Colour Psychology

"Colour is the power which directly influences the soul" quoted by Wassily Kandinsky. Do you feel restless in an orange room? Does your pink dress make you feel giggly? Does the colour blue make you feel peaceful and calm? A lot of people believe that the colour we wear can actually have an effect on our mood. The psychology of colour is based on the mental and emotional effects colours have on sighted people in all facets of life. There are some very subjective pieces to colour psychology as well as some more accepted and proven elements. Artists and interior designers feel that colours are influential communication tools and can be used to cause physiological reactions. In art therapy, colour is often associated with a person’s emotions. Colour may also influence a person’s mental or physical state. There are also commonly noted psychological effects of colour as it relates to two main categories: warm and cool. Warm colours – such as red, yellow and orange – can spark a variety of emotions ranging from comfort and warmth to hostility and anger. Cool colours – such as green, blue and purple – often spark feelings of calmness as well as sadness. As a matter of fact, our feeling about any colour is deeply personal and rooted in your own experience or culture. For example, while the colour white is used in many countries to represent purity and virtue, it is seen as a symbol of grief in some countries. Let’s learn the effects various colours have on our bodies and minds.

The colour Red

The most emotionally intense colour, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the colour of love. Since it is an extreme colour, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than it is. It relates to the masculine principle and can activate the "fight or flight" instinct.

The colour Raging Red

Red is known to raise a room's energy level. It is a great colour for the living room or dining room because it will draw people together and start a conversation. Not to mention red has been known to stimulate your appetite! It would even do well in an entryway because it creates a strong first impression.

The colour Blue

The psychological effects of the colour blue are probably universal. Almost everyone enjoys looking into a blue sky and across a lake or the sea because there is something calming about the vastness of blue. It appears to free the mind. Blue is the colour of the mind; no wonder it is such a dominant business colour. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Time and again in research, blue is the world's favourite colour. However, it can be perceived as cold, unemotional and unfriendly. Avoid using this colour in the living room, kitchen or other rooms where you tend to be more active.

The colour Black

Black signifies power and authority, it represents knowledge and intelligence. It is the most popular colour in the fashion industry because of its association with style and it makes people wearing it look thin. Black outfits can also be overpowering or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Black is essentially an absence of light, since no wavelengths are reflected and it can therefore be menacing. Positively, it communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances.

The colour Yellow 

Have you ever wondered why Smiley is yellow? The reason is that yellow helps to release a chemical in the brain called Serotonin, essential for causing a happy mood. Use it to boost confidence and enhance optimism — and, of course, to add a dash of sunshiney liveliness. While it is considered an optimistic colour, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms. Yellow also activates the anxiety portion of our brains and thus can ignite crying in babies and encourage fighting. It is the most difficult colour for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused.

The colour Orange 

Since it is a combination of red and yellow, orange is stimulating and reaction to it is a combination of the physical and the emotional. If your gut had a colour, it’d be orange. Studies have proven that orange colour enhances concentration and gives the brain and nervous system a ‘wake-up call’. Like red, when walking into an orange room you immediately feel an overall increase in energy. However, too much of orange can cause fatigue. It is also beneficial for speeding up metabolism and is a common food colour. Add an orange bracelet or belt to enhance your playfulness factor and warm up the room on days when you want to be the life of the office party.

The colour Pink

Pink is a dominant colour, psychologically. It represents the feminine principle and survival of the species; it is nurturing and physically soothing. Even if a person tries to be angry or aggressive in the presence of pink, he can’t. The heart muscles can’t race fast enough. It has been found beneficial in reducing anger and anxiety. However, too much pink is physically draining and can be somewhat weakening.

The colour Green

Currently the most popular decorating colour, green symbolizes nature. Green is the easiest colour on the eye, as it demands no ocular adjustment and it can actually reduce fatigue, making it the colour of rest and relaxation. Researchers have proven that the colour improves vision. This could be the reason why classroom boards are in green colour. Clean greens are fresh and vibrant while olive and muted tones can be depressing. Pastel greens can feel relaxing and bright yellow-greens are energetic but can be overwhelming.

The colour Purple 

The shortest wavelength is violet, often described as purple. It takes awareness to a higher level of thought, even into the realms of spiritual values. Being the last visible wavelength before the ultra-violet ray, it has associations with time and space and the cosmos. The colour of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial. It is highly introversive and encourages deep contemplation or meditation. Purple in its darkest values is rich, dramatic, and sophisticated. It gives a scheme depth.

The colour White 

White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. Just as black is total absorption, so white is total reflection. In effect, it reflects the full force of the spectrum into our eyes. Thus it also creates barriers, but differently from black, and it is often a strain to look at. Baby products come usually in white to symbolize innocence and cleanliness. White is used by doctors and nurses to show sterility. Research showed that people having hand tremors didn’t shake much in white rooms proving that the colour has a calming effect.

The colour Brown

Brown usually consists of red and yellow, with a large percentage of black. Consequently, it has much of the same seriousness as black but is warmer and softer. Nature is full of the colour brown; in most parts of the world, brown is the colour of the earth, and most plants have got at least some brown in them. This is why the psychological effects of the colour brown are often described as reassuring, safe and stabilizing. However, Brown can also be sad and wistful. The psychological effects of the colour brown depend largely on the mix of the colours that have gone into it, and when you look at the set of swatches below you will probably like some and dislike others.

The colour Grey

The colour grey is an unemotional colour. It is detached, neutral, impartial and indecisive - the fence-sitter. Many people think of grey as a "safe" colour, but that is not true at all! It is the colour if you want to create an air of calm, understated confidence. For grey to have this psychological impact, its best combined with whites and other neutrals. However, heavy use of grey usually indicates a lack of confidence and fear of exposure. A virtual absence of colour is depressing and when the world turns grey we are instinctively conditioned to draw in and prepare for hibernation.

The colour Silver

The colour silver has womanly energy; it is related to the moon and the flow of the tides - it is flowing, expressive, insightful and mysterious. It is comforting, reassuring and purifying. From a colour psychology viewpoint, it signals a time of reflection and a change of direction as it illuminates the way forward. It helps with the cleansing and releasing of mental, physical and emotional issues and blockages as it opens new doors and lights the way to the future. In the meaning of colours, it is associated with prestige and wealth. It is seen as a glamorous, sophisticated colour related to female energy, prosperity and modernity.

The colour Maroon

This is a dark bluish-red, it denotes controlled and more thoughtful action. It is slightly softer than burgundy and not as dramatic as a true red. This darker shade of red has a rich, indulgent feeling about them. Use maroon to grab attention and to get people to take action. Use maroon to suggest speed combined with confidence and perhaps even a dash of danger. A little bit of maroon goes a long way. Small doses can often be more effective than large amounts of this strong colour.

The colour Golden

The colour gold is the colour of success, achievement and triumph. Associated with abundance and prosperity, luxury and quality, prestige and sophistication, value and elegance, the psychology of this colour implies affluence, material wealth and extravagance. Bright gold catches the eye while darker subdued shades of gold lend richness and warmth. However, being surrounded by too much gold can lead you to become egotistical, self-righteous and opportunistic in your quest for greater power and influence.

Hence from these, we learned how the colours play the important role in our life. Last but not the least I want to end with the quote by Paul Gauguin “Colours what a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams.”