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As a graphic design student still learning much of the basics of design, I have come to understand the importance of choosing your colors carefully, not only for pleasing the eye, but also for keeping with the universal (or not) perceptions on what different colors mean to people.

Naturally, choosing colors is one of the first things to do when embarking on a design project. I am currently in the process of choosing a color scheme for a small web project I’m putting together, and, not wanting to rush it, I decided to check out a couple of articles relating to choosing color for design projects. While reading Verlee Pieter’s design in-flight article on Choosing Color Combinations, I followed one of her recommended links and discovered a wonderful Flash animation on the topic of color. Everyone should see this, designer or not.

Creator Claudia Cortes dubbed it An Animated and Interactive Experience of Color Communication and Color Symbolism, which is exactly what it is. Upon entering the main menu, you are presented with three doors, which lead you to a different section of the movie. The first section introduces you to the six main colors, basic and secondary. The second section presents a separate short movie for each color, so you only need to sit back and watch, while the third section is the most interactive one, and functions as a learning experience. It lets you choose your favorite color, and puts you behind the director’s chair where you build a scene based on a concept that your chosen color represents. This may sound too elementary or cutesy to many people, but to beginner designers, color enthusiasts and children it can be very educational and a lot of fun.