Webmasters: A Look into Color Theory in Web Design

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The white symbolizes hope and freedom, showing a value for safety and purity.

 

There are orange and blue accents to help people feel at ease when on the site, as well as excited and hopeful to find their perfect purchase.

 

Green symbolizes nature and has a healing quality. It can be used to symbolize growth and harmony. People feel safe with green. Hospitals often use the color of green.

 

Link: A Look into Color Theory in Web Design

 

With passages like these included in the article surely you can't go wrong using this as a guide when designing your website?

[mossj]

Funnily enough I was looking for color palletes today...

 

Although I don't subscribe to the 'meanings' of colour, as it changes based on your geographic location, culture and other factors.

[OverWorked]

They have a good point, backed up by some good examples lower down. Colours schemes really do influence feeling, just like musical keys do in a composition.

 

Don't underestimate the power of colour, especially when trying to sell something or convey a political idea.

Edited March 13, 2010 by OverWorked

[mossj]

They have a good point, backed up by some good examples lower down. Colours schemes really do influence feeling, just like musical keys do in a composition.

 

Don't underestimate the power of colour, especially when trying to sell something or convey a political idea.

 

Yes but don't underestimate the cultral differences, even non multi-national companies must consider them now.

 

As chances are a decent % of visits even to websites aimed at people living in a specific location won't actually be originally from the area (not racist, just a fact).

 

Take the color of red for example

Red is power, hence the red power tie for business people and the red carpet for celebrities and VIPs (very important people).

 

Flashing red lights denote danger or emergency. Stop signs and stop lights are red to get the drivers' attention and alert them to the dangers of the intersection.

 

In some cultures, red denotes purity, joy, and celebration. Red is the color of happiness and prosperity in China and may be used to attract good luck.

Red is often the color worn by brides in the East while it is the color of mourning in South Africa. In Russia the Bolsheviks used a red flag when they overthrew the Tsar, thus red became associated with communism.

 

So depending on where you are from and your culture... red could mean any of the following:

- Power

- Purity, Joy, and Celebration

- Happiness, Luck and Prosperity

- Weddings

- Mourning

- Communism

 

Culture is very very stong in society still, and in my work I have to be very mindful of it. For several reasons...

 

which I'm not going into because we could debate certain things (some I don't agree with), and I don't want it ending up on my employeers door step.

Edited March 13, 2010 by mossj