Shivi's-Den...: June 2009

by Kim Hughes and Kerry McRorie

“Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways. “ ~Oscar Wilde

Colour is everywhere. It heightens our senses, affects our moods, and has even been said to define our personalities. Cultures around the world strongly associate colours with various themes, omens, and rites of passage. In North America, for example, black has long been associated with death, while white is believed to signify life and purity. In Asia, however, white is the traditional colour of mourning. In North America, black has also come to suggest sophistication and formality. We associate trust and stability with the colour blue, while people of Korean descent associate these same virtues with the colour pink. So, around the world, our associations with colour are as varied and as diverse as the colour wheel itself.

With regards to our health, specific colours are thought to have different effects on people and on the healing and treatment of various disorders. Colour and light therapies have been dated back thousands of years to ancient Egypt and Asia and have recently been gaining popularity as a method of treating S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Here is a brief list of what colours are typically associated with what emotions, moods, and therapies:

Black: self-confidence, power, and strength
Blue: calming, lowers blood pressure, decreases respiration
Green: soothing, relaxing mentally as well as physically, helps those suffering from depression, anxiety, nervousness
Violet: suppresses appetite, provides a peaceful environment, good for migraines
Pink: used in diet therapy as an appetite suppressant, relaxes muscles, relieves tension, and is soothing
Yellow: energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, and stimulates appetite
Orange: energizes, stimulates appetite and digestive system
Red: stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, respirations and blood pressure

With regards to design, colour is considered one of the most useful and powerful tools one has to work with. As artists, we respond to colours in different ways, and these responses take place on a subconscious, emotional level. We also use colour to help us tell our stories. Most of us have strong colour preferences and gravitate again and again to a similar palette. It is a BIG challenge for many of us to step outside of our comfort zones and work with “different” colours. For the purpose of this article, we are featuring four different layouts—each with a very different colour theme.

This study of colour could go on and on…it is a most interesting topic and we were actually quite amazed at how the things we read about colour really made “sense.” Our moods are affected by colour, they do evoke certain emotions and memories, and they can dictate some behavior. In closing, we challenge you to take a colour (or a group of colours) that you typically shy away from, and create a project based around it. Or, do what we did and create a monochromatic layout that focuses almost entirely on one colour or shade. Have fun!

References 1) Color Psychology How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors By Kendra Van Wagner, About.com

2) Symbolism of Color—Using Color for Meaning http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm

3) Color Matters http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html

4) Color Therapy http://www.biopulse.org/color.html