Color is a powerful tool in visual communication, having the power to evoke emotions, attract attention, and even influence a user’s decisions. In web design, color is not only about aesthetics, but also about functionality. Contrast, in turn, is a crucial element that determines the readability and visual hierarchy of a website. Choosing the right colors and contrast can improve the user experience, making the site easier to navigate and more pleasant to view. 1.
The Importance of Color in Web Design
Colors can guide viewers to what’s important and add emphasis when used correctly. Additionally, colors can establish a certain mood, an emotional impact that takes brand ideas further. When it comes to color selection, there are many considerations you might not expect. It’s important to choose colors that have meaning and create interest while also supporting your design. 1.
Color is highly influenced by its surroundings. Colors can appear warm or cool depending on the environment they are in. Our human eye is a bit of a klutz in this way. See how the colors below influence each other and how the gray border of the bottom squares looks different within each spectrum. This is what we call color relativity. 1.
The Importance of Contrast in Web Design
Contrast is an effective way to translate a two-dimensional representation on any screen and make it appear three-dimensional using the relative shades of a hue. This is what people call making it more vivid or vibrant, in contrast to flat colors that fail to achieve this effect. 1.
Contrast perception varies from person to person and can worsen with factors such as aging or visual impairment. Therefore, good contrast is a matter of accessibility! In practical terms, especially when we are talking about backgrounds for text, contrast between different luminosities is more comfortable for the eyes. 4.
How to Choose Appropriate Colors and Contrast
When choosing colors for a website, it’s important to consider the meanings and cultural associations of colors. For example, red may be associated with passion and urgency, while blue may be associated with calm and reliability. Additionally, it’s important to consider accessibility by choosing colors that can be easily distinguished by people with different types of color blindness. 5.
When adjusting contrast, it is important to ensure that the text is easily readable against the background.
The W3C created a formula to measure contrast taking into account the relationship between brightness and color difference.
To calculate the brightness (luminoside) use the RGB value being: (maximum (R1, R2) – minimum (R1, R2)) + (maximum (G1, G2) – minimum (G1, G2)) + (maximum (B1, B2) – minimum (B1, B2)).
Contrast is good if brightness is greater than 125 and color difference is greater than 500 4.
Try this tool to assess contrast according to Google's criteria.
Takeway
Color and contrast play a key role in web design, influencing both the aesthetics and functionality of a website. These elements can help guide users, highlight important information, improve readability, and contribute to a brand’s visual identity. 2, 5, 7.
However, it is important to remember that contrast and color should be used in a balanced way. Too much contrast can be harsh on the eyes, while too little contrast can make text difficult to read. Similarly, overuse of vibrant colors can be distracting and tiring to the eye. 9.
Additionally, it is crucial to consider accessibility when choosing colors and contrasts. Colors should be easily distinguishable for all people, including those with different types of color blindness. Proper contrast between text and background is essential to ensure that content is readable for everyone, including people with visual impairments. 6.
In conclusion, color and contrast are powerful tools in web design that, when used correctly, can significantly improve the user experience. When choosing colors and contrasts for a website, it is important to consider not only aesthetics, but also functionality and accessibility. 10.
