Graphic designer's work on a form of different medias, some print based and others displayed electronically. Whether designers are working on magazine covers and designs, leaflets or web based publications the colour scheme is one of many factors to take into account. Choosing a complimentary colour scheme could make the difference between a successful design and one with limited appeal.
The following article provides some practical advice to help you get the most from your designs by employing a range of colour schemes.
Text Layout
To employ effective text for a website a number of variables need to be taken into account. The main factors are the font and size but the colour can also make a large difference.
Different fonts have more clarity and are easy to make out on a busy backdrop. If your background has a block of solid colour then almost any font can be used. The main objective is not to choose colours that clash. For instance a combination of a yellow backdrop with red text will be difficult for a viewer to focus on. Or a pink backing with lime green text will also be difficult to read.
For this reason many people tend to stick to the classic colour scheme of black text with a white backing. Alternatively a shade of blue such as navy or royal blue can be used as is commonly found in many blogs and forums online.
Website Design
Design principles for websites are similar to those used in printed forms of media. Depending on the kind of design produced similar colour scheme principals can be employed to good effect.
Depending on the kind of website you are making there are a whole host of options for colour schemes. The main factors to take into account are the skins and type face to be used. Once the backdrop image and font colour have been selected the rest of the design should fall into place. Contact tables and forms should follow on the style of the main body of the website unless they are displayed on separate pages.
If your website has buttons or hover over icons that change colour take time to make sure they fit in with the general scheme well. Many people stick with simple silver designs for buttons which tend to stand out well above most backgrounds.
Arranging Photos
When working with photos you have a variety of options. Black or white pictures can be used to great effect and will be well defined over a colourful background.
Photos that are going to be used as a backdrop should be of high resolution to stretch to fit monitors for websites. This also applies to backdrops for use on posters or magazine articles.
When arranging photos for websites there is a variety of options. Many designers go for a classic gallery layout with an accompanying image to be used as a background. If you are displaying pictures in a rollover format the colour scheme doesn't take priority as the pictures are constantly scrolling over the background image.