Color theory

What is color? In 1666 English scientist Sir Isaac Newton discovered that when pure white light is passed through a prism it separates into all of the visible colors. Newton also found that each color is comprised of a single wavelength and cannot be separated any further into other colors. Further experiments demonstrated that light could be combined to form other colors for example: red light mixed with yellow light creates an orange color. A color resulting from a mix of two other colors is known as a metamer. Some colors such as yellow and purple cancel each other out when mixed and result in a white light these competing colors are known as complements. Color psychology -- the psychological effects of color… While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, there are some color effects that have universal meaning. Colors in the red area of the color spectrum are known as warm colors and include red orange and yellow. These warm colors evoke emotions ranging from feelings of warmth and comfort to feelings of anger and hostility. Colors on the blue side of the spectrum are known as cool colors and include blue purple and green. These colors are often described as calm but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference. Color psychology as therapy-- Several ancient cultures, including the Egyptians and Chinese, practiced chromotherapy or using colors to heal. Chromotherapy is sometimes referred to as light therapy or colourology and is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment. In this treatment red was used to stimulate the body and mind and to increase circulation. Yellow was thought to stimulate the nerves and purify the body. Orange was used to heal the lungs and to increase energy levels. Blue was believed to soothe illnesses and treat pain. Indigo shades were thought to alleviate skin problems. Most psychologists view color therapy with skepticism and point out that the supposed effects of color have been exaggerated. Colors also have different meanings in different cultures. Research has demonstrated in many cases that the mood-altering effects of color may only be temporary; a blue room may initially cause feelings of calm but the effect may dissipate after a short period of time. Psychology-- Physiological changes, feelings of excitement or intensity can cause agitation when viewed in large fields. Red increases appetite. Symbolism: passion, strength, energy, fire, love, sex, excitement, speed, heat, danger, blood, anger, revolution, radicalism, socialism, communism, aggression, stop. Red is the color most commonly found in national flags. Pink, essentially a light red, is thought to have a calming effect. One shade known as drunk-tank pink is sometimes used in prisons to calm inmates; sports teams sometimes paint the opposing team’s locker room pink to keep the players passive and less energetic. In china red is the color of good luck and is used as a holiday and wedding color. Chinese babies are given their names at a red-egg ceremony. A red-letter day is one of special importance and good fortune. Psychology-- Physiological changes, orange creates feelings of excitement and energy. Orange has been described by some people as playful. Symbolism: Hinduism, Buddhism, energy, balance, heat, fire, enthusiasm, flamboyance, playfulness, aggression, warning, danger, autumn. Psychology-- Physiological changes, yellow can create feelings of frustration and anger; it can be more difficult color for the eye to take in so it can be annoying if overused. Yellow enhances concentration and speeds metabolism. Symbolism: sunlight, joy, happiness, optimism, idealism, summer, hope, liberalism, cowardice, illness, quarantine, hazards, dishonesty, weakness, gladness, friendship, deceit, remembrance, hazardous, death, middle ages, mourning in Egypt, courage in Japan. While yellow is considered a cheerful color people are more likely to lose their tempers in yellow rooms and babies tend to cry more in yellow rooms. Psychology-- Physiological changes, green is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision and can have a refreshing calming effect. Symbolism: nature, spring, fertility, youth, environment, wealth, good luck, vigor, generosity, go, inexperience, envy, jealousy, illness, greed, life, earth, sincerity, hope, renewal, nature, spring, growth, health, balance, harmony, and stability. Green has long been a symbol of fertility and was once the preferred color choice for wedding gowns in the 15th-century. Even today green M &M’s are said to send a sexual message. Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect; for example guests waiting to appear on television programs often wait in a green room to relax. Psychology-- Physiological changes, studies show that blue is the least appetizing color. Blue can reduce pulse rate and body temperature. It can create feelings of sadness or aloofness; it causes the body to produce chemicals to induce calm serene feelings. It is the color most preferred by men. studies show people are more productive in blue rooms; studies show that weightlifters can lift more weight in blue rooms. Symbolism: seas, skies, peace, unity, harmony, tranquility, calmness, coolness, confidence, conservatism, water, ice, loyalty, dependability, cleanliness, technology, winter, depression, coldness, idealism, air, wisdom, and earth. Some weight loss plans recommend eating your food off of a blue plate. Blue rarely occurs naturally in food aside from blueberries and some plums, also humans are geared to avoid foods that are poisonous and blue coloring in food is often a sign of spoilage or poison. In ancient Rome public servants wore blue, today police and other public servants still wear blue. Psychology-- Physiological changes, some studies show that since purple is rarely seen in nature, it can appear artificial and can cause feelings of tiredness or fatigue. Symbolism: sensuality, spirituality, creativity, wealth, royalty, nobility, ceremony, mystery, wisdom, enlightenment, arrogance, flamboyance, exaggeration, pride, romanticism and light purple symbolizes a delicacy. The Egyptian queen Cleopatra loved purple, to obtain one ounce of Tyrian purple dye she had her servants soak 20,000 purpura snails for 10 days. Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases 10 times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass. Psychology-- Physiological changes, brown evoke feelings of strength and reliability. It may create feelings of sadness or isolation. Symbolism: calm, depth, nature, richness, rustic, stability, tradition, dirty, dull, heaviness, poverty, roughness, wholesomeness, steadfastness, simplicity, dependability Brown brings to mind feeling of warmth comfort and security. It is often described as natural down-to-earth and conventional, but brown can also be sophisticated. Psychology-- Physiological changes, black can cause feelings of empowerment and confidence, sometimes causes feelings of depression or sadness. Symbolism: evil, power, treachery, death & mourning, sadness, depression, sophistication, modernity, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, style, fear, anonymity, anger, remorse, mourning, seriousness, conventionality, submission to god. A “black list” is a list of persons or organizations to be boycotted or punished. The ancient Egyptians believed that black cats had divine powers. Psychology-- Physiological changes, white sometimes causes feelings of solitude vulnerability, exposure or feelings of freshness cleanness. Symbolism: innocence, purity, sterility, reverence, snow, peace, cleanliness, simplicity, humility, marriage, coldness, surrender, cowardice, unimaginative, air, death, and in China it can symbolize hope. The ancient Greeks wore white to bed in order to ensure pleasant dreams. White heat is a state of intense enthusiasm, anger, devotion, or passion. Cultural and social differences in color perception-- Various cultures see color differently: in India blue is associated with Krishna a very positive association, green with Islam, red with purity used as a wedding color, and white with mourning in most Asian cultures. Yellow is the imperial color with many of the same cultural associations as purple in the West, in China red is symbolic of celebration luck and prosperity; white is symbolic of mourning and death while having a green hat metaphorically means a man’s wife is cheating on him. In Europe colors are more strongly associated with political parties than they are in the U.S. In many countries black is synonymous with conservatism, red with socialism, while brown is still immediately associated with the Nazis. Many believe that blue is universally the best color as it has the most positive and fewest negative cultural associations across various cultures. Colors, especially the natural colors, are frequently associated with seasons and geographical cardinal directions. Although the specific assignments vary widely among individual cultures, studies have shown most colors have more positive than negative associations and even when a color has negative association it is normally only when used in a particular context. People in many cultures have an automatic negative perception of the color black, according to some researchers. Researchers have found that sports teams with primarily black uniforms were significantly more likely to receive penalties. In historical data students were more likely to infer negative traits from a picture of a player wearing a black uniform. They also taped staged football matches with one team wearing black and another wearing white, experienced referee were more likely to penalize black-wearing players for nearly identical plays. Finally, groups of students tended to prefer more aggressive sports if wearing black shirts themselves. Why do we care about color psychology as a design and interactive media firm? Our mission is to create a compelling environment in which to market our clients’ products or services. As an initial step in the discovery and design processes we need to establish a “mood” for the project. What mood or atmosphere are we trying to create for the audience? Who is the audience? What type of product or service is being offered? All of these answers will play a vital point in establishing the color scheme and visuals used to create the most engaging and inviting environment for the audience. This quick case study illustrates the power that color has in the audience’s perception of a product. When designers at Bernie Corp. Changed the background hue on barrelhead sugar-free root beer cans to beige from blue, people swore it tasted more like old-fashioned root beer served in frosty mugs. No matter that the beverage itself remained exactly the same. Similarly consumers ascribe a sweeter taste to orange drinks, the darker the orange shade of the can or bottle. It’s difficult to correlate color with product sales but Bernie claims that when it changed Canada Dry’s sugar-free Ginger Ale can to green and white from red sales shot up more than 25 percent; the red can had sent a misleading cola message to consumers.