Section: 0.5: Colour, Graphics and Photography

Using Colour

Choosing the right colours for your website is probably one of the most important design decisions you will make; colour often plays a vital role in giving your website its identity. You may already have a set of colours in mind, perhaps you are going to use the company colour scheme or you might just want to use your own preferred scheme. Either way there are a few guidelines worth taking into account.

Always use harmonious colour selections.
Try to keep the primary pallet down to three or four colours.
Consider the fact that some users may be colour-blind, think about colour combinations wisely.
Remember, colour is often associated with emotion and feelings.
Make sure that the colours you choose reflect your websites purpose.
Remember that computer screens can make colours seem brighter than they are in print.
Use a tool like Colormatch (requires Internet Explorer) to come up with a nice harmonious scheme.
Try and remember to select colours for your audience, its their website after all, don't just choose a colour scheme because you think its pretty.
Finally, your colour scheme can mean the difference between a great site and an unusable site, please choose it carefully!

Tip! Visit this website to get some ideas on using complimentary colour schemes.

Photography and other images

The use of positive and creative imagery is an essential component in the design of any visually engaging communication tool. When used appropriately a relevant photograph or image can grab attention, establish a sense of trust, and communicate much more than a paragraph of text.

Creative imagery plays a vital role in communicating your skills and services
A carefully placed photograph can enable a sense of trust or relaxation.
Photographs or images can support a visitor to make online decisions.
Photography creates an opportunity for customers to use their imagination.
Photographs are a great way of creating a visual metaphor.
Remember Copyright, don't just grab photos from other peoples websites.

If you are thinking about using photography to improve your website we strongly suggest you take a look at www.istockphoto.com, great photos that won't break the bank.

Download the 7 page e-book

A PDF version of this site is also available as a 7 page e-book. This additional publication is intended as a resource for freelancers and small web-design teams to use with their clients. Learn more about this resource.

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