Colour and Meaning
We interpret colour in three different ways:
1. Impression - our visual response
Most of us have a favourite colour or prefer some colours over others. This is because can affect our moods so we surround ourselves in the colours that have a positive impact on our mood.
Red can boost your energy, yellow often makes people feel happier, and blue is proven to bring down blood pressure and slow your heart rate which is why it is often associated with being relaxing. If you combine the happiness of yellow
and the relaxing feel of blue you get green, a very pleasing colour for many people.
Hospitals are known to use pastel tones on their walls so that patients feel calm, happy, and relaxed. Walls that are beige with a pink tint combined with mint green floors are a popular combination as it is said to create a soothing, harmonious and calm area. At the other end of the spectrum, literally, schools tend to user bright colours that appeal to children.
2. Expression - our emotional response
Wassily Kandinsky was one of the first pioneers of colour theory. A renowned Russian painter and art theorist, he is often considered the founder of abstract art. Kandinsky believed that particular colours communicated certain qualities.
3. Construction - our cultural and religious response
Different colours mean different things in different places and to people belonging to different religions.
Purple for example is a colour of mourning in Thailand. In western culture however, it is associated with royalty, luxury, wealth and sometimes magic. In the same way, Green is considered the holy colour of Islam and Judaism is represented by the colour Yellow.
Red
Excitement, energy, passion, desire, movement, speed, strength, health, good fortune, vigor, power, heat, love, all things intense and passionate.
Negative:
aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, stop, revolution, overwhelming and agitated.
Some Cultures :
China - symbol of celebration and luck, used in many cultural ceremonies that range from funerals to weddings.
India - color of purity (used in wedding outfits).
United States - Christmas color when combined with green, Valentines Day when combined with pink, indicates stop (danger) at traffic lights.
Eastern cultures - signifies joy when combined with white.
Yellow
Joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, cheerful, laughter gold, philosophy, caution, brightness, intelligence, knowledge, learning, concentration, persuasion, charm, confidence, creativity, happiness, organization and Spring time.
Negative: dishonesty, cowardice, betrayal,
jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard, criticism, laziness, or cynicism.
Some Cultures:
Asia - sacred, imperial.
Western cultures - joy, happiness.
Blue
Peace, tranquility, calm, devotion, sincerity, honor, steadfast, dependable, loyal, productive, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, spirituality, intuition, inspiration, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, ice, coolness, technology, appetite, acceptance, patience, understanding, cooperation, comfort and loyalty.
Negative: depression, obscenity, fear, coldness, and passivity.
Some Cultures :
China - associated with immortality.
Colombia - associated with soap..
Hindus - the color of Krishna.
Jews - holiness.
Middle East - protective color.
Orange
Balance, encouragement, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention, steadfastness, courage, confidence, friendliness, cheerfulness, warmth, excitement, energy fun times, plenty, kindness, adaptability, stimulation, attraction, happy energetic days and ambition.
Negative: Ignorance, inferiority, warning, danger, fire, sluggishness and superiority.
Some Cultures :
Ireland - religious significance (Protestant).
United States - inexpensive goods, Halloween (with black).
Green
Nature, environment, healthy, masculine, calming, good luck, prosperity, vitality, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, money, food, go, grass, hope, growth, charity, wealth, freshness, youth, soothing, sharing and responsiveness.
Negative: jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, greed, constriction, guilt, and disorder.
Some Cultures :
China - studies indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging, green hats mean a man's wife is cheating on him.
France - studies indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging.
India - the color of Islam.
Ireland - religious significance (Catholic).
Some tropical countries - associated with danger
United States - indicates go (safe) at traffic lights, environmental awareness, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas color (red and green).
Purple
Royalty, piety, sanctity, sentimentality, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, power, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, sophistication, respect and religion.
Negative: cruelty, tension, arrogance, mourning, bruised or foreboding.
Some Cultures :
Western cultures - royalty.
Grey
Security, reliability, balance, neutrality, intelligence, staid, modesty, practical, dignity, maturity, timeless, solid, conservative.
Negative: old age, sadness, boring, death, canceling, depression, and loss of
direction.
Brown
Earth, hearth, home, outdoors, friendship, reliability, comfort, Earth, grounding, endurance, stability, simplicity and comfort.
Negative: mourning
Some Cultures :
Colombia - discourages sales.
White
Reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, truth, glory, cleansing, healing, protection, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, marriage, cold, clinical, sterile, the full moon, healing, peace, spiritual strength, exorcism, consecration, meditation and divination.
Negative: Blind, winter, unimaginative, surrender, cold, sterility and distant.
Some Cultures:
Eastern cultures - mourning, death.
Japan - white carnations signify death.
