Hello Cre8tive Compass! I am Debra Disman, your friendly Color Muze, here to share tasty tidbits of color wisdom…from here, there and everywhere. (If you would like to know about the relationship between color, and taste..please check out previous posts on SYNESTHESIA, and….Synesthesia!)
April 15, 2012,on Rebecca E. Parsons wonderful, and inspiring “Artistically Speaking Talk Show” on blog talk radio, our Color Muze found me in colorFULL convo with Rebecca, and her two highly cre8tive guests, Deb Thompson, and Christy Gossett both bloggers extraordinaire. We had a fun romp through a serious color association study, that I learned about from Mr. Frank H. Mahnke, my instructor at the IACC-NA ( International Association of Colour Consultants/ Designers North America). The color skinny, as per this study? Color Associations may indeed be cross cultural…even universal, within a certain range, of both colors, and cultures. Meaning that…in this study, the majority of participants had similar color associations. What were they? Well…please peruse my take and interpretation below, and let the fun, and fascination, begin! Less verbiage…let’s let “Les Couleures” speak for themselves!
Red = Love
Wouldn’t you know it? (Heart, blood, life force, et al…)
However, when paired with black, the love may change to hatred…oh dear.
However, this may shift depending on the proportions of red to black, and the addition of another color, such as white.
The human presence, also may alter this association!
The obvious associations with sky and water seem to compel us to associate the color blue with peace and tranquility.
As well, green, with its relationship to nature, plants, and the rejuvenating life force of springtime.
Although white may be the color of mourning in some cultures, the majority of participants associated the colors black and gray with mourning and sorrow. Here the effect may be mitigated by an undertone of life giving green, along with fresh creamy trim.
The most common color associated with “happy” in this study was yellow…with orange coming in second.
What comes to mind when YOU think of orange? The color of joviality…possibly related to joy!
Warm oranges may be associated with appetite, and can be used effectually in kitchens and dining areas.
Here, the radiant, embracing orange wall and ceiling of this living room veer towards the yellow, or golden, also associated with “jovial”.
Fresh clear life affirmative green…no surprise that “LIFE” is a big association!
Slightly toned down, but still radiant! Life Force…here we come!
Light-filled yellow…not veering towards the orange here..with luminous associations.
More luminous-ness…an exterior faux finish featuring a deeper-valued texture over a lighter base,
popping on this building against an azure blue sky. Yellow = sun/sunshine = light = luminous, indeed.
Speaking of blue…blue and violet associate with “noble”.
Noble blue door…this one does make a statement.
Purple has long been associated with royalty…and has been the color of royalty, or the “highest” of “noble blood”. To obtain this once rare color, a fair amount of effort once had to be made.
“The actual color of Tyrian purple, the original color purple from which the name purple is derived, is the color of a dye extracted from a mollusk found on the shores of the city of Tyre in ancient Phoenicia (present day Lebanon) that in classical antiquity became a symbol of royalty because only the very wealthy could afford it. Therefore, Tyrian purple was also called imperial purple.“ (See Article).
Nature arranges colors so beautifully…in ways that delight us, and make our hearts sing… might her “color associations be the same as ours?
What colors do YOU associate with “love”, “hatred”, “peace/tranquility”, “happiness”, “joviality”, “life”, “luminous”. or “noble”?
If you feel so inclined, please share them with us here.
We love to hear from You.
Remember, we are all making our associations with this thing called Life, together.
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