Is There a Science to Site Design? - Color Science…Are You Serious?
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It may seem silly at first, but there have been a lot of studies regarding how colors affect our psyche. There is a certain science to all those colors that we see. If you want to create a certain feeling in the users who visit your pages, start with the science of color -- and start finding out how you can oh-so-gently prompt them to make the choices that best suit you.
There are three major color groups, and almost all shades will fit somewhere into these categories. Cool, or “calming” colors include purples, pinks, blues and greens. Warm, or “exciting” colors include browns, oranges, reds and yellows. Black, white and gray colors are said to be neutral, prompting no feelings either negative or positive.
Within these groupings, certain colors can entice certain feelings or responses, according to scientific studies and various psychologists. The color red, for instance, is often associated with impressions of love, passion, danger, excitement or warning. Shades of green are often linked to money, nature, health and healing. Blue is often seen as a serious, professional, calming color, and seems to be present in many business-toned sites. Shades of orange are often associated with comfort, youth and the young, celebration and creativity.
White, the color of wedding dresses, is often used to represent purity, cleanliness and innocence. Purple, the color once restricted to kings and queens, seems to speak of royalty and luxury, but can also create feelings of uncertainty according to some studies.
Yellow is often seen as a playful, cheerful color, while black is considered to be serious, dark, mysterious and secretive. Pink colors seem to go with softness and youth, while brown brings to mind images of earth, nature and simplicity. Gray is often considered to be neutral, indifferent and reserved.
Do certain shades create responses within you? Maybe it’s not just a personal quirk; maybe it’s color science at work. When you’re designing Web pages, use this science to your advantage.
Next: Colors on the Web >>
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