Comments on: The Art of Perception (Part IV): What Colours People’s Perception of You? http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/ Freelance. Writing. Life. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:36:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Graham Strong http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1081 Graham Strong Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:33:50 +0000 http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1081 Hi Cath, I'm not going to disagree with Kelly -- she certainly knows what she's talking about! But what I was going to suggest is that if you don't like straight red, a nice burgandy colour is a good compromise. It can be warm and professional at the same time. Although I love the white space on your site (always important) I think you could use a bit more colour. Perhaps a lightly shaded right column, or a coloured background...? Dark text on a light background is important for the main part of your web pages, but accent colours help. There are also online colour schemers that can help you choose a whole palette of colours. Just Google "color schemer" and a few will pop up. ~Graham Hi Cath,

I’m not going to disagree with Kelly — she certainly knows what she’s talking about! But what I was going to suggest is that if you don’t like straight red, a nice burgandy colour is a good compromise. It can be warm and professional at the same time.

Although I love the white space on your site (always important) I think you could use a bit more colour. Perhaps a lightly shaded right column, or a coloured background…? Dark text on a light background is important for the main part of your web pages, but accent colours help.

There are also online colour schemers that can help you choose a whole palette of colours. Just Google “color schemer” and a few will pop up.

~Graham

]]> By: Kelly http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1078 Kelly Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:41:15 +0000 http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1078 Cath, IMHO—Your red is <em>so</em> warm and classy, especially on the web where a good red is hard to find. I've always thought that your redesign gave you a very powerful, sophisticated, pulled-together look. You could always make changes if you're not comfortable, but as an outsider looking in, I've always loved it, and it definitely colors my perception of you. I presume you, the writer, are as confident and sophisticated as the powerful red and sleek metals that liven up your site. Regards, Kelly <em>Kelly's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MaximumCustomerExperienceBlog/~3/455832877/' rel="nofollow">They Say It’s Your Birthday!</a></em> Cath,

IMHO—Your red is so warm and classy, especially on the web where a good red is hard to find. I’ve always thought that your redesign gave you a very powerful, sophisticated, pulled-together look.

You could always make changes if you’re not comfortable, but as an outsider looking in, I’ve always loved it, and it definitely colors my perception of you. I presume you, the writer, are as confident and sophisticated as the powerful red and sleek metals that liven up your site.

Regards,

Kelly

Kelly’s last blog post..They Say It’s Your Birthday!

]]> By: Cath Lawson http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1076 Cath Lawson Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:18:44 +0000 http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1076 Hi Graham - this is interesting. I'm still not sure that red it the right colour for my site. I'd thought about blue - but I didn't want it to seem to conservative and bank like. Maybe blue with a splash of red or orange might be better? I suck at design myself, so I've relied on other people's ideas so far. <em>Cath Lawson's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/SuccessPasscode/~3/457184409/' rel="nofollow">Social Or Google Traffic? Where’s The Money?</a></em> Hi Graham - this is interesting. I’m still not sure that red it the right colour for my site. I’d thought about blue - but I didn’t want it to seem to conservative and bank like.

Maybe blue with a splash of red or orange might be better? I suck at design myself, so I’ve relied on other people’s ideas so far.

Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Social Or Google Traffic? Where’s The Money?

]]> By: Graham http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1070 Graham Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:37:42 +0000 http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1070 Yes, this is a very difficult subject, so keeping it simple and (most importantly) consistent is definitely the way to go. To bring over the conversation from you own post yesterday, it's what Elliot Lake <i>didn't</i> do. Thanks for the compliment too! That is definitely the look I was going for. I'm just realizing that perhaps website designers should consider the colours they choose in terms of how people react to them. If it follows that red and orange makes McDonald's customers eat and leave, how do those colours affect website readers? Interesting... ~Graham Yes, this is a very difficult subject, so keeping it simple and (most importantly) consistent is definitely the way to go. To bring over the conversation from you own post yesterday, it’s what Elliot Lake didn’t do.

Thanks for the compliment too! That is definitely the look I was going for. I’m just realizing that perhaps website designers should consider the colours they choose in terms of how people react to them. If it follows that red and orange makes McDonald’s customers eat and leave, how do those colours affect website readers?

Interesting…

~Graham

]]> By: Kelly http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1051 Kelly Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:49:15 +0000 http://www.grahamstrong.com/blog/the-art-of-perception-part-iv-what-colours-people%e2%80%99s-perception-of-you/#comment-1051 Graham, I think you hit lots of great points. Consistency and even simplicity are the keys most for smaller businesses. Don't try to go crazy, putting everything you like into your identity. Focus, as you said in the previous posts, and that goes for the visuals, too. Your identity here is definitely calm-in-a-storm. Coming here from almost anywhere else on the web induces an "ahh!" reaction. Slow down, read, think. So as long as that's what you're after (and it sounds as though it is), you've hit just the right (visual) notes. Looking forward to your take on one of my favorite Big Boys! Regards, Kelly <em>Kelly's last blog post..<a href='http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/MaximumCustomerExperienceBlog/~3/455832877/' rel="nofollow">They Say It’s Your Birthday!</a></em> Graham,

I think you hit lots of great points. Consistency and even simplicity are the keys most for smaller businesses. Don’t try to go crazy, putting everything you like into your identity. Focus, as you said in the previous posts, and that goes for the visuals, too.

Your identity here is definitely calm-in-a-storm. Coming here from almost anywhere else on the web induces an “ahh!” reaction. Slow down, read, think. So as long as that’s what you’re after (and it sounds as though it is), you’ve hit just the right (visual) notes.

Looking forward to your take on one of my favorite Big Boys!

Regards,

Kelly

Kelly’s last blog post..They Say It’s Your Birthday!

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