Infographic: The Psychology behind Web Design
In the eternal classic, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wild said that all art is quite useless.
But would we agree? Could we, after witnessing centuries and centuries of numerous forms of artistic expression; from the primitive cave drawings, across antique sculptures, to timeless pieces of writings and outstanding paintings, simply disregard everything and label it ‘useless’?
The form of art has been constantly changing – however, its purpose has not. In 1922, it was William Addison Dwiggings who coined the term that stuck with us for the last 100 years to denote one of the most recent forms: graphic design. Although the similarity might not be so easily noticed, the fact is that works of classical art and graphic design pieces do contribute to the same cause: both convey a certain message and both are created with a particular goal in mind.
If we were to take, for example, Michelangelo’s remarkable Scenes from Genesis, aside from praising his unbelievable talent and technique, we would have to point out the conditions under which it was created. The primary goal was not to express his deepest thoughts and feelings, but rather to finish a task at hand. A task commissioned by the church, and for a profit no less.
Today, a multitude of web designs we encounter have found their inspiration in the works of our predecessors, only interpreting them in a modern manner. By taking into account that 48% of people emphasize website design as a number one factor in assessing the credibility of a business, it is evident that creating the layout of the website page has to be taken to a higher level.
Since more than 80% of consumers claim that color increases brand recognition, it has to be taken into account as a powerful psychological influence on the human brain. World-renowned brands, including .ME, Coca-Cola, Ferrari, McDonalds, Dell, Ford, Fanta, Starbucks, Milka and many more have accounted for the feelings particular shades evoke and implemented it into their own logo and web design.
In addition to the color, the layout and the level of attractiveness of a website depends greatly on the choice of the font. Currently, the Sans Serif family is ruling the world, Arial being the king of all font types, with Helvetica Neue and Verdana right by its side. Google, Facebook, Twitter, eBay and others have recognized the benefits that come with these fonts and have the respect for their clean, modern and objective look that makes a lasting impression on users.
Creativity takes courage, according to Matisse. Do you dare to unleash yours? Warhol thought that art is something you can get away with. Can you get away with an innovative representation of a classical piece? Or an evasive domain name in order to intrigue and attract prospect customers, thus motivating them to investigate further and find out even more about you?
To see the examples of other people’s works and designs, take a look at the infographic below and find out what are some of the tricks others have used to lure us in and take the world by storm.
