Choosing Colors in Web or Logo Design

You've been to colorschemedesigner.com to use the color wheel and other tools for picking a complete color scheme.  And you've got a good handle on the hexadecimal color codes, so now what?

Before you choose a color scheme for your next logo, website, poster, etc., there is more to consider: Colors have meaning. A color's meaning may have its roots in history, culture, or psychology - and these are deep strong roots that you need to work with, instead of against, when you choose colors. Some of it will seem common sense or intuitive - but other aspects of color meaning are more subtle.

Check out this site: ColorMatters.com - especially the sections under "The Meanings of Colors", and "Why Color Matters".

Also read the "Effective Use of Color Psychology in Web Design" page at NaldzGraphics.

Your colors should fit into a harmonic scheme, but they should also be the best possible fit for the product, company/organization, website and for the target audience.  Use color to effectively convey the meanings or associations that you want to get across - and to reach your viewers in the most impactful way.

Ya learn somethin' new every day!

the ever-beautiful Roy G. Biv

Today at school I managed to learn two things from my students before the morning was even half over.

A freshman taught me a great (and OBVIOUS once you know it) mnemonic for remembering the order of the colors in hexadecimal color codes. The order is Red, Green, Blue - and you can use Roy G. Biv - the same mnemonic used to remember the colors of the rainbow.  Can't believe I never thought of that before.  Way better than Really Gross Bug.

Then one of my sophomores cleared up the mystery of "grey vs. gray" for me.  Here's a site that covers it: http://www.greyorgray.com/

"Choose colors wisely, you will." --Yoda

The psychology of color is interesting stuff!  Colors can evoke emotions or behaviors, and also have some strong cultural or traditional associations.  Some of these may be universal, but others vary from culture to culture.  For example, black is a color of mourning for us, but in some societies the mourning color is white.

For these reasons, designers of products, logos, and living or work spaces pay extra attention to their color choices!

Check out these links to learn the specifics for each color - and so see how they apply to products and logos.  These also could come in handy next time you need to paint a room in your house.

Color Psychology at Infoplease - cultural and psychological color associations

Colour Selects - similar to above, but organized by positive and negative for each color

Helpscout - psychology of color applied to logos -  neat infographic

Kissmetrics - how do colors affect purchases? infographic

Visual.ly - another infographic about color and buying choices

Visual.ly - color psych in logo design - another good infographic

Painters of Louisville - neat infographic about color choices for painting various rooms in your house

Ya learn somethin’ new every day!

Today at school I managed to learn two things from my students before the morning was even half over.

A freshman taught me a great (and OBVIOUS once you know it) mnemonic for remembering the order of the colors in hexadecimal color codes. The order is Red, Green, Blue – and you can use Roy G. Biv – the same mnemonic used to remember the colors of the rainbow.  Can’t believe I never thought of that before.  Way better than Really Gross Bug.

Then one of my sophomores cleared up the mystery of “grey vs. gray” for me.  Here’s a site that covers it: http://www.greyorgray.com/