In the art above, the crow in the picture naturally instills a feeling of warning, imminent conflict,and something ominously approaching the crow’s world. The blackness of the crow in theater work creates an emotional response of something hidden, secretive, and unknown, adding an air of mysteriousness. The aura of yellow that surrounds the bird creates a deep seeded feeling of impatience, agitation, and fear. The red hues of the background bring all of those inherently strong, dark emotions to a crescendo, with the color reds’ vibrant passionate energy, and its defiant violent action.
Does
color impact emotion?A
picture of a black bird surrounded by red and vibrant gold/yellow colors, his
head turned and beak open: what is he saying?
What message caption fits with this picture? The same picture of a black bird surrounded
with a white “halo” that morphs into a pale blue increasing in intensity to a
deep blue: what is he saying now? What
message/caption fits with this picture?
Is
the message, “Go away, this is My
branch” or “Hey there, come on down, what’s happening?” The only difference in the two pictures is
the background. The
viewer, of course, impacts the caption.
But studies indicate that many humans do have an innate response to
color, identifying different portions of the color wheel with polar
emotions. In the book “Color” by Betty
Edwards, the author addresses colors corresponding to their symbolic emotions:
the primary colors with primary emotions; the secondary and mixed colors with
more complex emotions.Red: many sources and languages
identify this color with strong emotions: anger, sexual intensity, blood, fire,
passion and aggression. You will not
find a lot of red in emergency treatment rooms or psychiatric facilities.
Green:
often this color symbolizes Spring, growth, youth, hope and renewal.
Yellow: this is an ambiguous color, representing on
the one hand sunlight, happiness, and enlightenment or wisdom, but in some
cultures is emblematic of cowardice and betrayal. In intensity, yellow turned gold means
riches, but also destruction.
Blue: a famously favorite of Picasso, blue evokes distance and mystery, sadness and reverie or calm. Representations of the Madonna cloak her in blue, with a combination of peace, fidelity, and maternal caring telegraphed to the viewer.
Black: in the Western world, black equates with death, mourning and evil. The dark of night, black cats, witches hats, the mysterious: these are all symbolized in black, yet it, like white, is essential for gradation of any color.
White: this is not only the converse of black, but mixed with red results in that ambiguous color: pink. Generally, white equates with purity and innocence, however, in some cultures it represents the color of death.
The colors with which we surround ourselves, or utilize in our art, are consequential in communication.
Great artists throughout our history have studied the hidden secrets of how certain colors affect the mind. Modern graphic designers are also taught these secrets in college, learning to create an emotional response using the meanings of colors in their posters, pamphlets, and advertising campaigns. When an artist learns to combine the right colors, with the right images, they will truly have a magical hold on the viewer’s inner psyche that speaks to them from within. This emotional effect is what makes words unnecessary when conveying an artworks true meaning. Color is a gateway to the heart, mind, and soul, making a black and white world seem much too cold and emotionless to live in, in comparison.
Using Color to Convey Emotion
So now that we have established the basics of what colors can emotionally convey to our subconscious, it is easier to add certain colors into your artwork with a new perspective on how one actually “sees” a color. Colors can instill a powerful response in the onlooker’s mind that can help them connect mentally to your art. Knowing how to add those distinct perceptions to your artwork, will make a tremendous positive difference in the outcome of your work. Broader possibilities open up artistically when using the enhancements of color attributes. One can utilize that potential to add a deeper depth to one’s work, beyond just lines and colored inkon parchment.
Red can promote the feelings of passion and love, which it commonly represents. A red background can also help convey an angry situation, or environment. A surrounding glow of Orange will instill a warm feeling: A glowing fireplace - The orange dress of a friendly woman - An orange background to an emotional place of safety and contentment. By using Yellow in a background, one can also impart a warm, quiet, serenity to a piece. A dog joyfully running in a sunny field with the golden sunlight shining down in the background. Green provides a feeling of prosperity and wealth, whether it’s used to color a beautiful garden, or a stack of dirty money. Green also has a peaceful attribute, and has conveyed that emotion long before the creation of the organization Greenpeace. But green also has a dark side, and can also convey jealousy and envy.
Blue is not always attributed to sadness, but it is a good way to subtly pair the color with a sad face or situation. Blue can also be portrayed as an icy cool, serene, and calming color. Pure Gray is the only color that has very few psychological properties. Gray does instill a vision of clouds, soggy rain or fog, and in real life, the gray weather naturally depresses some sensitive people into low motivation factors, and not doing much of anything else besides sleeping or watching TV. Black, is, as we have said before, all of the colors, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that are considerable. Black also represents the unknown in people’s minds. This means that it can instill fear, especially when it is intentionally used in
that context.
Art is one of the purist forms of non-verbal communication. It has an energy of its own, and using colors psychologically in your artwork, will enhance that natural energy. This creates a special connection within the brain that is both personal and universal at the same time. The next time that you use color to express something in your artwork, think about the emotions that you want to convey to the viewer in your next piece.Remember to put all of those different attributes of colors to work, into your work, in order to create your next mentally stimulating, emotionally powerful, and absolutely engaging work of art.
