Color Theory:
Fundamentals for Every
Web Designer
Table of Content
 1.1 -Why Color Matters In Web Design
 1.2 -A Brief Look Into Color History
 1.3 -7 Key Color Theory Terms You Should Know
 2.0 -How To Apply An Effective Color Scheme
 2.1 -Applying Color Schemes
 2.2 -How to Use Color Psychology and Meaning to Influence Emotions
 2.3 -Examples of websites and templates that successfully employ color
meaning in their designs.
 2.4 -Things to Consider When Using Color Psychology
1.1 Why Color Matters In Web Design
 Color theory is a huge field of knowledge. It includes rules and guidelines
about various color combinations and their uses.
 Color theory is a vast field that involves more human perception, cultural
associations, and color psychology. Our product designer guides you
through the fundamentals of color theory that every web designer should
know and shows how it works in practice.
1.1 Why Color Matters In Web Design
 The most apparent advantage of using the right color combinations in web
design is that they help users understand and navigate the site. Colors can
improve visitors’ online experiences, enabling them to find the information
they need and respond to your call to action.
 research has shown that color plays a huge role in customers’ decisions
about purchasing a product, with a staggering 92.6 percent of viewers
putting high importance on the item’s visual factors.
 conducted by the University of Loyola, Maryland, colors can increase overall
brand recognition by a staggering 80 percent.
1.2 A Brief Look Into Color History
 the scientific approach to color theory started in the 17th century when Sir
Isaac Newton created the first color wheel.
 Newton discovered a visible spectrum of light, which consisted of many
colors. He mapped them into classifications that became known as the color
wheel.
 His experiment also led to the discovery that all secondary colors can be
created by mixing primary colors. Newton’s discoveries have influenced the
work of artists, designers, and scientists up to this day.
1.3 7 Key Color Theory Terms You
Should Know
 Color Wheel: A color wheel is a powerful tool that can help you visualize
relationships between colors in a standard, schematic way.
Color Wheel ; continued
 The basic color wheel consists of 12 colors. Primary colors form the basis of
all others. Although traditional theory lists these as Red, Blue, and Yellow,
recent research suggests that Magenta, Cyan, and Yellow are more accurate
descriptors of how we perceive these colors.
 Mixing primary colors gives you Orange, Green, and Purple. These are known
as secondary colors. You can also combine primary and secondary colors to
create tertiary colors such as yellow-green, blue-green, and so on.
Color Relationships
When working on a project, designers often rely on fundamental color relationships,
also known as color schemes. The four main types include:
• Monochrome: Consisting of various tints, shades, and saturation of the same
color.
• Complementary: Based on two colors from opposite sides of the color wheel.
• Analogous: Featuring three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.
• Triadic: Using three colors that are at the points of a triangle drawn within the
color wheel
Color Relationships; continued
Color Warmth
 In a nutshell, colors can be either “cool” or “warm.”
 Hues that contain higher amounts of yellow and red are considered warm
colors. They evoke a sense of passion, happiness, and heat, but can also
seem aggressive and bring feelings of danger. That’s why they’re often used
in alert messages.
 Cool colors, on the other hand, contain higher amounts of blue and purple.
These colors are reminiscent of chilly climates, crystal clear waters, or the
sky. They are considered more soothing and relaxing than warm colors.
However, they can also carry connotations of formality and sadness.
 Adding neutral colors such as white, black, and gray can help you achieve a
harmonious palette. They can balance out your color scheme and add
contrast to your designs.
Color Warmth; continued
Color Systems
 The three standard color systems:
RGB
 The RGB color system is based on light. All colors in this system are a
combination of Red, Green, and Blue. Each value is represented by a
number from 0 (black) to 255 (white). It’s easy to understand once you
remember Newton’s experiments: the maximum value of all basic colored
lights produces white light, and zero color (or zero light) is black or
darkness.
CMYK
 CMYK is used in print design. These are also the standard cartridges for
most color printers. Unlike RGB, the zero value of all colors in the CMYK
system (0,0,0,0) will produce white, while the maximum value
(100,100,100,100) will be black. However, the standard black used in print is
defined as (0, 0, 0, 100).
