How to use color palettes in scientific figures
While you are not expected to spend time examining the aesthetics of your science work, the reality is that a decent color scheme may do wonders for the delivery of your work, making it more intelligible and the data more obvious.
However, selecting the correct science color palette may be highly daunting, especially when there is a propensity to follow personal tastes, which isn't always the best choice.
This article will walk you through some crucial facts about the science palette scheme, its importance, and how it can make your work stand out.
Why is a science color palette so important?
A color palette is simply a color scheme that you may use to translate data into meanings. Using a well selected color palette in your scientific illustrations and charts may be a strong asset that helps you express your work, since choosing colors will assist your audience to comprehend the key points of your data rapidly.
So, why is it critical to select the proper color palette? Each hue will imply a message to the audience. For example, if you show a temperature graph and use blue to represent hot and red to represent cold, the audience will instinctively infer blue is cold and red is hot, causing them to entirely misinterpret the graph this way. By the way, if you are looking for a tool to create your science infographics, try Mind the Graph.
Another important aspect of color palette is that it can make your work accessible to individuals with Color Vision Deficiencies (CVD), commonly known as colorblinds.
How to use science color palettes?
To choose a suitable color palette, you must first grasp what a color wheel is. Colors are classified into three types: primary colors (red, yellow, and blue), secondary colors (colors created when primary colors are blended: green, orange, and purple), and tertiary colors (combination of primary and secondary colors, such as teal, violet, magenta).
Color combinations with opposite hues on the color wheel are some of the best. These colors can aid in the comprehension of your data story and are also the most accessible to persons with color blindness and other color perception issues.
However, don't limit yourself to combining only these colors and mixing only opposites. Using the same hue in significantly different contrast works equally well. To obtain impressive and harmonious combinations, you can play with hue, saturation, and lightness.
Coolors and Paletton are great tools that can help you decide which science color palette to start with.
Color Accessibility
Before you choose your color palette, it is recommended to avoid hues like red and green, since colorblinds are commonly affected by those.
There are simple methods to guarantee that your science color palette is accessible and CVD-friendly: convert your visuals to grayscale and see if they are still understandable, make sure there is a 15-30% variation in saturation between the colors chosen. You may also utilize online tools like Viz Palette to verify the accessibility of your color scheme of choice.
Steps on choosing your science color palette
- Choose a color palette that appeals to you and effectively displays your data, keeping in mind that the colors should be contrasting or opposite on the color wheel.
- Colors should be tested in the Viz Palette tool to evaluate how they will influence a colorblind audience.
- Check for color conflicts and make any required modifications in Viz Palette.
- Apply the final colors to your visual assets and approve them.
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