Let's face it, not everyone has an eye
for color. If you're one of those people, you need to either rely
on a professional designer's opinion, or learn how to pick and use
color yourself. Another alternative is to use the following color
scheme guide and play it safe.
Plan your color scheme
1. Choose a palette
A palette usually consists of one or two base primary colors, and
a few secondary colors that will be used for accent. The palette
will act as the main inspiration for your project.
Start by finding your primary color(s).
If you're working on a brand piece for your company or client, you
can find your primary color(s) by examining the corporate logo or
printed collateral material. If necessary, scan a printed brochure
and use the Photoshop "eyedropper" tool to select the
color for an exact match.
Your primary colors will be used in the
majority of your design.
2. How to choose a palette
When designing a project that is completely independent of the
company brand, you'll need to pull color choices out of thin air.
That's when things can get tricky.
Ask yourself: "What am I trying to
accomplish?" For example, if you're building a site about
surfing, you'll probably want to choose shades of blue similar to
the ocean.
But how do you choose a color for a
company intranet? Choose a few colors at random, print out some
examples, and ask your fellow employees which ones they like the
most over lunch. After all, they're the ones who will be looking
at it all day.
After they pick their favorites, set
those as the primary colors and proceed to step 3.
3. Select secondary colors
Once you have your primary colors, select your secondary colors by
using shades of the primary colors, or adjusting their
saturation/hue to similar tones. Another designers' trick is to
invert the color to the exact opposite using your favorite imaging
software. Remember that the point of a secondary color is to
complement, not distract.
Use secondary colors minimally, and only
to accent the primary colors. A good place to use secondary colors
is in copy headlines, or to highlight words or titles on the page.
A secondary color, if used effectively, can draw a user's eye to
pieces of important information.
4. Watch for symbolism
Colors are deeply associated with feelings and interpretations on
just about everything we see. Therefore, make sure your color
choice isn't "saying" the wrong thing. If you choose
color combinations that are fresh and unique, you won't have a
problem.
5. Get automated help
Finally, you can use a tool such as The
Color Schemer, which helps you create color schemes with the
click of a button based upon one color selection.
Now you're on your way to coloring within
the lines of proper color usability. Good luck, and happy
coloring!
