COLOR MEANINGS

Colors have meanings and they send messages. These meaning will not be the same everywhere. Culture and traditiontell us what meaning is attached to a color.
Color has been scientifically proved to affect our minds and bodies.
Red, for instance, is a hot, passionate color.
Its known to raise the heartrate
Dialate the pupils
Increase blood pressure
Increase the appetite!
A note there for dieters !!
Blue is restfull
Known to lower blood pressure
Lessen heart rate
Calming
Hospitals and waiting rooms usually done in blue

MEANINGS OF COLORS
RED = Power - Attention - Excitement Passion Aggression - Anger-War

PINK = Sweet - Feminine - Romance - Softness Warmth: with some of red's characteristics.

ORANGE = Wild - Exotic:also has red's characrteristics.

GREEN = Restful -Quality -Solidity -Greed-SickGrass - Trees- Nature

BLUE = Relaxed - Calm - SereneLoyal - Depressing-Water-Sky

PURPLE = Power - Grandeur - ExpensiveRoyalty - Anger

BLACK = Serene - Elegant - Quality - PowerStealth - Strength - Sinister - Bad - Darkness

WHITE = Purity - Deity - Elegant - Strength Plain - Cold

COLOR - WHAT ABOUT IT ?
Color...WOW !!!..we see it everywhere.
And isn't it glorious!?
Color exerts such a tremendous influence on our minds and bodies; reflecting and affecting ourfeelings and emotions.
Most people with normal eyesight feel this influence.
Our daily mood swings are affected by color.
Likes and dislikes, are strongly affected by color i
In our surroundings
In what we choose to wear
What color we paint ourhouse and so on.
Moods are described as being blue
Envy as being green
Anger as being red.
Each hue or color exerts its own influence or affect upon us.
Animals and even insects will react to different colors.
Where do our ideas and perceptions of color come from?
They come from our own culture
Experiences
History
The mind-body connection.
In the U.S.A., our culture dictates that white is for brides and black is for funerals.
In other countries these colors are reversed.
All this is changing.
Different meanings are now being attached to colors and our ideas and perceptions are in a state of flux.

THE SIGNALS THAT COLOR SENDS
Subtle
Stimulating
Soothing
Inflaming
Seductive
Repellant
Aggression
Calming
Fluffy
Sunny
Happy
It is a fact, we are very susceptible and easily influenced by color.
Color also determines what products we will buy, from cars, furniture, and clothing, to computers and kitchen appliances. All consumer goods manufactureers know what the color trends are. Studies are conducted and consumer goodsare made in the colors that are hot, market wise.

We influence others in the colors we select and use. Red sends a very different message than blue.
Red shouts, blue sighs.

We communicate to each other by our colored clothing, rugs, wall paint, etc.. Color will say in no uncertain terms just what you may be feeling and show for all to see, your outlook on life. The delight and enjoyment of color is a nearly universal thing.
Even without an in-depth study of color, our perception and recognition of different colors is tremendous.
The study of color will quickly alert and teach us of the many nuances of shades and tones and opens a whole new world of seeing.

How boring, dull and monotonous this world would be if all the color were gone and we saw everything in black, white and shades of gray. Color, its everywhere! And aren't we glad for it? Color lifts up or casts us down. What power color has!

Color's history goes back to Day1 and is full of meanings and symbolisms.
The early artists drew pictures symbolizing the wild game that they hoped to trap and kill, thinking the drawn imagewould have magical powers to enable them to have asuccessful hunt.He first drew with the black charcoal that was picked up from the fireplace. Then he discovered that the colored dirt right under his feet could be used to further enhance the art work.
An early day artist would have seen that color would greatly add to the image, making it more lifelike andreal. No longer was he satisfied to only use black!

In Egypt, color and most features of art, were connected with religion. Rigid rules of color and pattern were used, no artistic license was allowed.
Art for art's sake, was developed with the Cretan civilization. They painted just for the sheer enjoyment and love of decorating their homes.
Colors were bright and happy, in realistic themes and or ornamentation on walls, ceilings, porches and posts.
The Romans also painted in color to beautify their surroundings, to make a small room look fashionable, to give it class, and bring the beauty of the outdoors, inside.
Through the ages, art has gone through many transitions. From the flat modeled, colored cave paintings, to brightly colored religious works, to art for decorativepurposes and for the pure enjoyment of man.
We may not always understand just what the artistis saying.
What we do understand is color!
The artist can move us to feelings of loathing, apprehension, bewilderment, warmth, of encouragement, depression, unconcern, and or indifference, not only with his subject matter, but most certainly with his color.
Color has a language all it's own.Our emotions are influenced and affected by color.We feel happy or blue by the colors in our homes and work places.
It is definitly felt and experienced by all, even the color blind
But that's a subject for another chapter. :-)

Author : Kay Milam
www.milamstudios.com