Help Me Choose A Color Scheme

[ticktockclok]

I've got a new site, Truth and Anarchy, and I'm trying to pick the colors. I made a simple header, and now I'm trying to find a color that will go well with it as the background. Should I just keep it as it is, choose a light gray, or something else? Should I have an image or pattern in the background?

Thanks for your input.

[UHF]

I'm colour blind and therefore have absolutely no idea. Try this: kuler

[ixmatus]

I don't remember the correct terminology, but, I think you should stick with the same color value (?) but use a different hue (?) that your background has.

So, you could use blue but it would have the same 'lightness value' that the background color has; that way you can maintain some coherency but differentiate the header enough from the BG that it draws the user in.

You could probably stick in a very large, very simple, and very 'flat' image of an object (like a puzzle peice, or a hammer, or something) in your header...

Anyone that knows the correct terminology for that color thingy above, please jump in; I would certainly like to be reminded (and I hope you get the gist of what I mean ticktockclock).

Hope that helps.

[Tayrak]

I got to the first page and waited for something to download. Your header showed up, then there was just a short introduction. If you don't want to put anythinbg else on the page maybe a picture (one that loads quick) Just something 'cause it looks lonely.
My monitor's colors are messed so everything is green, my backup computer is in the shop , I'm no help.
The second page looked good !

[ticktockclok]

I'm still working on the first page. I wanted it to be something like Steve's, as an intro to the site, but I haven't really written much to which I can reference people.

I'm not really sure what you're saying though ixmatus. I'd like to keep the header simple, but I'm not sure about what to use as a background color.

[Lil Chris]

I'm not too sure what the terminology is either ixmatus, but i know what you're talking about.

Then there's the color wheel and when applied to design the suggestion is to use complimentary colors (ex. use blue and white together, not orange and red, the orange and red are too close together on the color wheel to be complimentary). This all depends on your style, of coarse...

I agree, the header needs some images or something to spice it up a bit... I'm not too crazy about the peach color you chose for the background, light or dark grey might be nice perhaps with a fade... Of coarse if you like it, you could use a variant of that color on the header. But I would probably go with a dark grey, slightly darker than whats in the header, but not too dark...

Subtle is always a great way to go... Here check out the site I'm currently working on (click here), although not a blog, for this I'm going with a simple design (it's still under development) that keeps the user focused. Regarding the color scheme, the primary colors (except for Bruce and the Houston image) are blue and really light grey (with variants of both. My point being try and keep the colors in the same range...

[ixmatus]

@lilchris:

I will try and find it in my papers, its somewhere; unless someone happens to....know it.

When I say 'simple' graphic in the header, I mean REALLY simple - like a flat, no depth vector graphic of an item related to your topic; maybe like a police officer vector that has a stamp filter applied to it, or a vector of a hammer or fist risen up in the air... Something symbolic but VERY flat and very simple.

If you keep the header subtle (as chris suggested) it will allow the readers eyes to focus on the content, rather than the header. Most headers neglect that and end up frustrating me because I want to read the content but my eyes keep wanting to focus on the complex and pretty header graphic! Hence why I block all javascript and flash because most designers seem to be addicted to putting five movies in their header; or a flashing advert as the first thing you see.

[ticktockclok]

Hmm... thanks for the advice. I'll experiment with different shades of gray.

I'm thinking of putting up the anarchist "A" in place of the "A" in anarchy. However, I'm having problems getting it to work in the GIMP. Whenever I try to copy and paste the image onto the header, all I see is a rectangular black blotch in the GIMP. Does anyone have experience with this?

I'll try messing around with Photoshop at my school tomorrow; maybe I'll come up with something completely new.

[ixmatus]

It's an SVG, if I remember correctly, you have to download a scripted plugin to import .svg files (for the GIMP that is).

Or download Inkscape, which can handle vector graphics also...

[Patricia]

If you don't want to change the header graphic, I would go with a black/dark gray background or maybe white if you can add a gray border to the content area.

