Color Me Awful: The Dangers
of Color in your Web Site
We have all seen them...
the web site that has dark
blue text on a black background.
It must have seemed intimate
and cool to have such a
combination, but the truth
is, such a site is nearly
unusable since the text
is difficult to read. There
are lots of sites on the
web and most people will
not waste their time looking
at such an ugly design
mistake. They will move
on. And we shouldn't blame
them. To help you steer
clear of these and other
problems, here are some
tips on using color on
your web site.
In general, it is advisable
to stay with the colors
that are easy on the eyes.
Black or dark text on a
light background, usually
white, is a safe way to
go. More daring colors
can be used, but they are
generally tied to more
dynamic topics like products
targeted to teenagers.
You can use lighter colored
text on darker background
and sometimes this looks
very attractive. Again,
just be careful. The right
combination of colors can
work great; the wrong combo
can have a negative impact
on your sites' effectiveness.
What Colors Imply
-
Red:
Energetic, exciting feelings.
Can also imply anger
or violence.
-
Orange:
Warm, friendly feelings.
May imply informality
or a lack of discrimination.
-
Yellow.
The color of the sun.
Very positive feeling.
Can become overwhelming
if overdone.
-
Green:
Suggests nature. Gives
off a restful, stable
aura. Off colors of green
can suggest decay, so
pick carefully.
-
Blue:
Suggests coolness and
elegance. Many shades
to choose from, but some
can give off a sense
of depression or sadness.
-
Violet:
Playful feeling. Reminiscent
of dream states.
Background Colors and
Images
For your web page background,
we always suggest staying
with white or pastels.
They allow the text (which
is the heart of any web site) to be easily read.
Your navigation and headers
can have more dynamic color,
but general backgrounds
should stay conservative.
Unless, of course, you
are selling frisbees or
something like that!
Button/Navigation Colors
Your navigation bar and/or
buttons should be easy
to spot on your pages so
the user can find the navigation
scheme quickly. The colors
you choose should compliment
your overall look and feel.
This is an area where a
good accent color can be
used.
Color Schemes/Combinations
When deciding on a color
scheme for your web site,
play around with various
color combinations BEFORE
you make a final decision.
Get other people's opinions
and make sure they are
honest. What you thought
was downright cool at 2
AM the night before may
seem goofy in the eyes
of a potential web visitor
the next day. Another tactic
is to search the web and
see what type of color
combinations your competitors
are using. This will give
you insight as to the type
of colors that may work
for your site. Don't be
afraid to try something
different, just be sure
you get feedback from a
few other sets of eyes.
-
Kaufman Web Design™ |
