Color has intrinsic meaning; be sure your designs take that into account.
An article recently published on WebProNews.com underscored the importance of knowing the intrinsic meanings
of color before applying it to your designs. Many colors give off certain
"feelings," and it’s best to be aware of how they affect your designs overall.
According to the article, designers need to be aware of several factors
when designing for color.
* Use the color
wheel. The easiest way to ensure your designs won’t result in color clashes
is to make good use of the Pantone color wheel. Colors next to each other on the
wheel are harmonious and go together nicely, while colors on opposite sides of
the wheel, such as blue and orange, provide contrast.
* Be aware of
color depth. Colors such as yellow and orange tend to jump forward on the
page, while others, such as dark green and blue, tend to recede. The article
says designers should avoid using forward-jumping colors as backgrounds, since
they tend to overshadow everything else on the page.
* Watch the
meaning. Colors also have subconscious meanings that designers need to be
aware of. For instance, the article cites surveys where respondents said that
yellow was a happy color, whereas brown tended to convey the idea of
"inexpensive." Black connoted "mourning," whereas green conveyed "nauseau."
Designers should be aware of their target market and its feel toward colors
before applying them in their designs.
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