Color is a primary way to affect the mood of your viewers. As web designers, you want to convey the proper mood, one suitable to the subject of your site. How can your choice of colors set the mood, and, to a large extent, determine how your site will be responded to? Choose your colors wisely! Too often, in web design, colors are chosen haphazardly. The result is often a "Times Square" effect with all sorts of bright colors vying for your attention.

How do the colors in this website affect your mood?

The best way to learn how to use color to set the proper mood is by studying fine art. The great fine artists are masters at manipulating the emotions through color. Many of the principles they employ can be applied to web design.

Here is a great online tutorial to start with in learning how to set a mood with color: http://coe.sdsu.edu/eet/Articles/colormood/start.htm

This tutorial gives an excellent overview of how to use color to set a mood in fine art that can easily be applied to choosing colors for your next web site. Additionally, this article has links to additional tutorials on the psychology of color and complimentary and contrasting colors.

Do not underestimate the use of color in web design. It can in subtle ways invite to viewer to linger and respond, or push him away. Make sure the mood you set is just right for your audience!

Key Points From This Article:

• Learn how to choose colors to set the right mood in your web design from color principles and methods in fine art.