When designing a presentation, website, advertisement, or other visual media, choosing an appropriate background color is an important decision. The color purple can be an elegant, creative, and eye-catching choice if done right. But what types of design elements, text, and images look best against a purple backdrop? Here are some tips for working with a purple background.
The shade of purple also makes a difference. Darker purples like eggplant can give a luxurious, nighttime vibe. Brighter purples like lilac are more playful and spring-like. And medium purples strike a balance between fun and formal. So the exact hue of purple you select will impact the overall impression.
Complementary Colors
Pairing purple with complementary colors is a fail-safe way to create an attractive color scheme. The complementary color for purple on the color wheel is yellow. Yellow has a brightness that contrasts nicely with the depth of purple. Other shades like gold, orange, beige, tan, and light browns also complement purple well.
Here are some examples of purple and yellow color combinations:
| Dark purple and bright yellow |
| Lilac and golden yellow |
| Amethyst and mustard yellow |
| Plum and light tan |
| Eggplant and beige |
The interplay between the warm and cool tones creates visual interest. You can use purple as the dominant background color with yellow accents, or vice versa. This type of color scheme is vibrant without going overboard.
Analogous Colors
Using analogous colors – hues located directly next to each other on the color wheel – is another option with purple. Adjacent colors like blue, red-violet, and rose gold blend well with light, medium, and dark purple shades. Keeping within this subsection of cool tones maintains a cohesive, soothing look.
Some examples of analogous colors combinations with purple:
| Lavender and light blue |
| Orchid and hot pink |
| Purple and burgundy |
| Eggplant and wine red |
| Grape and navy blue |
Sticking with one dominant purple hue (like lavender) as the background and using its neighboring colors for accents is best. Too many different purples can look messy rather than coordinated.
Split Complementary Colors
A split complementary color scheme involves 3 colors – the original color plus the 2 colors on either side of its complement. For purple, this would mean combining it with yellow-orange and yellow-green.
Examples of purple plus split complements:
| Violet, chartreuse green, amber |
| Wisteria, lime green, peach |
| Mulberry, seafoam, tangerine |
| Plum, olive, cantaloupe |
| Lilac, mint, goldenrod |
This creates more color variety than a traditional complementary scheme, but retains some of the contrast. The split complements should be used as accents, with purple still dominating.
Monochromatic Colors
One of the simplest color strategies with a purple background is sticking to monochromatic variations of the hue. This means using tints, tones, and shades of purple like:
| Pale purple |
| Dark purple |
| Purple gray |
| Dusty purple |
| Light purple |
| Grape purple |
A single color and its differing values can make for a clean, minimalist aesthetic. Just be mindful of light and dark contrasts so text remains readable. Use darker purples for backgrounds and lighter purples for fonts.
Triadic Colors
A triadic scheme uses 3 colors that are equidistant around the color wheel. For purple, this includes shades of red and green.
Examples of triadic color trios with purple:
| Amethyst, crimson, forest green |
| Lilac, burgundy, lime |
| Mauve, rusty red, olive green |
| Orchid, wine, sea green |
| Violet, ruby, jade |
The high contrast of three very different hues at maximum saturation can look garish, so apply accents sparingly. Muted jewel tones work better than bright primary colors.
Fonts for a Purple Background
When placing text on a purple background, font styling makes a big difference. Avoid light colored fonts, as these will be hard to read. Dark or brightly colored fonts stand out best.
Some font style tips for purple backgrounds:
– Black fonts provide excellent contrast
– White fonts pop but can cause eye strain in large blocks
– Bold font weights are most legible
– Pair with a complementary color like yellow
– Use creative display fonts for headers only
– Stick to simple, clean fonts for paragraph text
Sans serif fonts like Helvetica, Arial, or Calibri tend to work better than serif fonts like Times New Roman. The lack of extra strokes and flourishes keeps them easy to decipher against the already ornate backdrop of purple.
Images and Graphics on Purple
When adding visual elements to a purple background:
– Warm toned images look best – those with yellows, reds, oranges, golds
– Cool toned blues, greens, silvers can be dull
– Black and white photography provides contrast
– Muted filters enhance vintage/gothic vibes of deep purples
– Bright, vivid filters play up the whimsy of lighter purples
– Watercolor textures, ink splatters, floral motifs suit creative designs
– Geometric patterns complement modern, minimalist styles
Whatever imagery you place on a purple background should not compete too heavily. It works great for subtle textures, simple graphic accents, and framing photos. But overly busy collages or paintings will detract from the purple instead of complementing it.
Examples of Using a Purple Background
Here are some examples of effective ways to leverage a purple color scheme:
Websites
Use light purple as a website background color with white text and blue hyperlinks. Monochromatic tints of purple can give a soothing, professional look and feel.
Presentations
On PowerPoint or Keynote slides, purple makes a great title or heading background. Pair it with bold white or yellow text and minimal imagery.
Advertisements
In print or digital ads, a vivid violet catches attention. Place product photos or deals on the purple with contrasting yellow call-to-action buttons.
Party Invitations
Lavender and silver foils with floral decorations give party invites a feminine, whimsical look. Use it for birthdays, bridal showers, baby showers.
Mood Boards
Collage vintage photos, fabric swatches, and color samples against an eggplant background to design warm, sophisticated mood boards.
Magazine Layouts
In articles or editorials featuring beauty, fashion or creativity, use an orchid purple page background to set the scene. Put an inspirational quote in center stage.
Social Media Graphics
Create custom graphics for Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter that combine your brand’s colors with on-trend purple and yellow gradients.
Conclusion
A purple background can convey luxury, romance, or fun depending on the exact shade and color pairings used. Darker jewel tones inspire mystery and elegance. Brighter lilacs and lavenders represent spring and imagination. Use complementary warm tones, high contrast fonts, and decorative graphics to make purple pop as the perfect bold, creative background choice.