Color Chart

Peoples first impression can be a lasting impression, and webmaster have only a brief moment to catch a visitors attention. According to the Institute for Color Research, all people make a judgment about another person, place, or item within one and a half minutes of the first sighting, and between 60 and 90 percent of that assessment is based on only color.

The consequence of color choosing as it applies to Web design is often overlooked. Being conscious about color  in the beginning stages of site design, expedites and engages the Web visitor, and minimizes mistakes. Using your awareness of color considerations can also promote a better relationship with your clients.

So what is involved in productively using color in your website design? Factors can include the domination of individual color awareness, color mix, a gender preference, an emotional response to color or how a persons culture can affect those responses. Colors grant specific meanings, but the actual interpretation of any particular color can be dramatically  influenced by the persons perception and identity. There are elemental perceptional differences among all of us. Ask a section of people to think of blue, and each will imagine a different shade, brightness and tone. Knowing that an individual color perception exists and adjusting for them helps client site approval and the overall satisfaction of your client.

Knowing the principles of color can simplify design decisions. The primary colors (those that can not be reproduced by mixing) are red, blue and yellow. The secondary colors (a mix of the primary colors) are green, orang and purple. Tertiary colors, a mix of secondary colors and primary colors, are orange-yellow, orange-red, green-yellow, green-blue, purple-blue, and purple-red. Complimentary colors lie opposite to each other on the color wheel. Colors are known to clash when hues deviate. The impact of any particular color can vary based on the colors next to it. Overlooking this color foundation can mean unattractive or obscure site results.

There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of tools available to help Web designers make good color decisions. Those with an advanced sense of color coordination will appreciate the instant gratification of selecting the correct color combinations on their website design.
For the generalizations about color to be of any use, they must be considered in the framework of a websites message and its target audience. Imagine a website about or selling childrens toys designed in dark, deep colors – absolutely not the right approach. Each man or womans color precedence vary, adding into the mix of your website design color considerations. Men prefer stronger color hues and saturation  while women tend to prefer tints to shades or pastel colors. Women have a clear preference for cool colors.

So to summarise – Next time you begin your website design, take a moment to think about the color combinations you are using and how they may affect your visitors when they first visit your website.

Tags: color wheel, primary, secondary, tertiary, webdesign color.