Web Page Color Tips

By – Dhiraj Mishra
123Triad – Web Design & SEO Company

When you open a web page, the first thing you notice isn’t the text, the name, or even the graphics. Usually, it’s the colors that jump out at you. Your choice of colors can speak volumes about you and the nature of your business. Needless to say, it’s one of the most important decisions you’ll have to make, and one that can make or break the project itself.

So how do you know which colors will work for your site? Here’s a quick guide to run you through the basics.

Color schemes
The color wheel is designed so that colors that work together are placed at specific intervals. The most popular color schemes include:

Triad: This consists of three colors in the same class: primary, secondary, or tertiary. A common example is red, blue, and yellow (three primary colors). This works best for sites that need a lot of contrast and visual impact.

Analogous: This scheme uses colors that are adjacent on the color wheel, creating an almost monochromatic (single-color) look. Because the shades are so close together, you may need to add a neutral color to make your text readable.

Complementary: This scheme uses two colors that are on opposite sides of the color wheel. These colors create a nice contrast and offer great readability, making them ideal for sites that need web accessibility. Examples include yellow and purple, blue and orange, and red and green.

Split complementary: This is a variation of the complementary scheme wherein one of the colors is split into two similar shades. Instead of red and green, you use red and two colors on either side of the green, which are blue-green and yellow-green.

How many colors?
For a working website, a basic theme will have two colors: one main color for the background and a secondary one for the text (or vice versa). You may also need to choose colors for frames, headings, and other minor elements—but that doesn’t mean you make one choice for every single item.

A common problem with first-time designers is the urge to use as many colors as possible. It’s certainly tempting, since you have a whole palette at your disposal. But too much color can make your site look loud, cluttered, and unprofessional. The general rule is to use no more than three colors throughout the whole site. Take your first two colors, see how they work, and decide whether you need a third to balance it out.

Web color tools
There are many free tools you can use to find the perfect theme for your website. A quick web search should turn up at least a dozen color wheels—just take your pick and print one out for reference. If you need help combining colors, look for “color schemer” tools such as Colorzilla—it’s a free add-on you can install on your browser for quick access.

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment. Color schemes are there for a reason, but if you’re confident enough, you can create new palettes that are still visually effective. So play by the rules, but let your creativity be your guide!

123Triad webdesign offers affordable custom website design. Our full service website design company only hires certified web designers. Please contact us today on 1-800-720-0816 for your next web site design project.

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