reduce their impact and make everything seem equally important. Instead, reserve the most vibrant hues for your absolute most important content.

🔑 Key Point: Throughout this discussion, I will provide HEX codes under each example. Hex codes are six-digit color codes used in digital design to ensure consistent colors across slides, websites, and graphics. They start with a # and are followed by a mix of numbers and letters (e.g., #F1C40F for bright yellow). Using hex codes (instead of pre-populated colors) helps you pick and apply colors with precision.

Example:

Use a bold color to make a critical number or statistic stand out.

​ ​ 🚫 Poor contrast, no emphasis on any key information ⭐️ The most essential information is highlighted with a contrasting color (yellow on blue background) and is bold. ​

Background: a deep blue-grey (#2C3E50)

Text: a neutral text light-grey (#ECF0F1)

Accent: a bright yellow, creates contrast with background (#F1C40F)

🗺️ Create a Visual Hierarchy

Color is a powerful tool to direct your audience's attention. Understanding how to use color this way can give you more control over your presentation's structure.

First, use your boldest or brightest color for your primary content and key messages. Then, employ softer shades or grays for secondary details and supporting information. Finally, keep background elements neutral and understated to avoid distractions.

Example:

Use bold colors for main points and softer shades for supporting details.

​ ​ 🚫 No contrast, all text looks the same. ⭐️ A bold, readable color for key points and a contrasting, yet subdued color for supporting details.

🎨 Limit Your Palette

When it comes to color, less is often more. Sticking to a cohesive 2-3 color palette will help maintain a clean, professional look and avoid overwhelming your viewers.

A balanced 3-color scheme creates a clean, professional look without overwhelming the audience. An example of a simple color structure:

• Primary color: for main headings and essential elements
• Secondary color: for less prominent text and accents
• Neutral color: for backgrounds and subtle design touches

Keep the hex codes for your presentation written down or in the notes section of your slide deck for quick reference.

Example:

Overusing colors creates visual clutter and makes it hard for the audience to focus.

​ ​ 🚫 This is visually overwhelming, with no clear focus. Too many colors compete for attention, making the slide difficult to read. ⭐️ The color choices guide attention naturally while keeping the slide easy to read.

Background: a soft-grey for easy contrast and doesn't compete with the content (#EAECEF) ​ ​

Heading: a deep plum to draw attention (#5D3A6D) Subheading: a sapphire-blue to provide contrast (#2F6690)

Text: a subtle dark color that is not as bold as pure black (#4A4A4A)

♿ Consider Accessibility

Finally, don't forget to design with accessibility in mind. Around 8% of men and 0.5% of women have some form of color blindness, so it's crucial that your color choices don't leave anyone behind.

A few quick tips:

• Use color contrast checkers to ensure sufficient contrast between text and background.
• Avoid using color alone to convey meaning - pair colors with different sizes, different fonts, or icons.
• Test your slides in grayscale to see if the information is still clear without color differentiation.

As you create your captivating presentations, take a quick moment to review them for accessibility.

🎉 Color Resources

Here are a few places to look for pre-made color palettes:

• ​Pinterest - this search engine has a large selection of color palettes to match any vibe you are looking to create.
• ​Coolors - a fun color palette generator.
• ​Canva - my favorite design tool! Educators can get a free account and design instruction courses. Canva has pre-populated color palettes or if you create your own, you can save it to use over and over!

Color may seem like a small detail, but it can genuinely transform your presentations when used strategically. I hope that this email has inspired you to look at color differently and think about how you can use it strategically in your slide decks!

Next week we will review how storyboarding can give your slide decks structure and flow. Until then, take care of yourselves and each other. 💜

​

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