Using colors and color combinations in website design.

It's a fairly well-known fact that the use of colors can have an affect on mood. However, there has been relatively little written about the use of colors in website design.

  In this section you will find some tips and basic guidelines for the best use of colors and color combinations in your website design.

  Color is an essential element of Web site design. It will give your visitors cues as to your site's navigation, the grouping of your content, the relative importance, relationships, etc.

  You've only got one chance to make that good first impression.

  Your website colors can have a strong unconscious impact on your visitors mood and first impression.
 So choose your colors carefully. The impact of your colors can work for or against you, based upon how the visitor unconsciously reacts to them during that critical first few seconds.

  Avoid choosing your colors based on what you like. Instead choose your colors based upon the overall theme of your website and the impression you want your visitors to get.

  You want the color scheme to enhance your website and your content. Colors should not distract or confuse your users. For example: the colors appropriate for a children's entertainment website are not going to be the same colors you would choose for a child's educational website.

 Color for Gender-Specific applications. "The Meaning of Color for Gender" by Natalia Khouw explains interesting theories derived from academic studies about color and genders.
  While it may be foolish to over-generalize, still these theories show that most men prefer blue to red, while women prefer red to blue.... men prefer orange over yellow, while women prefer yellow over orange.
  Further, a website designed for a younger audience should use brighter colors than a website for an older audience, which should use sober and restrained colors.

  Different cultures have different meanings for colors. Keep your target audience in mind when you choose a color scheme. Choose two or three main colors and one or two secondary colors, and stick with them throughout your entire website.

  Use this free color-picker tool to see how different colors look together.

The "Psychology" of the colors you choose:

The following is a list of color "qualities" most often associated with demographics of North America & Europe. Note that colors can have both positive and negative implications.

Red creates a strong emotional reaction that can be either positive or negative. It evokes feelings of love, passion, excitement, and strength, as well as those of anger, speed, and danger.
Red is also often associated with sales, bargains, special notices, etc....
In it's negative side, red evokes aggressive feelings, and can suggest anger or violence.

Blue evokes a sense of belonging and trust, reliability, coolness, peacefulness, tranquility, security, etc.
Blue is by far the most commonly chosen "favorite" color.
Blue is often associated with high quality, faithfulness and dignity.
In its negative side, it can imply alienation, sadness, passivity, or depression.

Yellow evokes feelings of happiness, warmth, and sunshine.
Note - over-use of yellow can cause eye-strain and vague feelings of irritation.

Orange evokes feelings of playfulness, pleasure, approachability, informality and warmth.
Orange and black together are often associated with ambition and drive.
in the negative side orange may imply a lack of discrimination or quality.

Green evokes feelings of growth and abundance. Also, depending on the shade, green can bring to mind nature, healing, freshness, etc..
Green is also associated with money and freedom. It is also the easiest on the eyes.
Some shades of green instead suggest decay, fungus, mold, toxicity, etc.

Purple is the color of royalty, dignity, sophistication and spirituality.
Purple can evoke feelings of luxury and abundance.

Violet evokes feelings of playfulness, impulsiveness, and fantasy.
In its negative side, it can suggest nightmares or madness.

Pink evokes feelings of being nurtured or pampered.
Pink is associated with sweetness and femininity.

White is most often considered pure, innocent, clean and mild.

Black evokes feelings of elegance, authority, sophistication, and power.
Black is often associated with mystery, sobriety and seduction.
In its negative side, it represents evil, sorrow and death.

Gray evokes a sense of solidity and reliability.
Grey is associated with authority, creativity and practicality.

Brown evokes feelings of masculinity, reliability and affectivity.
Brown is associated with dependability and affluence.

Gold evokes feelings of prestige, influence and money.

Silver evokes the same feelings as gold, but silver can also be perceived as cold, hard and distant.

  Tip Use lots of blank space between design elements and content elements. Your blank space, in all of its glorious "nothingness", will act as a wonderful balance between your other design elements. You can also make your web pages easier on the eyes by leaving blank space between blocks of text.

  Tip. Visit other websites like yours and take note of the colors used. Note which ones seem to evoke feelings or impressions within you.

  Tip. Make a few different "Mock-up" websites for yourself, changing only the colors, and have some friends look at them and give you their impressions.