If you want your actor website to stand out, it must tell your unique story by painting a picture of who you are and how you can be cast for the decision-makers in the industry.
One way to accomplish this is through color. But if you’re like a lot of actors I work with, choosing a color palette for your website can make you break into a sweat. There are so many colors to choose from—how can you possibly narrow them down?
Luckily, I have a simple process I use with my clients. It makes choosing your colors fun and easy, and I’m happy to share it with you!
What’s your story
What aspects of your personality capture people’s attention? Is it your wry wit, your quirky charm, or your dark and twisty side? What types of roles are in your zone, and what do you aspire to play? Write them down, and look for common themes between your personality traits and the roles.
What colors look good on you?
This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s pretty important. You want to choose colors you actually look good in, right? Think about a shirt or outfit you always get compliments on. What colors make your eyes pop when you put them on? What colors make you feel good? If you’re not sure, take a trusted friend to a clothing store with you and hold up different colored shirts to your face. See which colors make you look your best and write them down.
Apply color psychology.
Color can evoke certain ideas and emotions. For example, in North America, red can mean strength and passion, while blue brings to mind trust and warmth. Using the basic color guide below, look for a match between your common themes from step one and the colors you look best in from step two. I suggest you choose one main color and one or two accent colors.
Red: excitement, strength, passion
Blue: trust, belonging, warmth
Dark Blue: integrity, knowledge, power
Yellow: warmth, happiness, joy
Green: freshness, growth, abundance
Purple: spirituality, dignity, nobility
Lavender: femininity, grace, elegance
Pink: gentleness, kindness, safety, fun
Gold: prestige, luxury
Silver: prestige, coolness
White: moral purity, innocence, gentleness
Black: power, sophistication, mystery
Turquoise/Teal: calm, sophistication, water
Brown: stability, comfort
Gray: security, reliability, intelligence
Orange: energy, balance, warmth
Beige/Ivory: quiet, calm, simplicity
Make sure your colors go together.
To make sure the colors you’ve chosen actually work together, check out the Adobe Color Guide. You can input your main color and see what accent colors go with it. It’s a great resource, and it’s free!
Here’s an example of how I’ve used this process for my own website. One aspect of my actor story is warmth, and warmth is associated with yellow on the chart. I also happen to love yellow—it makes me think of the warmth of the sun. But when I put yellow anywhere near my face, I look like death warmed over. It is NOT a flattering color on me!
Thankfully, I do look good in certain shades of blue, another color associated with warmth, so I chose blue as my main color. I also look good in red, which can signify strength, another aspect of my actor brand.
According to the color guide, blue and red go together. Bingo! There’s my actor website color palette. When I plan my next headshot session, I’ll make sure to wear those colors so my photos will be in harmony with my website.
Now it’s your turn. Go through these steps and use color to enhance your website and help you tell your unique story online!
Click here to read the article on Backstage.com!
Originally published on Backstage.com