Blue

Only joking. But most web sites are blue.  But how do I choose?

A usual starting point is the colour scheme thats used in your logo, but lets say you have no constraints. Well there are some simple rules to follow.

• Keep it simple - 2 or 3 colours. 1 colour can work well too more»
• Usually most websites are trying to convey some textual message. So the text has to be easy to read. Get what I mean?
• Research (Scharff, et al. (1996) usability»), shows that, surprise, surprise, dark text on a light background is the best colour scheme for text areas, and best of all is black on white.
• Think of the marketing message you are trying to get across. Conservative and professional?, or funky and innovative - that should influence your choice.
• Beyond that, youre into colour science. Heres a brief lesson:
  
  Issac Newton came up with the idea of the colour wheel. Its wheel of colors (really?). Red yellow and blue and the gradations between. 
  • Analagous colour schemes use 3 colours from beside each other on the wheel
  • Complementary schemes use opposite colours
  • Split complementary uses 2 adjacent and one opposite
  • Triadic uses three equally spaced colours
  • Tetradic uses 4 colours, 2 adjacent and 2 opposite If you have half an hour read this wikipedia on colour theory»
    

  • Stuck for ideas?
    I think this is brilliant - just type a word and get a scheme more»
    or
    simply download a scheme you like from colorschemer»

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