Alexander on Web Development

Visual Design for the Modern Web

The first (and last) time that I worked with color theory was in a one-semester art fundamentals class while at the 4th year of high school. I recall our art teacher taught us about something called the color theory, but one thing I don't remember is what is color theory. Probably I didn't understand the material very well because I was much more into the JROTC program (I was in a military academy) and international politics (I was leading an awesome but time-consuming United Nations model) than into art. But times have changed and since I have been deeply involved with web development and design around four years ago I have wished many times that I remembered the lessons of that introduction to art class.

I went to Borders - a religious practice - looking for a book that re-introduced me to the color theory, but with a focus on how to apply it to the web I found this 341 page jewel. What motivated me to buy Visual Design for the Modern Web was Chapter 5 - which delivers more than 40 pages of rock-solid color theory goodness. Here's the breakdown of the topics I learned:

• Traditional - or print - (CMYK) color theory.
• Digital (RGB) color theory and it's differences with traditional color theory.
• Working with colors on the Web
• Color attributes: Hue, Value, Saturation, Temperature
• Subtractive and Additive color modes
• Colors, tints, shades, tones
• Color schemes: monochromatic,complementary, triad, analogous, warm, cool
• Color contrast
• Background Colors
• Color and accessibility

Chapter 5 was so delicious and well written I ate it all with just a single venti cinammon dolce latte capuccino at one of my nearest Starbucks, I don't remember which one tasted better.