Harnessing Color to Enhance User Experience in Web Design
Color is something the eye catches unconsciously the first fraction of a second when you open a website or a mobile app. We are not aware of it at first but the first impression is instantly made with color.
Color is crucial for any platform, and not only the primary color used, but also the schemes, the combinations, and the shades. The importance of color has to do not only with the general perception of the website elements, and whether the background color makes the text readable.
Color in website design can be a make-or-break element because it evokes certain emotions in every person visiting the site before they even start to read. This is exactly the reason why many websites in the same niches mimic the colors of each other or act in more or less similar color schemes. This is because they are clearly aware of what emotions they want to create,
Moreover, certain color schemes have become so stable in terms of perception that the first impression created by the color scheme can instantly tell the visitor what the website is about. If the guess is correct, the visitor will feel more competent and is likely to be more interested in continuing to explore the site.
Therefore, one has to choose the particular colors and color combinations for their website projects and apps with the utmost care. It all has to work out not only in terms of being pleasant to the eye but also in terms of the emotional impressions evoked.
General Concepts
The science of colors is a big and complicated one and if the budget allows, it is better to either hire an expert or perhaps buy some proven color schemes that work for the niche and have successful cases.
However, to get a better idea of what might actually work – because let’s face it, some people may feel totally color-blind when it comes to choosing between close options – it makes sense to check out the concepts of colors as such.
There are some general concepts one has to decide upon when choosing a color scheme for the website.
How Many Colors One Should Use?
In most cases, the best number of colors is five – primary color, neutral color, and three complementary colors.
The primary color is the main theme that creates the basic emotion about the concept of the site, or business represented. Primary color should be used in all places where the reader has to take action and highlight the most important spots to attract attention.
And not only attention but the right type of attention, combined with the right emotion.
Up to three secondary colors should also support the general emotional mood and the overall impression created.
Secondary colors are used in less important places – to highlight headings, active menu items, secondary buttons, etc.
Neutral color is usually the background color, and many may automatically assume that white is the best option, but this is not true. Variations in neutral colors also contribute to emotional impressions, so it makes sense to experiment with several options.
The key idea here is not to interfere with the reader’s reading; if they want to learn more about no deposit bonuses on CasinosHunter or about how to pay their taxes properly – the niche doesn’t matter at this point – they want to actually be able to read the text on the page. If the background color prevents it, they leave, full stop.
Ideas on Combining the Colors
Many combinations are possible and some of them are very advantageous but the two main concepts that work the best are contrast and complementation.
With contrast, all colors stand out against each other, creating a strong, bright impression. Every color used in the scheme is combined with the opposite color in the color wheel (google the relevant color wheel though).
With complementation, one can create a bright and outstanding impression, too, by bringing out the best from every color used. Some colors in the color wheel work out together really nicely.
The Most Widespread Color Schemes
Three main schemes are usually helpful for web designers because they are simple, effective, and comprehensive enough for some experimentation. These schemes are triadic, compound, and analogous.
- Triadic – this is a classic, the most basic scheme you can find, and it is also the most balanced of all possible schemes. It avoids striking contrast but helps in creating a dramatic effect by using three colors from three parts of the color wheel. If you use the color wheel, divide it into three equal parts, and take the central color from each part. Your three colors will be your primary, complementary, and neutral colors.
- Compound – this is a more complicated scheme, but it is more adequate visually and also emotionally, and therefore it is more rewarding in the long term. The concept for the compound scheme is using two contrasting pairs of colors and two complementary pairs.
- Analogous – this scheme is focused on three complementary colors within the same segment of the wheel. However, please make sure you do not choose the brightest option from the palette for each separate color (like, taking bright yellow, bright orange, and bright red does not sound like a good idea). Pick more muted hues and tones within every palette.
Final Thoughts
Picking the right color for the website is not an easy task, but hopefully, this post has shed some light on the issue. It is still recommended to give preference to checked and proven color schemes that actually work. You might want to tweak them a bit to match your liking but this is a good place to start.
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