Color Chromatics

What's your favorite color? Everyone has one they prefer over the other.

Why is it your favorite? Can you even pin point an actual reason?

Color usage is one of the most important elements in your branding and marketing design. When your business is going through the web development process you may prefer your site to use blue over red but there are several facts that you should keep in mind when you redesign your creative/marketing strategies.

1. While your end product or website should reflect your business mission and services it should also be visually attractive to your audience.

Typical color is used to visually enhance your message to your viewers. When a viewer lands on your site you have seconds for them to absorb and understand your message before they continue to search through your site or move on. The important step is recognizing and narrowing down your audience and attempting to communicate and please your audience. The overall message and color also depends on the context of the site.  This includes: adjacent colors, shape, subject matter and color harmony. Your favorite color may be pink, but does your audience prefer that and find that attractive?

The color can also contribute to the mood of the overall site. Even a slight difference in the saturation of a color can alter a viewer's visual experience. According to Pantone and their color psychology, "Scientists have found that actual physiological changes take place in human beings when they are exposed to certain colors. Colors can stimulate, excite, depress, tranquilize, increase appetite and create a feeling of warmth or coolness."

2. Color is perceived differently to everyone in one-way or another.

Color is perceived differently from person to person. The difference is due to the varying amount of light receptors or cones which are located in the retina of the eye. According to Pantone's color think tank section on how we see color, "Six million cones in each eye transmit the higher levels of light intensity that create the sensation of color and visual sharpness. There are three types of cone-shaped cells, each sensitive to the long, medium or short wavelengths of light." Because of the amount of color - sensitive cones in the retina, the processed information is received to the brain and translates into color interpretation and name colors/association.

To sum this concept up, whether it's enhancing the message you are trying to communicate to your audience or the mood and perception, color has a powerful role in your branding and design.

Other referenced articles include:

Color Perception Is Not In The Eye Of The Beholder: It's In The Brain from www.ScienceDaily.com

Posted January 27, 2010 | Read all posts by Kelly Pageau