Would it be looked down on if you completely copy the color scheme of a website?

[iizag]

Would it be looked down on if you completely copy the color scheme of a website? Like what if I were to find a sites color scheme really beautiful? And then for a client or if its a personal website, I just copy the colors and button colors etc. Is that looked down on for people who know about websites and design , I’m interested in opinions

[Shikkediel]

If it’s just the color scheme and for personal use I don’t see any issue. If it’s more than that and for commercial purpose, it might start to get into a grey area. Blatantly copying everything apart from text and images is probably not done but still not a big problem unless someone tries to sue you for copyright violation. But then there’s still your own credibility as a designer of course.

[Alen]

@ian-izaguirre001 Copy color scheme all you want. There’s nothing legally stopping you. Don’t copy content (text, images, audio & video) obviously. There’s more to design than color. So make sure you’re executing with the intent and purpose of design. Understanding why is also important.

[iizag]

Thank you all for your answers, And I will get that book lol

[sarahbellum]

Color schemes are totally ok to use. As a designer, I do that quite frequently; if I see a scheme that works great together, I may snapshot it and save it. It isn’t necessarily looked-down upon. I wouldn’t recommend using colors that are used with competitors.

Although there is more to design than color, color is still very important. Don’t discard it and don’t use certain colors just because it looks good. Think about what/who you are representing and the branding on the site. Be sure it is a good fit for your audience.

[pkinchla]

I agree with what everyone else says and you should be fine. The competitor note is a good tip. Here is an example of someone suing a competitor over color:

http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2014/01/veuve-clicquot-clarifies-position-over-label-dispute/

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