Web design, just like graphic design or other art-related fields, requires not only technical knowledge but also creativeness and a sense of aesthetics. This means that web designers should be able to combine different elements and colors in order to create websites that are attractive to users.
Luckily, there is some scientific background behind attractive websites and color usage. Colors can greatly affect your website’s design, so understanding the color theory and how to choose the right colors is crucial in web design. Let’s discuss the significance of colors in a web design.
What is color theory and why is it important in web design?
Color theory is a science that examines how colors interact with each other and how they affect humans. It can be also considered a form of art since it requires a deep understanding of aesthetics. The beginning of the theory was the 17th century when the first color wheel by Sir Isaac Newton was created.
Color theory is extremely useful in various spheres, therefore, such fields as advertising, graphic and interior design, and web design use the theory. In general, colors can be divided into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary. They are also warm, cool, or neutral. Understanding how these combinations affect humans and how to use them correctly can elevate your work.
For example, in the field of web design colors play an important role. The color schemes you use in your themes, templates, and UI design have a direct impact on UX. The benefits of using the right colors include:
- The right colors help you build an attractive website that attracts customers. Accordingly, poor color choice can lead to an unprofessional-looking website and poor conversion rates;
- Colors can help create the brand identity. Brand identity is important for every brand since it raises brand awareness and reliability. Colors can help to elevate the brand identity and create associations;
- The color scheme contributes to the usability of the website. The right color scheme can make your website intuitive and easy to navigate.
Choosing colors for the website
As colors have such a huge impact on UX, you should pay attention and choose the schemes carefully. Here are some pieces of advice on how to do that:
- Use 60/30/10 rule. This rule states that 60 percent of color is primary color, 30 percent – secondary color, 10 percent – accent color;
- Use white spaces. Don’t forget to use white spaces that create contrast and make the website more understandable;
- Consider the nature of the product/services and the brand message. The nature of the product can determine the color scheme. For example, if your website sells eco-friendly products, green color can be the best choice as it conveys the message of sustainability.
Also, it is recommended to stay consistent with your color scheme. To understand the colors better, you need to understand what message they convey. Here are common associations:
- Red: love, power, passion, danger;
- Green: health, nature, sustainability;
- Blue: trust, calmness, reliability, logic;
- Yellow.Orange: joy, fun, warmth, friendliness, happiness, freedom, playfulness;
- Pink: feminity, gentleness, warmth;
- White: purity, clarity, peace;
- Black: elegance, sophistication, power, control.
The best color scheme for a website
The best color scheme for your website depends on many factors, including the nature of the website, brand identity, and others. For example, some widely popular schemes are:
- Blue shades and white;
- Yellow and blue/grey;
- Pink shades and navy blue;
- Blue, beige and coral red;
- Red shades and white.
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