Hex
 Finally, the HEX color system uses a six-digit, three-byte, hexadecimal
description of each color, such as #000000 (black) or #ffffff (white). Every two
characters represent a color value. For instance, the famous Facebook blue
(#3b5998) includes a red hue described as 3b.
Tints and Shades
 You can create tints by adding white to a color. Higher levels of white will
produce lighter tints. Similarly, if you add black, you will produce a
different shade. The darker the shade, the more black it contains.
 You can combine tints and shades of a base color to achieve a
monochromatic color scheme. However, it can be more difficult to make
important elements stand out in such a design.
Hue, Saturation, and Lightness
 Hue describes the degree of similarity between colors. The point of
reference is usually a color such as red, green, blue, or yellow. For instance,
when you describe a color as yellow-green, you’re thinking of it as having two
hues.
 Saturation, on the other hand, refers to color intensity. Increasing it will
make the color more vibrant and darker while decreasing it will make the
color appear faded and pale.
 Finally, lightness defines how bright a color is compared to pure white.
Changing only the lightness parameter in graphic editing software will
produce different tints and shades.
Contrast
 Contrast is a crucial element of any website, especially when it comes to
background color and text. If the contrast is too low, users are more likely to
have trouble differentiating between elements.
 For the sake of readability, it’s best to use a white background and dark text
color to keep pages clean and organized. On the flip side, you can also
experiment with reversing the colors and using a light text over a dark
background.
 These two combinations have become a trend in web design, with many
templates and apps offering a “Dark Theme” or a “Light Theme.”
Contrast, continued;
 Contrast is vital not only for readability but content hierarchy as well. A prime
example is Aviaja Dance, which uses high contrast elements on its website to
showcase essential details.
2.0 How To Apply An
Effective Color Scheme
2.1 Applying Color Schemes
 A well-selected color scheme will help you achieve a balanced design.
Colors that work well together create harmony and contribute to a
pleasant User Experience
 However, clashing colors can cause negative impressions, with feelings of
chaos and disharmony resonating from the design. This is why it’s crucial to
develop your ability to craft effective color schemes that won’t put off
your visitors.
 The following slides are a few examples of different color schemes that are
visually pleasing. Excellent monochromatic color scheme uses different
tints and shades of green for its About section:
Elementor website’s color
scheme applies analogous
hues for the main banner
on the home page. Using
colors that stand next to
each other on the color
wheel creates a soothing
gradient effect:
Instinct Studio
boasts vibrant
elements in
orange and
turquoise, which
are
complementary
colors:
THESE COLORS STAND ON
OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COLOR
WHEEL AND PRODUCE A SHARP
CONTRAST WHEN USED
TOGETHER. HOWEVER, NOTE
THAT THIS TECHNIQUE CAN START
TO FEEL AGGRESSIVE IF USED
EXCESSIVELY.
2.2 How to Use Color Psychology and
Meaning to Influence Emotions
 Color psychology is a fascinating field of study that examines the influence
of colors on people’s behaviors and moods.
 Different colors are often associated with particular meanings or senses
they provide to a perceiving person. To create a successful design, you
need to be aware of the color meanings, and understand how a color
choice can influence your users by generating a specific emotional
response.
 Many industries benefit from color psychology, especially marketing and
design. Well-selected colors can convince users to take action and
purchase products or sign up for your mailing list. In other words, the
knowledge of color theory can help improve your conversion rate.
2.4 Things to Consider When Using
Color Psychology
 A user’s perception of color depends on factors such as their age, gender,
culture, and even religious beliefs. The same color can have opposite
effects in different parts of the world. For instance, white is considered a
pure and positive color in the U.S. and Western Europe. However, Asian
cultures associate it with death and sadness.
 Color psychology is a complex subject, so make sure to study your target
audience and learn about their preferences. Rely on the power of user
testing, ask the right questions, and gather as much relevant data as
possible so you can make informed decisions.
Summary
• Color choices are vital for satisfactory user experience. An effective color scheme
can make a massive difference to your customers and contribute to your
website’s success.
• Rely on color theory to come up with harmonious palettes and find the right color
combinations.
• Color psychology is a powerful technique that can convey a variety of messages
to users.
• You should always research your target audience and test their color preferences.
• Don’t be afraid to perform additional testing to establish whether your choice of
color scheme is optimal on all devices.

