EditPsychology of Color
Color can have a significant impact in art and design. It can influence our emotions and our perception of our surroundings. It can even affect our appetites! Fast food chains know this and use it to their advantage, and with a little bit of study, you can too.
Many new designers put little thought into the colors used in their designs; rather than considering the possible meanings of colors and selecting them based on suitability for the project at hand, they just use what "feels right". Sometimes this works quite well, but it's not a reliable method.
EditIn General
Most colors can have both positive and negative associations. While red is considered the color of love, someone who is angry can be described as "seeing red". Yellow can represent optimism or happiness, but to say that someone is "yellow" implies that they are cowardly. Green can represent freshness, but it can also be used to describe jealousy (the "green-eyed monster") or seasickness (looking "green around the gills"). Blue can represent faith and hope, but someone who is "feeling blue" is sad or dejected.
A word of caution: ALWAYS consider your target audience. Colors can have very different meanings from one culture to the next. Be sure that the colors you choose are appropriate. (For example, in China the color red is considered lucky, but in South Africa it is the color of mourning.) For more information about the meaning of colors to different cultures, see this chart:
Color Meaning and Culture.
Bear in mind that colors will not mean the same thing to every person, even within a given culture; these are not rules, per se, but rather generalizations based on how a color is perceived by society as a whole.
The following information deals with the psychology of color in North American cultures.
EditRed
Red is a very dominant color, and as such it is often used to grab attention. It stands out from its surroundings, which is why it is often used to grab attention or to indicate danger. Too much red in a design can be overwhelming or seem aggressive, so it is a color that you may want to use sparingly.
Some thoughts associated with red are: love, passion, desire, strength, power, danger, courage, and excitement. Lighter shades of red (pink) can represent romance, delicacy, and femininity. Darker shades of red ("blood red") can represent anger, courage, and malice.
EditOrange
Orange is reminiscent of warmth, energy, and autumn. It is believed to stimulate appetite, and is associated with healthy foods like oranges and carrots. Orange is very visible and can be used effectively as a highlight.
Some thoughts associated with red are: enthusiasm, happiness, creativity, affordability, hunger, and stimulation.
EditYellow
Yellow is a warm, stimulating color. Because of its high visibility, it is often used for caution signs, so it does have some connection to "danger", but not as much as red. In small amounts yellow is cheerful and energizing, but some people have a very low tolerance to yellow; it is believed to have a disturbing effect when overused. Yellow can be a very effective highlight when used sparingly.
Yellow is often associated with joy, happiness, inspiration, hope, playfulness, caution, weakness, and energy.
EditGreen
Green is a cool, restful color that is found frequently in the natural world. It is easy on the eye and tends to have a calming effect on viewers. Hospitals sometimes use green in their decor because it has a relaxing effect on patients. Green is also strongly linked to the concept of safety.
Some thoughts associated with green are: durability, safety, luck, honesty, healing, optimism, harmony, freshness, growth, fertility, stability and endurance, as well as money.
EditBlue
Blue is the color of water and the sky. It has a calming effect on the mind and body. Studies have shown that people are more productive in blue rooms, and blue is a favorite color for businesses in America. Try to avoid using blue when working with food, restaurants, or cooking supplies, as blue is an appetite suppressant.
Blue symbolizes stability, trust, dignity, loyalty, cleanliness, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, understanding, faith, truth, and peace.
EditPurple
Purple is traditionally the color of royalty, and the things associated with it: wealth, luxury, and elegance. It occurs rarely in nature, and because of this, some people find that it feels "artificial". Purple is a favorite color of children, and light purple can effectively convey romance or femininity.
Some concepts associated with purple are: power, nobility, luxury, independence, ambition, wealth, wisdom, creativity, mystery, and magic.
EditBlack
In the past, the color black was often associated with death and evil. In modern times it has less negative connotations, usually implying sophistication and timelessness. Black is classic and conservative. It contrasts well with bright colors, and makes them appear even brighter. A room that is painted black will appear to be smaller and darker than a room of the same size that is painted a different color.
Black is often associated with elegance, style, sophistication, formality, power, authority, death, grief, night, emptiness, strength and mystery.
EditWhite
White is a neutral color that has traditionally been symbollic of goodness and purity. White shows dirt more easily than other colors, and for that reason it is often used to represent cleanliness and sterility. White is bright and cheerful and works well with virtually all other colors. Be careful when using this color, as too much white can cause headaches and eyestrain. Rooms that are entirely white can actually feel uncomfortable. Fast food restaurants sometimes take advantage of this fact to encourage diners not to loiter after they have finished their meals.
White typically represents light, purity, goodness, charity, innocence, sterility, winter, cleanliness, newness, virginity, peace, faith, innocence and simplicity.
EditResources
For more information about color, be sure to see our
Color Theory and
Color Modes wikis.
For more information about choosing a color scheme, be sure to check out the
Color Resources posted in the Designer Today Forum!