Colour as a design decision
Colour choices in web design rarely fail because a designer picked the wrong shade. They fail because the logic behind the palette was never established. This program builds that logic from scratch — starting with perception, moving through contrast and harmony, ending with practical application across real interfaces.
Eight weeks, six modules
Each module focuses on a specific dimension of colour — from physical perception to browser rendering. Sessions run asynchronously so learners in different time zones progress at the same pace.
How the eye reads colour
Covers the physiology of colour vision, simultaneous contrast, and why two identical hex values look different depending on what surrounds them.
1.5 hrsColour models and values
RGB, HSL, and LCH compared side by side. Focuses on why HSL is intuitive for designers but LCH is more perceptually uniform and how each affects palette construction.
2 hrsContrast and accessibility
WCAG ratios explained through real interface audits. Students test six live websites and identify failures, then propose corrected palettes that preserve brand identity.
2.5 hrsBuilding a functional palette
Moving from a single accent colour to a full system with semantic roles — primary, surface, error, disabled states. Exercises use Figma and plain CSS custom properties.
2 hrsColour in dark mode
Why direct inversion of a light palette fails. Students build a parallel dark-mode token set that shares hue but adjusts chroma and lightness independently.
2 hrsApplying palettes to real projects
Capstone: students receive a client brief, a brand colour, and three conflicting requirements — accessibility, brand consistency, dark mode. One week to deliver.
3 hrsWhat the programme actually requires
Every module includes at least one applied task — a real file, a real constraint. No multiple-choice tests. Feedback comes from peer review and a structured rubric, not automated scoring.
- Figma or any vector tool for palette exercises — no paid plugins required
- A basic grasp of CSS — students should be able to read a stylesheet before starting
- Roughly four hours per week — the capstone week takes closer to six
- Willingness to have work critiqued — the peer review component is not optional
Ready to start working with colour deliberately?
The programme runs entirely online with no fixed session times. Students from over 30 countries have completed it since Breloq launched in 2019.
lifetime access