a personal project by Arun Jacob to keep as a reference regarding the main color divisions and the emotional impact it creates in the users mind.
scroll downThe most stimulating color, red is used to catch attention and raise alarm. As an energizing color, and it be used to symbolize power and even youth, but this makes it ill-advised for sites striving for a relaxed feel.
Orange retains some of red’s energizing properties, but to a lesser degree, making a bit calmer. It’s commonly used to show cheerfulness and playfulness.
The impact of yellow varies with its vibrancy (light or dark shades), but in general it is usually warming and energetic. Bright yellow is extremely stimulating, middle shades are more welcoming, and darker shades (such as gold) give an air of antiquity and timelessness.
The bridge between warm and dark colors, green is a pleasing mix of energy and relaxation. It typically signifies positive growth, and in Westernculture represents money and environmental themes.
The first of the cool colors, light blue is friendly and inviting, but also safe. Popular social sites like Facebook and Twitter both take advantage of this welcoming color. Dark blue is still calming, but it tends to be more somber and reliable than light blue – a more down-to-earth color favored by companies known for professionalism.
Being a tint of red, pink also affects us physically, but it soothes, rather than stimulates. Pink is a powerful colour, psychologically. It represents the feminine principle, and survival of the species; it is nurturing and physically soothing. Too much pink is physically draining and can be somewhat emasculating.
The color of royalty, purple conjures sensations of luxury, sometimes even decadence. Lighter shades exude romance, while darker ones can represent more mysterious elements.
As the colour associated with the earth and trees, brown can add an outdoorsy feel, maximized by a pairing with green. The tree connotations also give a sturdy and reliable feeling. Brown is most often used in conjunction with wood texturing, giving the same old-fashioned and rustic atmosphere of a wooden cabin.
Black is the strongest of all colors, which is why it’s almost always used for the font color of text. While it will support the other colors used around it, on it’s own it can create feelings of power and sophistication.
As a primary color, white gives off an air of cleanliness, purity, and virtue. As a secondary color, it draws attention to more stimulating elements, making it ideal for supporting roles.
Just like its intermediary role between black and white, gray gives the impression of neutrality. However, in an expert’s hands, changing its shade can give it varying degrees of black’s attention-drawing and white’s attention-repelling qualities, making it a uniquely powerful tool to the master designer.