Color Theory Fundamentals for Every Web Designer

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Table of Content 1.1 -Why Color Matters In Web Design  1.2 -A Brief Look Into Color History  1.3 -7 Key Color Theory Terms You Should Know  2.0 -How To Apply An Effective Color Scheme  2.1 -Applying Color Schemes  2.2 -How to Use Color Psychology and Meaning to Influence Emotions  2.3 -Examples of websites and templates that successfully employ color meaning in their designs.  2.4 -Things to Consider When Using Color Psychology
  • 3.
    1.1 Why ColorMatters In Web Design  Color theory is a huge field of knowledge. It includes rules and guidelines about various color combinations and their uses.  Color theory is a vast field that involves more human perception, cultural associations, and color psychology. Our product designer guides you through the fundamentals of color theory that every web designer should know and shows how it works in practice.
  • 4.
    1.1 Why ColorMatters In Web Design  The most apparent advantage of using the right color combinations in web design is that they help users understand and navigate the site. Colors can improve visitors’ online experiences, enabling them to find the information they need and respond to your call to action.  research has shown that color plays a huge role in customers’ decisions about purchasing a product, with a staggering 92.6 percent of viewers putting high importance on the item’s visual factors.  conducted by the University of Loyola, Maryland, colors can increase overall brand recognition by a staggering 80 percent.
  • 5.
    1.2 A BriefLook Into Color History  the scientific approach to color theory started in the 17th century when Sir Isaac Newton created the first color wheel.  Newton discovered a visible spectrum of light, which consisted of many colors. He mapped them into classifications that became known as the color wheel.  His experiment also led to the discovery that all secondary colors can be created by mixing primary colors. Newton’s discoveries have influenced the work of artists, designers, and scientists up to this day.
  • 6.
    1.3 7 KeyColor Theory Terms You Should Know  Color Wheel: A color wheel is a powerful tool that can help you visualize relationships between colors in a standard, schematic way.
  • 7.
    Color Wheel ;continued  The basic color wheel consists of 12 colors. Primary colors form the basis of all others. Although traditional theory lists these as Red, Blue, and Yellow, recent research suggests that Magenta, Cyan, and Yellow are more accurate descriptors of how we perceive these colors.  Mixing primary colors gives you Orange, Green, and Purple. These are known as secondary colors. You can also combine primary and secondary colors to create tertiary colors such as yellow-green, blue-green, and so on.
  • 8.
    Color Relationships When workingon a project, designers often rely on fundamental color relationships, also known as color schemes. The four main types include: • Monochrome: Consisting of various tints, shades, and saturation of the same color. • Complementary: Based on two colors from opposite sides of the color wheel. • Analogous: Featuring three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. • Triadic: Using three colors that are at the points of a triangle drawn within the color wheel
  • 9.
  • 10.
    Color Warmth  Ina nutshell, colors can be either “cool” or “warm.”  Hues that contain higher amounts of yellow and red are considered warm colors. They evoke a sense of passion, happiness, and heat, but can also seem aggressive and bring feelings of danger. That’s why they’re often used in alert messages.  Cool colors, on the other hand, contain higher amounts of blue and purple. These colors are reminiscent of chilly climates, crystal clear waters, or the sky. They are considered more soothing and relaxing than warm colors. However, they can also carry connotations of formality and sadness.  Adding neutral colors such as white, black, and gray can help you achieve a harmonious palette. They can balance out your color scheme and add contrast to your designs.
  • 11.
  • 12.
    Color Systems  Thethree standard color systems:
  • 13.
    RGB  The RGBcolor system is based on light. All colors in this system are a combination of Red, Green, and Blue. Each value is represented by a number from 0 (black) to 255 (white). It’s easy to understand once you remember Newton’s experiments: the maximum value of all basic colored lights produces white light, and zero color (or zero light) is black or darkness.
  • 14.
    CMYK  CMYK isused in print design. These are also the standard cartridges for most color printers. Unlike RGB, the zero value of all colors in the CMYK system (0,0,0,0) will produce white, while the maximum value (100,100,100,100) will be black. However, the standard black used in print is defined as (0, 0, 0, 100).
  • 15.
