Color in webdesign
I always thought a good designer should be more than creative. He should know stuff, have studies, have read lots of things about design, usability, etc.
Let’s take colors for example. Most of us choose the colors on our blogs/sites depending on one aspect alone: whether if we like it or not. That’s why most of the themes here on MQ had lots of blue and orange. But… a real designer would choose the colors depending on the target and on the style of the site. Because colors make us feel a certain way, so they can and should be used to support the purpose of a website.
Let’s take a look at the main colours now:
- RED : signifies strength and excitement and it can stimulate people make quick decisions
- BLUE: signifies peace, calm, good fortune
- GREEN: best for nature associated websites , as it signifies movement, nature, environment. Should be very careful when choosing green as the main color, as if used badly, has been known to drive people away from a website
- YELLOW is the color of ideas and stimulates mental activity and attention
- ORANGE is the color of energy. Can be used to stimulate people on impulse reactions, such as buying stuff from your online magazine or clicking links
- PURPLE, the color of nobility, combines the energy of red and the stability of blue. Symbolizes wisdom and ambition and is appreciated by the vast majority of children.
- BROWN, the color of reliability, signifies comfort and durability, and gives the websites an air of professionalism. Careful not to confound Brown with Beige, the color of dullness
- BLACK speaks to power, mystery and sophistication. It is used to make the more colorful parts of the sites stand out, like photo galleries. Too much black on a theme can be bad, as it would darken the mood of the visitors.
In the end, remember this: “Color is immediate, emotional and memorable. If you have a website, try this simple test. Look at it for a few moments and write down the feelings and words that come to mind. If your colors aren’t telling you the same story as your content it may be time to look at changing your color scheme.”
Edited: February 14th, 2008