Have you ever wondered about the meaning behind colours and its' relationship with paints? When people think about working with paints, they invariably work with colours too. Colour have always had visual impact on people. They resonate with different people and always were part of a decision making process when it comes to anything that required visual affirmations. So what is the significance of colours? How do they affect you and what is the meaning behind those shades of green, purple, blue? Exactly what are the meaning of colours then?
Studies have shown that colour affects moods, feelings and psychology of people. Even in the past, colours have been used as a form of healing methodology. They do this via the form of Chromotherapy (also known as colour therapy and colorology). This was evident in Egyptian and Chinese historical records.
Here, we have what modern researchers generally found to be accurate in the general description of colours. While not always true, it seems to be quite in line with what most people feel:
BLACK
Authority and Power. Regarded as the most all encompassing colour, black is absolute and coveys the idea of a ruler. Conversely, it is also associated with death and mourning and in some cultures, bad luck. It is popularly used in fashion as a slimming factor though.
WHITE
White traditionally associates with purity or innocence. It also represents itself as transparency and integrity. Organisations who want to portray a pure and trustworthy outlook tend to use this colour. Doctors and nurses typically wear this colour to represent their sterile, clean and hygienic out look. After all, dirt on white would be very obvious. Hospitals also paint their rooms completely white to offset the same feeling. Fashion and trend wise, white is considered a summer colour. Also, as it reflects all colours and as such conveys neutrality, it is popular in fashion and decorating.
RED
The colour of passion and love, red comes across as a emotion evoking colour. It is bright and warm and gives the "flushed" feeling. As such, it stimulates faster heartbeat and breathing. Used as an accentuating and sensual colour, red objects, products and decors have to be done flawlessly because it attracts people's attention and give rise to scrutiny. Too much of red will also incite impulsiveness and anger due to its excitement inducing property.
BLUE
Calm, peace, tranquility. These are what comes to people's mind when they see blue or talk about it. Many men's preferred colour, it lowers pulse rate and body temperature. Studies have shown a high level of productivity in general when working in a blue room. An example would be sportsmen and body builders performing better when the walls and floors of their sporting location are blue. However, blue can also be seen as cold and depressing at times and tend to give of a melancholic vibe under certain circumstances.
GREEN
An easy on the eye colour, green is a pleasing, calming and refreshing colour. It symbolises nature and tends to relax the eye. Research have also shown that green improves vision, reading and comprehension. It is also most representative of health and vitality.
YELLOW
Yellow is a happy optimistic colour and improves attention and stimulates creativity. It grabs people's attentions and tend to improve a person's focus level. Interestingly, it is suggested that yellow also increases metabolism so exercising in a yellow dominated area is an effective idea! On the flip side, yellow tends to be harshest on the eye due to the amount of light it reflects and in certain cases. Yellow rooms also tend to cause people to lose their temper and babies to cry more often.
If you are interested to read more about Chromotherapy the art of colour healing, follow us here.
For those who are interested in what types of shades of colours you can use to paint your room, check out our painting colour cards.
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