Neon signs are a brilliant and alluring feature that can brighten up any home or store window. Due to the unique way neon signs are created, they can be designed in almost any shape and color combination imaginable. With so many options available, deciding on the design that’s right for you can be difficult. Below are a few helpful considerations to aid in the color selection for your neon signs.

Color theory

Color theory refers to the practical guidelines that many artists and designers use to determine which colors look best together. Separating all colors into primary, secondary, and tertiary levels and assigning them each a position on the color wheel enables artists to easily view complementary and contrasting colors, as well as various color harmonies.

When considering color selection for your neon signs, try to focus on two or three colors that complement each other well and don’t create too much contrast. For instance, colors which are adjacent to one another on the color wheel—also known as analogous colors—are often found together in nature and match each other quite nicely. When choosing an analogous color scheme, try to designate one color to dominate the scheme, with the others acting as accents. This will provide just enough contrast without overwhelming the viewer with excessive color.

Color psychology

Building upon color theory guidelines is the principle of color psychology. Color psychology studies color’s impact on human emotions and behaviors. Color psychology is frequently used to impact consumer behaviors in relation to marketing and advertising and should be taken into consideration when choosing the colors for your custom neon sign design.

Though neon signs are sure to catch a customer’s eye regardless of color, the impact can be heightened depending on the colors you choose. For instance, red is one of the most commonly used colors in marketing and is a very popular for neon signs as well. This is because red is frequently associated with power, love, and passion. Other eye-catching hues, such as orange and yellow, convey excitement and energy, while cooler tones, such as blue, green, and purple, hold associations with peace, growth, and dependability. Carefully consider your company’s overall identity and image when designing your neon sign, and choose colors that encourage associations with that image.

Brightness and visibility

Neon signs offer 360-degree illumination and are often visible from a sizeable distance. While the letter size will impact the visibility distance for your sign, color is also an important factor. Because neon lights emit red photons, some colors and hues appear brighter than others when used in neon signs. Warmer toned colors, such as red, yellow, and orange, may appear more vibrant than other colors and can increase your sign’s overall visibility. Colors which combine two primary colors, such as purple or turquoise, may appear slightly less bright than others and may not be visible from quite as great a distance. The difference in brightness between these colors is minimal, however, and often goes unnoticed by consumers.