Color Psychology

Soumya Patil
3 min readJun 26, 2020

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Colors have a significant influence on everyday life. Color psychology is the study of how colors affect human behavior. It suggests that various shades can have a wide range of effects, from boosting our moods to causing anxiety. But could the color of the products you purchase ever say something about your personality?

How to use color psychology in web design?

Color Wheel

White:

White can denote cleanliness, order, and traditional values. Many news websites use white to call up the trustworthy sensation of reading a newspaper. Use white in your website palette to let content stand out, and foster a feeling of honesty that will result in conversions.

Industry: Medical, food, cosmetics, retail, journalism

Black:

Black accents create a sharp contrast to other page elements and play well with vivid colors for a sleek, modern feel. The color black is associated with authority and power. Black causes feelings of intimidation and control. In certain contexts, it can also seem sophisticated and sleek to its viewers.

Industry: construction, corporate, oil, finance, fashion, manufacturing, mining, tradesmen

Red:

If your goal is to promote a clearance sale, using red in ads or graphics immediately draws attention, makes the viewer eager to complete the interaction, and instills the fear of missing out at the same time. The color red increases the heartbeat and causes faster breathing.

Industry: fashion, makeup, food, dating, video games, retail, automotive, hardware

Yellow:

If you want to cheer up your readers and make them feel optimistic and warm, the color yellow can help you make it happen. It’s an energetic color that heightens emotion, which builds excitement for your website visitors.

Industry: automotive, retail, food, technology, construction

Blue:

Blue is often used in web design palettes and logos for industries that require a high level of trust, such as insurance, banking, and cybersecurity. The color blue, in lighter shades, is known to have a calming and tranquil effect. Darker shades of blue stimulate the mind into thinking more clearly.

Industry: Medicine, science, utilities, government, healthcare, recruitment, legal, information technology, corporate

Green:

Green will forever be associated with the environment. Websites that advocate environmental causes or sell outdoor products often have a green theme. Use green to give readers the feeling of being healthy, lively, and content. The color green is known as the easiest color on the eye.

Industry: Medicine, science, government, recruitment, ecological business, tourism, human resources

Overview:

Resources for having fun with colors:

Conclusion:

Colors have meaning. They impart a tone and emotional impact and that makes them a powerful design tool. We need to use colors to our advantage by carefully selecting complimentary colors and ones that showcase the values we’re trying to sell.

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Soumya Patil
Soumya Patil

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