How Color Affects Us

I knew a little bit about what colors symbolize and how color affects us physically, but I didn't know all this. It's very interesting (to me). Just wanted to share.

Blue is by far the populations favorite color. It can symbolize peace, calm, femininity, life, purity, technology, and depression. When you see the color blue it invokes rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming. It can also aid in intuition.

AND this you might like...

"Bring the color blue into your life more often. There's a good reason you won't see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating" -allrecipes

GREEN can symbolize nature, luck, youth, jealousy, etc.

When we see green it physically and mentally relaxes and soothes us. It offers a sense of self control, harmony, and renewal. it can also help to alleviate depression, nervousness, and anxiety.

And here's a nice fact for you

"Suicides dropped 34% when London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted green."

Red can symbolize many things like blood, love, energy, danger, and passion. Red grabs our attention and physically and mentally increases enthusiasm, stimulates energy, and encourages action. They also say we shouldn't paint walls red because it encourages aggression.

BUT...

Feng shui recommends painting the front door of a home red to invite prosperity to the residents.

Pink stimulates energy and can increase blood pressure, heart beat, and pulse rate. It stimulates passion without aggression. It symbolizes childish innocence, femininity, and purity. It also encourages friendship. It has even been used in prison cells to discourage erratic behavior.

And check this out...

Since the color pink is said to have a tranquilizing effect, sport's teams sometimes use pink to paint the locker room used by opposing teams.

YELLOW can symbolize JOY, HAPPINESS, OPTIMISM, DISHONESTY, AND COWARDICE. Physically and mentally it stimulates the nervous system and mental processes. It also encourages communication and activates the memory.

AND...

75% of pencils are painted yellow! Why?

Pencils have been painted yellow ever since the 1890s. And that bright color isn't just so you can find them on your desk more easily!

During the 1800s, the best graphite in the world came from China. American pencil makers wanted a special way to tell people that their pencils contained Chinese graphite.

In China, the color yellow is associated with royalty and respect. American pencil manufacturers began painting their pencils bright yellow to communicate this 'regal' feeling and association with China.

PURPLE can symbolize royalty, nobility, spirituality, arrogance, cruelty, mourning, and enlightenment. Physically it can calm us and uplift us. It encourages creativity and offers a sense of spirituality.

And...

Leonardo da Vinci believed that the power of meditation increases ten times when done in a purple light, as in the purple light of stained glass.

Black is the color of night and "evil". It can also symbolize elegance, power, wealth, mystery, fear, sadness, and mourning. Too much black can be overwhelming and can represent void and emptiness. Wear black if you want to look slimmer. Physically it can make you feel inconspicuous or provide a restful emptiness.

And...

In China, Black is the traditional clothing color for boys.

ORANGE represents energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, and demands attention. Orange sparks more controversy than any other color. When you see it you either "hate it!" or "love it!". It stimulates activity and appetite and encourages socialization. Orange represents "gluttony" in Christianity.

And...

Orange is the national color of the Netherlands because its royal family owns the principality of Orange.

BROWN represents earth, hearth, home, outdoors, endurance, and comfort. Brown supplies a feeling of wholesomeness and says stability, reliability, and approachability. It physically makes you feel you are connected to the earth and gives you a sense of orderliness. Companies may use the color brown to denote a natural product.

AND...

They say if you dream of the color brown, it means you will be lucky with money.

Hope you enjoyed my lesson in color today!