Color theory

May 4 2018 | Blog

Color theory

Last week a number of tips were given on how to keep your visitors on your website. One of these tips was to make the website visually appealing. First and foremost, the website must of course show what the website is for. But what colors should you use? And is there any special thinking behind this?

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Blue

The color blue is what you see most day to day, just think of the sky. This color can reduce your appetite and is seen as a cold color that represents peace and tranquility. Blue is therefore mainly used by companies to create a feeling of security and trust.

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Red

Most will associate this color with love. But besides love, this color also evokes other emotions. It appears to increase your appetite and make you more passionate and intense. Many companies use the color red to make someone enthusiastic and you often see this color during sales to encourage someone to take action.

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Yellow

When you think of yellow, you quickly think of the sun and nice weather. This quality provides happiness and a feeling of warmth. This color is used by companies to represent optimism and youthfulness.

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Green

The mix between blue and yellow. This color gives a feeling of calm and health. It turns out that people who work in a green environment are less likely to become depressed. This color is of course also associated with money and therefore with prosperity. Furthermore, companies often use this color to give someone a relaxed feeling.

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Purple

People also often think of prosperity and wealth with this color, but also of wisdom. But this color can also provide a feeling of tranquility.

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Orange

Orange is a mix of red and yellow, which is also reflected in the thoughts and emotions this color evokes. It stands for excitement and enthusiasm, but also warns to pay attention. This color is used in marketing to get someone to do something, but it looks friendlier than the color red.

The color wheel

After you know what you want to convey on your website and what kind of target group you want to approach, you can choose a main color based on these theories. And using the color wheel you can choose which other colors you include, in order to get the best out of your website.

Red, blue and yellow are the primary colors

Purple, orange and green are the secondary colors

The colors in between are the tertiary colors

The color wheel shows which colors there are, which ones are primary, secondary and tertiary and which colors go together. From this wheel you can easily determine which colors go well together. There are also theories behind which colors go best together. Those who are familiar with Adobe Color CC will be familiar with these color rules.

Analog

Choose colors that are close to each other.

For example red, purple, blue.

Monochromatic

Everything in the same color, but then you can alternate with dark and light of course.

For example, from light to dark red.

Three

These are three colors opposite each other in a triangle. There is a variant of this with a right angle, where colors are opposite each other in a rectangle/square

Three: for example orange, purple, green.

Rectangle: for example, red and orange versus blue and green.

Complimentary

Two colors opposite each other.

For example orange and blue.