Design your way

One thing that is absolutely essential the the overall success of your website is being able to select the right color scheme.

When it comes to other design aspects such as your layout, these should be chosen and developed in conjunction with your color scheme.

This will help to ensure three different things in the final product:

• Cohesiveness
• Readability
• Good design

When it comes to using color in web design, making these kinds of choices can actually be a big challenge. Color is the one thing that is meant to touch the emotions of those who take the time to visit your website.

Image source: Balraj Chana

When you know how to use color, you will be able to create a form of non-verbal communication, as well as invoke reactions from users that are both emotional and physical. Colors can not only set the appropriate tone, but they can also convey a great message to all of your visitors, especially when using color when designing apps. Regardless of their intent, colors are extremely powerful, as they can calm, excite, etc.

When you begin thinking about selecting the right color scheme for your website, it’s important that you go about the process the right way. You will definitely want to think about utilizing all of the main principles of color theory, as well as following any advice that you obtain from professionals in the field.

Start with the color wheel

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Before delving more into this step, it’s important to know a little history about the color wheel itself. This tool was invented by Isaac Newton in the year 1666. Newton was able to take bars of color created by prism light and transform them into segmented circles. According to Newton’s calculations, the size of each circle was different in terms of width and wavelength.

All in all, the color wheel is an extremely important tool to many designers around the world, regardless of what kind of design they are actually involved in. It’s an important tool because it allows designers to select colors that work well together in terms of harmony. Traditionally, six different colors make up the color wheel:

• Red
• Orange
• Yellow
• Green
• Blue
• Purple

Additionally, there are also extra colors that can be used. These extra colors are essentially basic colors that are mixed together to create new colors.

The best way to find a color scheme that is harmonious is to use two colors that are directly opposite from one another on the color wheel.

Image source: Nicole Jiang

Additionally, you could also opt to use any three colors that are spaced at an equal distance around the wheel as long as they form a triangle. You could also choose to use any four colors that are spaced out at an equal distance from each other, provided that they form a rectangle.

The meaning of colors

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It’s no secret that individual differences exist within many different cultures. Even though people see the exact same color, that doesn’t mean that they will be affected in the same manner.

Always remember that it’s extremely important to understand who your target audience is, as well as how they typically attach to the meaning of color itself. Color doesn’t generally have a specific meaning on its own; rather, we as human beings typically attach our own meanings to certain colors. Here are a few great examples:

Warm Colors

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These colors generally include red, orange, and yellow, all of which are typically associated with fire. Warmer colors are also associated with aspects such as passion, energy, happiness, and comfort. These colors are very inviting, which is probably the biggest reason why they always draw so much attention from many different individuals.

Cool Colors

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Typically, these colors include blue, green, and violet and are generally associated with water. These colors are meant to invoke a more calming nature, as well as aspects such as sadness and trust. While they can be harmonious at times, they also have the ability to turn individuals away from them because of the coolness that they can radiate.

Colors’ visual effect in your designs

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You can unfortunately drive users away from your content before they even have a chance to take a good look at it if you either use too many colors, colors that don’t work well together at all, or even not enough colors.

It’s a good idea to select a good color scheme from the beginning, as well as always being consistent in how you use color itself in all aspects of your design. You can create a sense of depth in your design when you mix together both warm and cool colors; however, again, be careful not to use too many colors.

Be sure to offer contrast in your design, but not too much contrast that will cause the design to lack a sense of similarity. Generally, the maximum number of colors that you want to use is five; however, if you wish to use more, that is entirely up to you. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that if you do choose to use more colors, it can be extremely difficult to use them effectively.

Contrast

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It’s only natural that our eyes notice things involving contrast in designs first thing. In fact, this is something that many new designers need to learn before delving into any new projects. Contrast always attracts attention – it’s just a fact that simply cannot be ignored.

Utilizing various aspects of contrast in your designs can not only help to effectively communicate the message that you’re trying to communicate, but contrast can also make your design itself look much more professional in nature.

Texture

It’s never a bad idea to use texture frequently in your designs to help add an extra boost; however, this is something that should be done in a subtle manner, as this can actually detract from the main subject of the design itself. On the other hand, when texture is used wisely, it can help make your designs look very professional.

Don’t forget about depth

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Every single item that we look at all around us always overlaps something else. Depth is a wonderful way to make your designs not only look more professional, but realistic as well. Here are some useful ways that you can add depth to your designs: using drop shadows that are light, utilizing subtle blurring, implementing shapes and objects that overlap one another, various amounts of loss in terms of definition and/or saturation.

Gradients

Image source: Balraj Chana

When you add gradients to your designs that are both very clean and very subtle, your piece itself can become extremely effective.

This is more the case with gradients that are monochromatic in color and barely noticeable rather than gradients that are multi-colored. These kinds of gradients should also be used sparingly to help add senses of interest, depth, and professionalism.

Do your best to ensure consistency

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This is a step that is considered by many to be perhaps the most important. When you ensure that your designs have a sense of consistency in them, you will be working to make sure that your pieces have more “finished” looks to them.

Always remember to repeat different elements, use a color palette that is limited, and use no more than two different types of fonts. Not only will this make your designs more impressive to those who view it, but your designs will also be seen as more professional in nature.

Here are some useful tips that you can make note of and follow to help you with selecting a great color scheme for your designs:

• Select colors that contrast one another, especially if you will be using text that you wish to have readable
• Use a less amount of colors
• Use just enough colors
• Use colors that are intense, but not too intense
• Consider using nature as your main source of inspiration for complimentary color schemes

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