Getting colors to behave and work together on a web page is a challenging task. Luckily, there are plenty of helpful tools available for free on the web.
Here’s a rundown of my favorites:
If you never took art class in high school, start by checking out this brief introduction to color theory. It goes through all the basics like: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colors, Tints, Shades, and Tones, Complementary, Analogous, Triadic schemes.
One of the slickest tools out there is kuler made by Adobe. Boasting an easy-to-use flash interface, it lets you refine a color scheme based on a color, image or choose a scheme shared by one of the community members. If you sign in with your free Adobe ID, you can save your work, download files and more.
For quick and easy testing, I like to use Color Scheme Generator 2. Provide a base color, then let the app suggest pleasing schemes based on color theory – things like monochromatic schemes, analogic colors, or “soft” contrast.
Quite a few sites allow designers to share color schemes. My favorites are Colour Lovers, Colorcombos.com and the Color Schemer Gallery. You can search for a color scheme by title or by base color (like, find every color scheme containing #80C31C).
Colorcombos.com also has a neat feature that displays your colors in big blocks on the screen, so you can see how they look together.
Nature is a consistent source of good color combos. Use the color palette generator to “color-palette-ify” your favorite image. Simply enter the URL of your inspiration and color palette generator will give you the 5 most common colors in the photo.
Similarly, colr.org picks out the color scheme from your favorite photo, a random Flickr photo or a website. It’s minimalist interface packs some interesting features like tagging your colors and browsing iStockPhotos that match your color scheme.
Using video games in the classroom is nothing new.
Like most children of the ’80s, many of my earliest memories of using a computer involve “The Oregon Trail“. Developed by a student teacher to supplement his history class, The Oregon Trail allowed students to get a glimpse of life in 19th Century America while also teaching them budgeting, decision-making skills, and how to hunt for buffalo (or waste your time shooting squirrels).
Today, instructors are using more complex video games to teach students about the scientific method, physics, math and literacy. It’s a strategic move by educators who hope to capitalize on the popularity of video games (97% of teens ages 12-17 play computer, web, portable, or console games) and keep students engaged in the learning process.
Educational Games
In the same vein as Oregon Trail or Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? some gamemakers are designing video games with a specific educational purpose. MIT-based The Education Arcade’s newest game, Caduceus , is a puzzle game for tweens focused on logic, reason and creativity skills.
It’s also designed to promote compassion:
Caduceus is a key content element of a new pediatric medical research awareness…designed to help parents teach their children to care about others and believe they can make a difference.
Another gamemaker, Education Simulations, created “Real Lives 2007” to let students experience how people live in other countries. Based on real statistical data, the game randomly assigns the user an identity – such as a factory worker in Brazil or a policeman in Nigeria – and teaches them life skills while letting them explore the global community.
As a John Lennon fan and a sucker for interesting animation, I loved this short animated film “I Met the Walrus“. It’s an Academy Award Nominee for Best Animated Short Film and combines the artistic talents of director Josh Raskin with pen work from James Braithwaite and digital illustration by Alex Kurina.
A perfect example of how a great director can piece together different types of media to create an engaging experience. Kudos. I hope they win the Academy Award.
SAGrader is designed to help students express their understanding of concepts through careful, precise writing. We’re not big fans of “fluff” writing that sounds good, but doesn’t actually say anything.
I call this writing to the point. The underlying goal is to remove any content that does not help define your main point in a unique way.
It’s similar to the system used by screenwriters. When you’re writing a script for a movie, each scene needs to contribute to the underlying theme of your film. If you can’t explain how a scene relates to the overall movie, cut it.
Use the same process for each word and sentence in your writing.
I recently read some of Ayn Rand’s editing notes for her first draft of The Fountainhead and she repeatedly criticized herself for using adjectives that don’t contribute something distinct to the noun.
I fall into this trap all the time. Often, I’ll end up using two adjectives to describe a noun that mean the same thing (“We need to keep our workplace clean and tidy.”).
Just stop it. It’s okay to reinforce your point. Repetition is a useful technique. But don’t add “filler” words and sentences just to take up space. It’s poor writing and less enjoyable to read.
Ok, so people expected more out of Seinfeld & Gates. And the concept is ripped off of Apple’s Mac ads (especially since Bill Gates kind of looks like John Hodgman….or is that just me?).
But I’m going to take the road less traveled here and declare: I like the new Microsoft ad. No, I’m not employed by Microsoft, and I don’t generally go around singing their praises. It’s just, with all the scathing reactions to this ad, I feel an obligation to defend them.
Sure, I understand the criticism. It’s a $300 million ad campaign, it features the most popular comedian of all time, and….it’s doesn’t really make sense. The ad doesn’t specifically mention anything about Microsoft or computing. In fact, the ad seems to be selling cheap shoes. And, yes, there are subtitles scattered throughout the 90 second spot.
So, what’s to like? Comedy and mystery. The ad is engaging because it lets Seinfeld be Seinfeld (read: funny) while giving Microsoft a fresh style and vibe. The spot is designed to tell a story (at least the first chapter). And it does this well. Stories like this one are effective because they give us a feeling of camaraderie with the company without forcing a sales pitch down our throats. Now, when I think Microsoft, I’ll get an image of Seinfeld checking to see if Bill Gate’s shoes fit well. Believe it or not, this is more positive than the image I used to get.
More than anything, this storytelling ad exudes a sense of mystery. It’s weird and quirky and makes me wonder where the heck they’re going with it. By the end of the campaign, I expect them to have conveyed a specific marketing message. But I’m willing to let them take their time to get there. Utilizing a story arc is just good storytelling.
Certainly, they could ruin it. If the next three spots are equally directionless, even I will lose interest. But, for now, let’s judge the current commercial for what it is – a first installment – and let them tell the rest of the story before we dismiss the entire ad campaign.
Like most children of the ’80s, many of my earliest memories of using a computer involve “
