Saturday, November 21, 2009

Color My World


The world of color surrounds us all. It is alive and real and fueled by society. One major attribute of color in our world is color association. We associate color with many things. Take the color blue for example. When we are sad we may use the term “feeling blue”. But why would we choose this color as an expression of our feelings? It is because color can evoke emotion. Color is identified with the senses. It is more common to feel excited or happy when we are surrounded by bright and warm colors, where as dark, cool colors entice a feeling of serenity or sadness.  Part of our association comes from the colors we see in nature. Yellow is seen in the sun, red and orange are seen in fire, blue is seen in the sky and water and green is seen in the trees and grass. Because nature is a physical presence, it allows us to become in tune with our senses and therefore compliments our association with color.

            Psychological effects are only part of the effect color has on our world. Color is accompanied by hues and values, all of which hold a place within society. The properties of color are interactive—a tint or shade can add depth or intensity. It is color that gives the images we see distinguishing properties and characteristics. It has a life of its own and can enhance or change its surroundings. Color plays with our perception. Everyone perceives color differently. What might appear purple to some may appear to be blue to others. 

            Design can be emphasized by color as well. Color has the ability to enhance dimension or camouflage unwanted elements. It can highlight detail or emphasize dominance. Different hues can add balance to a composition or create spatial properties. Everyday holds the potential to discover a color’s many attributes. Whether it is design, nature, or society color will always be waiting to invite you in to its engaging world.

 

Image Source: http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs42/f/2009/102/7/0/bleeding_color_by_CAM_Photography.jpg

No comments:

Post a Comment