The Use of Color
Why Use Color in Design?
Why do web designers use color in web design? That is a very thought-provoking question. Perhaps the most obvious answer is that using color appropriately can help to create a visually-appealing web site. Color does indeed help to create visually-appealing web sites, but it also helps to communicate with your visitors. In fact, there are many uses for color in web design; to include:
- Enhancing meaning - Consider one of your text books. Think about when color is used to modify text, the use of color is a clue that the text is important. The use of color enhances the meaning of the text.
- Conveying structure - Again, consider one of your text book. Think about how elements of the text book have different background colors. The use of color reiterates the structure of the elements from chapter to chapter – making the text book easier to use.
- Communicate mood…("10 Reasons to," n.d., header: 3, 4, and 8).
Colors Communicate Mood
 Wait a minute, colors can convey/communicate mood? Indeed they can. In fact, there is a branch of psychology that studies the affects colors have on people, or at the least the meanings people perceive when they see a specific color. For instance, in business red is perceived as a "power" color. Business leaders often incorporate red into their wardrobe to invoke, in others, the feeling of "power." Likewise, blue is often perceived as a color that conveys trust which is one reason financial institutions commonly use blue in their web site color scheme ("How to use," n.d.).
Since the use of color can affect your visitor's perceptions of your web page, it is a good idea to truly consider the message you are trying to convey to your visitors and employ a color scheme that supports that message.
 Extend Your Understanding: Communicating Mood Through Color
Check out the following articles to get a better idea of how you can use color psychology to communicate mood or invoke feelings/perceptions in your visitors:
References:
10 Reasons to use color. (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://understandinggraphics.com/design/10-reasons-to-use-color/
How to use the psychology of color to increase website conversions. (n.d.). Retrieved from:
https://blog.kissmetrics.com/psychology-of-color-and-conversions/
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