    Hex  Finally, theHEX color system uses a six-digit, three-byte, hexadecimal description of each color, such as #000000 (black) or #ffffff (white). Every two characters represent a color value. For instance, the famous Facebook blue (#3b5998) includes a red hue described as 3b.
  • 16.
    Tints and Shades You can create tints by adding white to a color. Higher levels of white will produce lighter tints. Similarly, if you add black, you will produce a different shade. The darker the shade, the more black it contains.  You can combine tints and shades of a base color to achieve a monochromatic color scheme. However, it can be more difficult to make important elements stand out in such a design.
  • 17.
    Hue, Saturation, andLightness  Hue describes the degree of similarity between colors. The point of reference is usually a color such as red, green, blue, or yellow. For instance, when you describe a color as yellow-green, you’re thinking of it as having two hues.  Saturation, on the other hand, refers to color intensity. Increasing it will make the color more vibrant and darker while decreasing it will make the color appear faded and pale.  Finally, lightness defines how bright a color is compared to pure white. Changing only the lightness parameter in graphic editing software will produce different tints and shades.
  • 18.
    Contrast  Contrast isa crucial element of any website, especially when it comes to background color and text. If the contrast is too low, users are more likely to have trouble differentiating between elements.  For the sake of readability, it’s best to use a white background and dark text color to keep pages clean and organized. On the flip side, you can also experiment with reversing the colors and using a light text over a dark background.  These two combinations have become a trend in web design, with many templates and apps offering a “Dark Theme” or a “Light Theme.”
  • 19.
    Contrast, continued;  Contrastis vital not only for readability but content hierarchy as well. A prime example is Aviaja Dance, which uses high contrast elements on its website to showcase essential details.
  • 20.
    2.0 How ToApply An Effective Color Scheme
  • 21.
    2.1 Applying ColorSchemes  A well-selected color scheme will help you achieve a balanced design. Colors that work well together create harmony and contribute to a pleasant User Experience  However, clashing colors can cause negative impressions, with feelings of chaos and disharmony resonating from the design. This is why it’s crucial to develop your ability to craft effective color schemes that won’t put off your visitors.  The following slides are a few examples of different color schemes that are visually pleasing. Excellent monochromatic color scheme uses different tints and shades of green for its About section:
  • 22.
    Elementor website’s color schemeapplies analogous hues for the main banner on the home page. Using colors that stand next to each other on the color wheel creates a soothing gradient effect:
  • 23.
    Instinct Studio boasts vibrant elementsin orange and turquoise, which are complementary colors: THESE COLORS STAND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE COLOR WHEEL AND PRODUCE A SHARP CONTRAST WHEN USED TOGETHER. HOWEVER, NOTE THAT THIS TECHNIQUE CAN START TO FEEL AGGRESSIVE IF USED EXCESSIVELY.
  • 24.
    2.2 How toUse Color Psychology and Meaning to Influence Emotions  Color psychology is a fascinating field of study that examines the influence of colors on people’s behaviors and moods.  Different colors are often associated with particular meanings or senses they provide to a perceiving person. To create a successful design, you need to be aware of the color meanings, and understand how a color choice can influence your users by generating a specific emotional response.  Many industries benefit from color psychology, especially marketing and design. Well-selected colors can convince users to take action and purchase products or sign up for your mailing list. In other words, the knowledge of color theory can help improve your conversion rate.
  • 25.
    2.4 Things toConsider When Using Color Psychology  A user’s perception of color depends on factors such as their age, gender, culture, and even religious beliefs. The same color can have opposite effects in different parts of the world. For instance, white is considered a pure and positive color in the U.S. and Western Europe. However, Asian cultures associate it with death and sadness.  Color psychology is a complex subject, so make sure to study your target audience and learn about their preferences. Rely on the power of user testing, ask the right questions, and gather as much relevant data as possible so you can make informed decisions.
  • 26.
    Summary • Color choicesare vital for satisfactory user experience. An effective color scheme can make a massive difference to your customers and contribute to your website’s success. • Rely on color theory to come up with harmonious palettes and find the right color combinations. • Color psychology is a powerful technique that can convey a variety of messages to users. • You should always research your target audience and test their color preferences. • Don’t be afraid to perform additional testing to establish whether your choice of color scheme is optimal on all devices.