21 May 2004

Seeing in colour. With a 'U'.

Colour is a big thing! If we saw in black and white, life would not be half the fun it is. It would also mean a lot of bombs going off because someone couldn’t tell the red wire from the blue wire.

Colour on the web is, in a way, another tool to be utilised. We can use it to give visually pleasing interface, but also to bring attention to certain things on the screen. So it is a usability tool too.

On the topic of colour schemes, both Dave Mezzoblue , and Mr Malarkey have covered some nice techniques.

I have an update regarding Malarkey's post for later on today, but I left my material at home (I am in work now).

I like Malarkey's idea so much that it gave me an idea. Imagine something like the CSS Vault, but a Colour Scheme Vault (CS Vault - just to be confusing). The idea would be a vault of colour scheme ideas, open to submissions from anyone.

In fact, I think that this, combined with the Malarkey method for getting colours out of a piece of art, or a logo, or a photo, could be the best bit. The idea would be that for every colour scheme, the inspiration for the colour scheme would also have to be shown. In the same way Malarkey has.

What do you think about this idea? And if someone was to do it, do you think people would use it for inspiration?

Comments ( 3 )

  1. hass

    Fantastic idea! Of course people would use it for "inspiration". I'd love to be involved with something like this. want to talk about it? I already have some thoughts...
    22 May 2004 at 10:02

  2. Malarkey

    Another gallery?

    Phil,

    Interesting idea, but are you sure the world is ready for 'another' gallery? Often the things that inspire us are subliminal.

    I plan to periodically add to my "Web Imitates ..." column, but I don't want to become a one trick pony!

    Hmmm, a blog based inspiration 'scrapbook'... thinks... brain turns to cabbage... gibber
    23 May 2004 at 18:46

  3. Phil Baines

    I agree that it may be over killed just slightly, but it might be an interesting experiment none the less. I am open to ideas as to how to make it different, but seeing as it will be about colour schemes alone, and not inspirational websites, then it is already different. But, it also needs something else, and I'm not sure what that is.
    24 May 2004 at 08:16

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