United States - purity (used in weddings).
China- it symbolizes age, autumn, death, misfortune, virginity and purity.
Black
Dramatic, classy, committed, serious, power, authority, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, depth, style, absence of color, good technical color.
Negative: mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, sadness, remorse, anger, mourning,
ignorance, coldness, unconscious, underground, satanic rituals, darkness and death.
Some Cultures :
Western cultures - mourning, death.
Pink
Friendship, unconditional love, conviviality, affections, unselfish emotions, spiritual healing, and emotional love.
Excitement, energy, passion, desire, movement, speed, strength, health, good fortune, vigor, power, heat, love, all things intense and passionate.
Negative:
aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, stop, revolution, overwhelming and agitated.
Some Cultures :
China - symbol of celebration and luck, used in many cultural ceremonies that range from funerals to weddings.
India - color of purity (used in wedding outfits).
United States - Christmas color when combined with green, Valentines Day when combined with pink, indicates stop (danger) at traffic lights.
Eastern cultures - signifies joy when combined with white.
Yellow
Joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, cheerful, laughter gold, philosophy, caution, brightness, intelligence, knowledge, learning, concentration, persuasion, charm, confidence, creativity, happiness, organization and Spring time.
Negative: dishonesty, cowardice, betrayal,
jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard, criticism, laziness, or cynicism.
Some Cultures:
Asia - sacred, imperial.
Western cultures - joy, happiness.
Blue
Peace, tranquility, calm, devotion, sincerity, honor, steadfast, dependable, loyal, productive, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, spirituality, intuition, inspiration, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, ice, coolness, technology, appetite, acceptance, patience, understanding, cooperation, comfort and loyalty.
Negative: depression, obscenity, fear, coldness, and passivity.
Some Cultures :
China - associated with immortality.
Colombia - associated with soap..
Hindus - the color of Krishna.
Jews - holiness.
Middle East - protective color.
Orange
Balance, encouragement, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention, steadfastness, courage, confidence, friendliness, cheerfulness, warmth, excitement, energy fun times, plenty, kindness, adaptability, stimulation, attraction, happy energetic days and ambition.
Negative: Ignorance, inferiority, warning, danger, fire, sluggishness and superiority.
Some Cultures :
Ireland - religious significance (Protestant).
United States - inexpensive goods, Halloween (with black).
Green
Nature, environment, healthy, masculine, calming, good luck, prosperity, vitality, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, generosity, fertility, money, food, go, grass, hope, growth, charity, wealth, freshness, youth, soothing, sharing and responsiveness.
Negative: jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, greed, constriction, guilt, and disorder.
Some Cultures :
China - studies indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging, green hats mean a man's wife is cheating on him.
France - studies indicate this is not a good color choice for packaging.
India - the color of Islam.
Ireland - religious significance (Catholic).
Some tropical countries - associated with danger
United States - indicates go (safe) at traffic lights, environmental awareness, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas color (red and green).
Purple
Royalty, piety, sanctity, sentimentality, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, power, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, sophistication, respect and religion.
Negative: cruelty, tension, arrogance, mourning, bruised or foreboding.
Some Cultures :
Western cultures - royalty.
Grey
Security, reliability, balance, neutrality, intelligence, staid, modesty, practical, dignity, maturity, timeless, solid, conservative.
Negative: old age, sadness, boring, death, canceling, depression, and loss of
direction.
Brown
Earth, hearth, home, outdoors, friendship, reliability, comfort, Earth, grounding, endurance, stability, simplicity and comfort.
Negative: mourning
Some Cultures :
Colombia - discourages sales.
White
Reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, truth, glory, cleansing, healing, protection, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, marriage, cold, clinical, sterile, the full moon, healing, peace, spiritual strength, exorcism, consecration, meditation and divination.
Negative: Blind, winter, unimaginative, surrender, cold, sterility and distant.
Some Cultures:
Eastern cultures - mourning, death.
Japan - white carnations signify death.
United States - purity (used in weddings).
China- it symbolizes age, autumn, death, misfortune, virginity and purity.
Black
Dramatic, classy, committed, serious, power, authority, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, depth, style, absence of color, good technical color.
Negative: mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, sadness, remorse, anger, mourning,
ignorance, coldness, unconscious, underground, satanic rituals, darkness and death.
Some Cultures :
Western cultures - mourning, death.
Pink
Friendship, unconditional love, conviviality, affections, unselfish emotions, spiritual healing, and emotional love.
Effective use of colour unites all three principles to create meaning.
For more information about colour and meaning go to: http://www.mariaclaudiacortes.com/colors/Colors.html
For more information about colour and meaning go to: http://www.mariaclaudiacortes.com/colors/Colors.html