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Colour bars and blocks

Colour bars

You can use bars as a graphic element within your layout to anchor and frame your communication. Consistency is important to ensure the element is recognized as a part of our brand.

Examples of colour bar usage


Best practices

  • Height of the colour bar should be 1" for 11" x 17" posters and 0.75" for letter and postcard size: a good rule of thumb for other sizes is the height of the logo used within the document.
  • Colour bars should bleed off the bottom of your layout and should mirror the margin spacing within your grid.
  • Don’t insert content and graphics within the bar except for including Ontario Tech University when a Signature Identity is used.
  • Colour bars separate information within a document. They shouldn’t be used as a decorative border or stroke beneath an image.
  • Avoid using thin or multiple colour bars within a document layout as they become decorative and not functional.
  • Colour bars should only use the primary colour palette.

Colour blocks

Copy and text can be inserted into colour blocks to separate content and highlight information. Colour blocks can visually add importance and hierarchy to your layout by guiding the reader’s eye on the page. Arrows can also add dimension and brand interest within your document.

Examples of colour blocks


Best practices

  • Height of the colour block is flexible but the width should align with the document’s design grid.
  • Colour blocks can use both primary and secondary colour palette as long as the colour ratio and proper contrast is considered within your layout.
  • Shapes including circles, arrows and rectangles can be used within the colour blocks.