Colors
 

Hi to everyone. I have a question. When it comes to designing your FS site. Do you feel when its comes to the surfer that lite colors are more appealing or dark colors?|waves|

I like guys to be able to read my stuff so I stick with lighter colors on that portion of the site.

It depends. I try to use high contrasting colours on the sponsor links. If I have a black background, for instance, I will use a yellow or pink coloured box for the sponsor banner or text. Hopefully, this will draw the surfers eye to click through the sponsor. The actual site content gets less noticeable paler colours.

I try to match the site tour I'm sending them to.

Same here. |thumb

The category usually comes into play with me. A BDSM site is usually dark, a teen site wil usually have light colors. A good easy to read black and white always works well, too. Thumbs and many banners to always look good on white.

I try to remember that when someone is surfing a link list, they will be hitting several links. A good variation is important. If they see two or three sites that look the same, they're probably gone never to come back.

3rd!

I studied psychology a bit (WRT sales, not WRT helping people) so the colours I pick tend to be designed to make the surfer feel the way I want them to feel and make them do what I want them to do. Which basically means combining what LD said with psychology and throwing a bit of "call to action" colour choices. Sort of in the NLP area.

I saw a article one time about how different colors have different meanings to different ethnics. Like red means pure in India which is why they go for the red wedding gowns, etc.

I'll see if I can find it again.

Thanks Guys for all the suggestions.|thumb

Here is a great little tool for the color matching.
http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.php

I use Color Schemer a lot. People come up with schemes, and I'll download the latest. Always gives me great ideas for colors. The website shows some of the latest pallets, so you get an idea what I mean.

Sometimes, I match the sponsor site. A lot of times, I match the template that has graphical text I'm too lazy to put new background color on, and use that color.

I get really bored making sites all the same color, so I try to at least vary somewhat. I do use pastel backgrounds more than bright colors, and use bright colors, or high contrast colors, for sponsor links.

Here's a link with the color meanings by ethnicity.
http://www.sibagraphics.com/colour.php