Color in Design - Part 1

In any design, one of the key aspects is colors. Various messages can be communicated through text, but colors are powerful tools as they can create style and stir emotion in people. However, color is subjective as people may perceive them differently; Changing the hue or saturation of a color can evoke a completely different feeling. Hence, it is important to understand the meaning behind each color, so you can use them to convey your idea and messages effectively in user interface design.

Warm Colors

Variations of red, orange and yellow are warm colors. They represent positivity, passion, happiness, enthusiasm, and energy in general.

Red

Red is a strong color. It can have an overwhelming effect if it is used extensively in designs. It is associated with importance or danger, as well as love and passion. Red can be a good choice to portray power or passion. However, red can be very versatile. Brighter shades of red appear to be more energetic while darker shades seems more powerful and elegant. Be aware that the negative connotations of red are rage, emergency, and anger.

Gradient of red gives the site a sense of energy and elegance.

Overwhelming effect when red is used extensively

Orange

Orange is a very vibrant, cheerful and energetic color. It can commands attention without being as overpowering as red. Hence, it’s often considered more friendly and inviting, and less aggressive. Orange symbolizes happiness, joy and sunshine. It also signifies ignorance and deceit.

The site looks vibrant with orange used. It attracts attention.

Yellow

Yellow is often considered the brightest and most energizing of the warm colors. It’s associated with happiness, hope and sunshine.

In designs, bright yellow can lend a sense of happiness and cheerfulness. Light yellows also give a more calm feeling of happiness than bright yellows. Dark yellows and gold-hued yellows can sometimes look antique and be used in designs where a sense of permanence is desired.
A dingy yellow brings about negative feelings: caution, criticism, laziness, deceit and jealousy. Yellow is also associated with danger, though not as strongly as red.

Yellow adds cheerfulness and a calm feeling to this site.

Yellow accents bring attention to various headings. They also gives a sense of permanence to this site.

Cool Colors
Cool colors include green, blue, and purple. They are often more subdued than warm colors. They are usually calming, relaxing, and somewhat reserved. Use cool colors in your designs to give a sense of calm or professionalism.

Green

Green has many of the same calming attributes that blue has, but it also incorporates some of the energy of yellow. Green symbolizes nature and has a healing quality. It can be used to symbolize growth and harmony.

In design, green can have a balancing and harmonizing effect, and is very stable. It’s appropriate for designs related to wealth, stability, renewal, and nature. Brighter greens are more energizing and vibrant, while olive greens are more representative of the natural world. Dark greens are the most stable and representative of affluence.

On the other hand, green is symbolic of money, showing greed or jealousy. It can also be used to symbolize a lack of experience or a beginner in need of growth

Green is used to give emphasis to the nature-related content.

Blue

Blue is used extensively to represent calmness and responsibility. Blue is a peaceful and calming color exuding stability and expertise. Blue can also symbolize trust and dependability.

In design, the exact shade of blue you select will have a huge impact on how your designs are perceived. Light blues are often relaxed and calming. Bright blues can be energizing and refreshing. Dark blues are excellent for corporate sites or designs where strength and reliability are important.

A cool shade can bring about the negative side of blue, symbolizing depression, coldness, and passiveness.

Blue gives a sense of peacefulness and calmness. Dark blue is used to add stability to this site.

Purple

Purple was long associated with royalty. It’s associated with spirituality, creativity and imagination too.

In design, dark purples can give a sense wealth and luxury. Light purples are softer and are associated with spring and romance. Brighter purples can exude a magical feeling.

Darker purples can conjure gloominess and sadness.

The sense of royalty and luxury is further enhanced with purple

Purple is used in this site to convey the idea of imagination and creativity

Neutral Colors
Neutral colors often serve as the backdrop in design and combined with brighter accent colors. They can also be used on their own in designs, and can create very sophisticated layouts. The meanings and impressions of neutral colors are much more affected by the colors that surround them.

Black

Black is the strongest of the neutral colors. On the positive side, it’s commonly associated with power, elegance, and formality.

Black is commonly used in edgier designs, as well as in very elegant designs. It can be conservative or modern, traditional or unconventional, depending on the colors it’s combined with. Black can make it easier to convey a sense of sophistication and mystery in a design. It is often correlated with power, elegance, sophistication, and depth.

Black can also be seen negatively because the color is associated with death, mystery, grief, mourning, and sorrow.

Black is used to give the site an elegant and sophisticated feel

White

White, like black, it can work well with just about any other color. White is often associated with purity, cleanliness, simplicity, goodness and virtue. In design, white is generally considered a neutral backdrop that amplifies other colors.

Conversely, white can be seen as cold and distant.

White gives simplicity and lightens this site

Gray

Gray is a neutral color, but it can sometimes be considered moody or depressing.

Gray is generally conservative and formal, but can also be modern and sophisticated. It’s commonly used in corporate designs, where there is an emphasis on formality and professionalism.

Various shades of grey combined with black gives the site a modern, sophisticated feel