HTML Colors

HTML Colors

Use HTML Colors to jazz up a website

Using color on the Web used to be limited to a small scope of colors (just over 200). This group of HTML colors was called the Browser-Safe Palette. Today the use of web colors is expanded to pretty much any color you can imagine.

To begin to understand the use of color on the web I will point you to Lynda.com.

Lynda.com describes itself as:

Helping media designers & communicators understand how to use professional tools and design to enhance visual communication through web, print, and motion graphics.

On her site you will find:

an explanation of the Browser-Safe Palette
Browser-Safe Palette by hue
Browser-Safe Palette by value

For the beginner, the Browser-Safe Palette is a good place to start, but it is by no means the place to finish. Her chart includes the hex and RGB values of each color which makes it a great reference tool. Bookmark that page so you always have it handy.

If you are serious about the graphic end of web design then her site offers a lot more features:

Subscription learning library
Free tips and tutorials about graphic/web design software
Books and CD’s

Another very useful resource are the color reference charts provided by Visibone.

While these charts cannot come close to capturing every possible color, they provide a helpful reference to the standard color groups, tints, tones, blacks, greys and whites.

Visibone charts come in the following size and kinds:

8.5 x 11 Color Card - Covers “web safe” palette with color blindness reference. This card is also available in the card collection or browser book edition.
18×24 Color Poster - Covers the “web safe” palette arranged by pattern.
18×24 Color Chart - similar to the color card only bigger
18×24 Color Kilo Chart - covers 1068 different colors (42 different hues, 25 shades each).
8.5×8.5 Mouse Pad - shows the chart available on the color card but on a mouse pad.
Hexagonal Mouse Pad - similar to above pad, only difference is the shape.