animated rainbow line
Too Much Color is NOT a Good Thing
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You can have way too much color on a single page. You can have too many colors used within text blocks. You can have too many colors used in other ways too.
animated blue meanie fishanimated small fish
And please, keep animations to an absolute minimum. Only use them when they are pertinent to the page topic.		 Grocery List of Too Many Colors:
  • Multiple background colors
  • Multiple font colors
  • Colorful lines dividing sections
  • Colorful, strobing elements to blow your eyes away
  • Colors that clash with each other
Please stick to a single background color, and use color sparingly. Don't feel you have to add color to everything. Use colored text ONLY where it will add to the content not where it will distract the viewer.
Try to be consistent with your use of color. Don't make your headings a specific color on three out of four pages and a different color on the fourth. Try for continuity of design.
animated rainbow line

Colors should be used in a way that adds to the content and doesn't confuse the viewer. Remember not all viewers have perfect vision. Also remember that the use of an unexpected combination like magenta text on a black background should be used sparingly if at all. A whole page of it is overwhelming.

(Animations from http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com)

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UMF Instructional Media Center: 3-23-05
Stacey Hodges
shodges@maine.edu