Here at Meshviz we love colours, but as designers we know the power that colours can have or add to a site. Colour association is a sub conscience tool that designers have been using for generations. Corporate companies often use colour association to help sell a product, be it through packaging, marketing or apps. We put together a list of basic colours explaining which colours are associated with, to help you understand if you colour theme is right for your company.

We often associate red with urgency, stopping, desire and danger. Red is known colour to effect emotions, depending on the vibrancy it can cause excitement or highlight importance. Pastel shades of red are seen as less threatening and attention grabbing, where as the darker shades tend to remind people of stopping. You often see red associated with food places but be cautious with the depth of the colour to avoid encouraging the negative thoughts associated with reds.

Orange can often influence some of the tendencies that red is associate with however is known to mimic excitement but without the seriousness of red. When the correct of orange is used the idea of freshness and energy can be associated with the colour. Orange is a fun colour and could potentially be used to target a younger audience.

When we look to vibrant shades of yellow we often associate the concept of danger such a warning sign or high stress situations. Using lighter shades of yellow refer to more positive periods, often a colour that symbolises being young and sunshine. Dark shades of yellow such as gold are associated with things that have aged well or potentially retain value.

This year greenery was named as the colour of the year. Green is generally a good colour to use with food products as it represents nature and freshness. We look to green as more stable colour. This colour has also been known to be efficient in provoking awareness especially the more vibrant shades, due to its ability to stand out.

The colour of trust. Blue is a very common colour to be seen on websites and companies that trying to perceived as trustworthy. We often look to blue as a calming and honest colour. When dealing with different shades of blue we see the softer shades having more of a refreshing and natural feeling. The darker shades of blue often represent a sombre element conveying a sense of professionalism.  We don’t see blue associated with food products as this colour tends to make people not feel hungry.

We look to purple with great admiration, this colour is often associated with luxuries or signifies a higher class due to the association to royalty. A sense of romance also accompanies the colour. This tends to happen with the darker shades of purple. When looking toward the lighter shades of purple such as lavender, we often associate purple with spring time and playfulness.  A good colour to use with premium brands and rewards.

Think pink when trying to target a female audience, it is very important to not try and over apply the colour as too much can be taken negatively. A very innocent colour that we often associate with confectionary and childhood. When using prinks the mind often associates the colour with playfulness, when applied correctly this colour can make anything look fun and quirky. This year we are seeing different shades of pinks being used on website designs, the combinations can look fresh and fun.

We love black at Meshviz, one of the most powerful colours a designer can work with and one of the most effective if applied correctly. We often associate black with being edgy and sophisticated. Mainly we use black as a background colour due to its amazing ability to make other colours really stick out.

White is always seen as a pure colour and goes side by side with most colours. White is often the perfect colour for trying to achieve a clean look. Use this colour with caution oddly too much white can appear to be soulless and intimidating. As website designers we understand the importance of using white space within websites.

Depending on the shade of grey we often look to it as a neutral colour. Less harsh than white grey often makes a soft background. Darker shades of grey are often associated with being gloomy. Apply with caution grey can modernise a style but also has the potential to change the tone of an image. Working within a website design consultancy agency we often see grey used for design based businesses.

The ultimate surrounding colour, excellent to use with background colours and allows other colours to look vibrant. This colour is brilliant if you feel as though white is too minimal, this colour bridges the idea of softer background and images.