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Many Web page builders agonize unnecessarily over choosing a color scheme for
their pages. In addition to the color choices themselves, the proportion of those
colors is also critical to the overall look of the Web page. Fortunately, there
is a very simple, foolproof way to create a perfectly harmonized and proportionate
color palette.
This method is so simple, and so effective, that I don't know why it isn't
plastered all over the web ... but it isn't, it's still a "secret".
I use Adobe PhotoShop, but the technique will work with any graphics creation
or editing program with an eyedropper tool and the ability to open an image
file.
1. Find any image -- anywhere, I use the web frequently -- in which you find
the colors visually appealing. Don't worry about copyright because you will
not be copying any part of the image. It doesn't matter why you find the colors
appealing, just that you do. To determine whether it is the colors or some other
aspect of the image that you find attractive, squint your eyes until the image
blurs. If the colors alone are still appealing, use that image.
2. Save the image, then open it in your image editing application. I'll call
this your "source" image. Open a new document in the same work area.
This is your "palette" image.
3. From the source image, determine the color that covers the most area. Use
the eyedropper tool to sample that color. In your palette image, use the paint
bucket (or fill) tool to set this as the background color.
4. Pick another color, with the eyedropper tool, from the source image. Notice
the proportion that the color has to the overall image. In your palette image,
use the rectangular selection (or draw rectangle) tool to create an area that
has roughly the same proportion to the whole palette image and the source color
has to the source image. Again, use the paint bucket (or fill) tool to set the
new rectangle to the new color.
5. Continue transferring colors, in the same approximate proportions, until
you have four or five palette image colors in addition to the background.
6. If your imaging application is able, convert the image to "web safe"
colors, and save your new color palette.
7. Write down the hex codes (the '#' followed by six letters or numbers) for
your colors.
8. Determine the relative proportion each Web page element has to the overall
page, and assign the corresponding palette image colors to them.
Of course, you'll have to tweak your colors a little bit until you get the
look you want, but this "secret" method can save you hours of trial
and error.
About the Author:
Mike Morgan is the owner of Bison Creek Desktop Publishing, (http://www.zianet.com/bisoncreek)
offering a variety of low-cost and "you'll-owe-me-one" service to
those long on vision but short on funds. Need an outlet for your e-book?
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