Using a large number of colours in a single document is very visually distracting to the reader and can obscure the points you are trying to convey. To avoid this, limit the number of colours you use, and employ them skilfully to highlight the places you want to emphasise.

Not all elements in a graph are of equal importance. For the items with little or no importance to the message you wish to convey, use monochrome hues (white, black, grey) instead of adding colour. This is another way to reduce the total number of colours used.

Colours can be an effective way of delineating the elements in your graphs. To make the structure of your graphs easier to understand for the reader, avoid using similar colours for adjacent items.

By making skilful use of gradations in colour you can create a natural visual flow for the reader, while at the same time giving your graphs a sense of visual stability. Using gradations to create a left-to-right flow in bar graphs, for example, can make your documents more legible and understandable.

Colours carry a sense of psychological temperature. You can make use of this in both your graphs and in your documents as a whole to convey a consistent image to your readers. Using warm colours gives the reader a warm and active impression, while cool colours convey a sense of coldness and stasis. Choose the colours you use carefully to match the content of your document and the message you wish to convey to the reader.