Colors From The Eyes of a Digital Designer

If you were to quickly analyze a website without reading any content, what do you want the user to see first, think first, and interact with first? An interface says a lot about a company’s brand and business. If taking content out of the mix, the first topic to discuss would be colors and imagery.

The colors you choose when designing your website change the way consumers think and feel about your brand, so it’s essential you choose the right colors.

The purpose of color is to grab the attention of the viewer as well as making the site visually appealing. Websites could be designed completely in black and white and it would be functional. Sure, it would be stand out from other sites, but it is also missing the link to connect with the consumer’s emotions. Color adds life and expression to the canvas of a website.

From graphics and fonts to call-to-actions and hyperlinks, everything can be styled simplistically and in a way to match the overall tone and feel you want for your site.

Every color generates different emotions that you can capitalize on to portray a message. You simply have to know how colors can be put to good use. I have generated a list of what some colors mean and the emotions they perceive from a digital designer’s point of view.

1. Red: The Attention Grabber. The color red has tested to hold people’s attention longer than any other color. If you want something done right away, red is the go to color for call-to-actions.
2. Blue: The Reliable Source. Blue gives off a sense of reliability, loyalty, and trustworthiness. The cool tone is a breath of fresh air. If you’re in a field where trust and accountability is demanded, this is your color.
3. Yellow: Happy go lucky. Healthy, happy minds, clear thoughts and actions, positive. The color yellow is joyful. Most known for signifying youthfulness.
4. Green: The soothing color. Green symbolizes harmony, unity, peace, and tranquility. Soothe your viewers with the peaceful vibe of this secondary color.
5. Orange: Orange is the new black. When used sparingly and properly orange can be as sophisticated as the color black. It’s a subtle attention grabber and less alarming than the color red. Its industrial, a perfect fit for technology related brands.
6. Purple: Grace, elegance and sophistication are the most common words that are associated with the color purple. It's professional and luxurious, keep your brand in charge with this powerful tone.
7. Pink: Soft & Sweet. This gentle yet playful color is primarily used in markets geared towards women. The color is known to bring positive emotions of fun, romance, and sweet memorable moments.
8. Black: The Original Color. What is the first color always used no matter where you are typing? That’s right, Black! No matter the program black is always automatic. It’s versatile and matches any and everything. It’s a go to for simplicity as well as over the top designs. It’s a solid neutral but still adds contrast and character.

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