However, I think the design needs some more personality, if you know what I mean. Give your users a bit of visual reference that will help them remember your blog. Keeping focus on content is good, but that doesn't mean you have to stick with no visual reference whatsoever. A well designed logo could do the trick, even.

I also share the opinion that the colors you used in the top image aren't particularly attractive, but that's just a matter of taste. If you really want to use those colors, though, try a top-bottom gradient instead.

Let me know if I can help you any further, I'm a designer and I tweak themes for clients and friends all the time. I just recently tweaked Bluetoothlounge.com - Bluetoooth source for a friend (designed the top banner and did other small changes). Sometimes small changes make a huge difference.

I hope this helps.

[ticktockclok]

I'm definitely going to change the header. I'm messing around with the vector graphic program Inkscape; maybe something good can come out of that. Are .svg files supported by all the major browsers?

I'd like to keep red in the design, but am flexible with black. What would you suggest, Patricia?

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

I'm definitely going to change the header. I'm messing around with the vector graphic program Inkscape; maybe something good can come out of that. Are .svg files supported by all the major browsers?

I don't think so, you'd want to make it a .jpg, a .gif or a .png file.

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

I'd like to keep red in the design, but am flexible with black. What would you suggest, Patricia?

That will depend on what you have on your top image. I think red is a very good color to use if you don't over use it. Keep it in things like titles, links, details and such. If you want to use it in the top image, don't use it in the background of that image - instead, use it in text and other details. If you tell me exactly what you're looking for, maybe I can work on it for you. I would have to know the purpose of your blog, the general tone you want the blog to have in terms of cosmetics and what you're planning on doing to make your blog stand out - as well as the colors you'd like to use. With that information I could work on a top image for you if you like.

[showmouse]

i work in graphic design. this is my weapon of choice when I'm generating a colour scheme (and its free, yipee)....

Adobe - Developer Center : Creating and sharing color themes with kuler

hope it helps

[ticktockclok]

Originally Posted by Patricia

I don't think so, you'd want to make it a .jpg, a .gif or a .png file.



That will depend on what you have on your top image. I think red is a very good color to use if you don't over use it. Keep it in things like titles, links, details and such. If you want to use it in the top image, don't use it in the background of that image - instead, use it in text and other details. If you tell me exactly what you're looking for, maybe I can work on it for you. I would have to know the purpose of your blog, the general tone you want the blog to have in terms of cosmetics and what you're planning on doing to make your blog stand out - as well as the colors you'd like to use. With that information I could work on a top image for you if you like.

I could edit the stylesheet to use red in links and titles.


The website will be dedicated to the philosophy of market anarchism, which supports the nonexistence of a state and a completely free market. The site's content will focus on serious topics, but I'll write in a conversational. However, I plan on adding a category called "essays", where the posts will be more like Thoreau's "On Civil Disobedience".

I added "truth" in the domain name so that I can comment or expand on topics other than anarchism. The "truth" blog posts usually won't be on as serious topics, but will still be in the conversational/fun tone.

In kuler, I really liked the color pattern called "Firenze". The hexadecimal values are, in order, 468966, FFF0A5, FFB03B, B64926, and 8E2800.

Is that enough info? Pm me if you need more.

[Patricia]

Originally Posted by ticktockclok

I could edit the stylesheet to use red in links and titles.


The website will be dedicated to the philosophy of market anarchism, which supports the nonexistence of a state and a completely free market. The site's content will focus on serious topics, but I'll write in a conversational. However, I plan on adding a category called "essays", where the posts will be more like Thoreau's "On Civil Disobedience".

I added "truth" in the domain name so that I can comment or expand on topics other than anarchism. The "truth" blog posts usually won't be on as serious topics, but will still be in the conversational/fun tone.

In kuler, I really liked the color pattern called "Firenze". The hexadecimal values are, in order, 468966, FFF0A5, FFB03B, B64926, and 8E2800.

Is that enough info? Pm me if you need more.

I will get in touch with you via PM, although there's enough information to get started. I'll just ask you for a little more time, as I am recovering from a small surgery. But I'll PM you.