
Visuals like infographics, charts, graphs, animated GIFs, and other images that can be shared can do a lot to grab your reader's attention and improve your article or report, even though text-based content is always important when looking for an answer. To make your content stand out, you need to know about color theory and design.
Tell me about color theory.
Color theory is the main set of rules and guidelines for how to use color to make aesthetically pleasing pictures. Understanding the basics of color theory will help you make better color palettes and use them more effectively. This is because you will be able to start figuring out the logical structure of colors on your own.
Why is color theory important when making a website?
Color can change what the text means, how users move through a layout, and how they feel while doing these things. It is one of the most important parts of design, if not the most important. If you know about color theory, you'll be able to make more intentional, powerful visuals. Think about picking the right color scheme. At first, it might seem easy, but when you look at a color wheel, you'll wish you knew more about what you're seeing.
The Basics of Color
First colors
A primary color can only be made by mixing two or more other colors. They look like prime numbers, which can't be made by adding together two different numbers. Think of the primary colors in your design as the parent colors. This will give your artwork a wider range of colors to choose from.
There are basically three colors:
- Red.
- Yellow.
- Blue.
Colors that come next
When you mix any two of the three primary colors above, you get a secondary color.
There are orange, purple, and green as secondary colors. Two of the three primary colors can be used to make each of them. The most important rules for secondary colors are:
Orange is a mix of red and yellow.
- Purple is a mix of blue and red.
- Green is the same as Blue and Yellow.
Third-Level Colors
You get tertiary colors when you mix a primary color with a secondary color. A tertiary color is made when a primary color and the color right after it on the color wheel below are mixed. This description goes with the following six tertiary colors:
- Red and Purple make Red-Purple.
- Red plus orange equals red-orange (vermillion).
- Purple plus Blue equals Blue-Purple (violet).
- Green plus Blue equals Blue-Green (teal).
- Yellow plus orange equals yellow-orange.
- Yellow and Green together make Yellow-Green (chartreuse).
The color theory wheel.
Now that you know the "main" colors, you and I both know that there are a lot more color schemes than just the 12 primary colors, especially for computers. The color wheel was made with this goal in mind. It is a circle graph that shows each primary, secondary, and tertiary color along with its hues, tints, tones, and shades. This way of seeing colors helps choose color schemes by showing the relationship between each color and the one right next to it on a rainbow color scale.
What Each Color Means
Red is often associated with power, passion, or energy, and it can help get people to do something on your website.
Orange is a good color for happy messages because it makes people feel happy and excited.
Yellow means happiness and intelligence, but don't use it too much.
Green is often associated with growth and ambition, so it can help show that your brand is growing.
Depending on the shade, blue can show both peace and confidence. Lighter blues show peace, while darker blues show more confidence.
Purple is a sign of luxury or creativity, especially when you use it sparingly and on purpose on your website.
Black is a mysterious and powerful color, and using it can help make the space you need.
White is a great choice for your website because it represents safety and purity.
How many different color combinations are there?
1. Monochromatic
Monochromatic color schemes use different tints and shades of the same color to create a unified look and feel. Even though there isn't a lot of color contrast, it often looks very clean and polished. You can also easily change how bright or dark your colors are.
2. Analogous
Analogous color schemes are made up of one main color and the two colors on the color wheel that are next to it. You can also add two more colors if you want to use a five-color scheme instead of just three (which are located next to the two outside colors).
3. Complementary
As you might have guessed, a complementary color scheme is made up of two colors that are next to each other on the color wheel and the right shades of those colors. The complementary color scheme has the most contrast between the colors. So, you should be careful when choosing how to use colors that go well together in a scheme.
4. Differences Differences
A split complementary scheme is made up of one dominant color and the two colors that are directly opposite the complement of the dominant color. Compared to a complementary color scheme, this makes a more nuanced color palette while still keeping the benefits of using colors that are different from each other.
5. Triadic
Triadic color schemes can have high-contrast color schemes with the same tonality. Triadic color schemes are made by picking three colors that are evenly spaced in lines around the color wheel.
6. Square
The square color scheme uses four colors that are equally far apart on the color wheel to make a square or diamond shape. Even though this evenly spaced color scheme gives your design a lot of contrast, it's best to pick one dominant color instead of trying to balance all four.
7. Rectangle
The rectangle approach, also called the tetradic color scheme, is similar to the square approach, but it uses colors in a more muted way.
How to Choose the Right Colors
1. Use the ideas that come to you out of the blue.
The best examples of colors that go well together can be found in nature, like the blue sky and white clouds or the green stems and bright flowers of flowering plants.
2. Use your color scheme to make a mood.
Think about the mood you want to create with your color scheme and keep a few color options in mind. If you want to show passion and energy, choose more red or brighter yellow colors. If you want to make people feel calm or peaceful, use lighter shades of blue and green.
3. Think about where color is used.
It's important to think about how colors look when they are next to each other. When choosing colors for your graphic designs, think about how much contrast you want throughout.
4. Utilize the color wheel.
Then, think about your color wheel and the other schemes we've talked about. Choose a few different color schemes, such as monochrome, complementary, and triad, to see what stands out.
5. Create numerous designs.
Make and use different color schemes on your website to see which ones get the most attention. After that, wait a few days before checking again to see if your favorites have changed.