Apr 4, 2023
3 min

How to Apply Color to Data Visualizations

author
PlotSet teamwriter

Data visualization is a strong tool that helps you comprehend complex data. To achieve that effectively, you need to use the right colors. That's why you need to consider the purpose of your visualization before selecting colors. Read more about The 6 Essential Rules for Using Color in Data Visualization

Ask yourselves these questions:

  • Are you trying to convey a particular emotion?
  • Are you trying to make your data more digestible?

Here on the PlotSet panel, you have so many cool choices for the color.

One of the primary options in data visualization design is choosing the right color for the background. The suitable color makes your data points more distinctive and contribute to setting the tone for the message you have in mind.

So, go to the background color and choose the color that you have in mind. Of course, you can enter the hex code as well if you had previously chosen the right color.

Our chart features three types of color palettes: Mono, Spectrum, and Multi. The Mono palette offers a single color option, the Spectrum palette provides a gradient of colors, and the Multi palette offers multiple color options for a more diverse range of data visualization.

Make sure you check out the "Advanced Options," which allows you to customize the colors to your liking. You can also add colors to your personalized palette.

In case you don't have any idea what colors to use, you can choose from the beautiful color palettes we have designed for you. Keep in mind that you can still customize these colors according to your preferences.

One important thing:

It would be an excellent choice to go for the colors that are visible to people with colorblindness or other visual impairments.

Doing that shows consideration and sends the message that you don't wish anyone to be left out, which goes a long way. You can use the color contrast checkers to pick up the most suitable colors.

In addition, it would be a good idea to provide an alternative text description for screen readers in your presentation. You can use the note sections in the header and footer section for this purpose.

We, the PlotSet team, are enthusiastic to spice up your storytelling world using data visualization, and we will show you how to do so through various blogs. If you’re into data journalism or you just want to present your data to an audience, we strongly suggest taking a look at what we have prepared for you here. Enjoy reading!

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