West Des Moines Community Schools Community Education

Unlock the power of color and transform your design skills with this comprehensive course on color theory and application. From understanding the science of light and pigment to exploring color perception, psychology, and harmony, you’ll gain a solid foundation for making informed design choices. Learn how to craft balanced, visually appealing color palettes, apply the 60–30–10 rule for effective hierarchy, and design confidently for both light and dark modes while keeping accessibility in mind. Through real-world examples, hands-on exercises, and step-by-step guidance, you’ll develop the ability to plan, test, and implement color strategies that elevate any project—whether it’s a website, app, or branding initiative. By the end of this course, you’ll not only understand color—you’ll be able to wield it as a powerful tool to engage, influence, and delight your audience.

To progress through this course you will:

• Read the print readings.
• Have the option of accessing the online readings.
• Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides.
• Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned.
• Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants.
• The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.

Discussion:

• The discussion for each unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.
• Your instructor will log into the discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.
• We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each day to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.