The Art of Science. The Science of Art.
People have long been fascinated with color and have understood its power over moods and well-being. Color was used in ancient Egypt, China, and Greece to evoke emotions, aid in spiritual practices, and treat a variety of conditions. While the nature of color was not yet understood, its powerful effects were evident.
Do you feel energized when you see red? Does the color blue make you feel calm and relaxed? Is your friend green with envy? Artists have long believed that color can dramatically affect moods, feelings, and emotions.
“Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions.”
—Pablo Picasso
Certain colors have been associated with physiological changes, including increased blood pressure, increased metabolism, and eyestrain. Color can play an important role in conveying information, creating certain moods and feelings, and even influencing the decisions people make. Color preferences also exert an influence on the objects people choose to purchase, the clothes they wear, and the way they adorn their environments.
The Psychological Effects of Color
Color can have effects on our bodies and in our minds. While perceptions of color are somewhat subjective, some color effects have universal meanings. 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 calming but can also call to mind feelings of sadness or indifference.
One study’s researchers suggested such results indicated that color-emotion associations appear to have universal qualities. These shared meanings may play an essential role in aiding communication.
“Color could give rise to sensations which would interfere with our conception of space.”
—Georges Braque
Colorology is still used today as a holistic or alternative treatment.
Hover over each color below.
Red
Yellow
Orange
Blue
Indigo
“I try to apply colors like words that shape poems, like notes that shape music.”
—Joan Miro
While more research is needed, a 2020 study suggested that chromotherapy may be an effective way to help combat feelings of depression, fatigue and post-traumatic stress in intensive care unit nurses. When it comes to communication, color is unbeatable. Unconscious or otherwise, color can evoke emotions, inspire reactions, and change modes of thinking. It can excite or soothe your mood, raise or lower your blood pressure, and even whet your appetite. Whether innate or learned, it’s undeniable that color has a vital impact on how we go about our lives.
“Color is the place where our brain and the universe meet.”
—Paul Klee