Color Theory | The Psychology of Colors
As a designer I have always been fascinated by the psychology of color. Chances are if you haven’t really heard of this, today is your lucky day. I will discuss what emotions a color causes and why corporate America does the things it does all because of colors. Some things may seem unbelievable, but keep in mind they are true. That is why true Graphic Designers always keep their color theory top of mind when designing.
Black
Black is a color of power and it is also said that black makes people appear thinner. Hence the reason businessmen 9 out of ten times will wear a black suit on the cover of a business magazine. Black also makes people seem evil at a mystical sense.
White
White symbolizes purity and innocence. The utmost reason why brides wear a white dress during a marriage ceremony. It also implies a sterile environment and that is why doctors and nurses are more prone to wearing white clothing.
Red
Red is a color that increases the heart rate and breath. If you want to negotiate then do not wear red clothing or jewelry. This also includes lipstick for women. Red is overpowering and reduces the trust in an individual by perception. The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy. The reason Baskin Robins paints their store pink is because it makes vanilla ice cream taste sweater.
Blue
Blue is one of the calmest colors and is a color that should be seen frequently. Blue also symbolizes loyalty and that is why one should wear blue to a job interview. People are also more productive in blue rooms and increase work efficiency.
Green
Green is the obvious color that symbolizes nature. Green also helps calm the mind in a more tranquil way. That is why movie studios use green to calm people. It is also why it is many times found in hospitals in waiting rooms to calm the patient.
Yellow
Yellow is the most interesting color. Only use a legal notepad that is yellow because it helps increase memory capability to recall information. They say if you put a couple in a yellow room vs. any other room, the couple in the yellow room will fight more frequently. Yellow is also a color that makes people hungry. Hence the reason why all restaurants use some yellow in their logos. McDonalds, Taco Del Mar, Denny’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy’s…you name it.
Purple
Purple is a color that signifies royalty. Another reason why Taco Bell uses purple is to play off their cheap food at a less cheap perception. Purple is also a feminine color that stimulates the mind of the opposite sex. That is why women should wear purple on their first date to help create more attraction. FedEx paints their airplanes tip purple because it reduces the weight of the aircraft thereby saving them money.
Brown
Brown is a color that is known to be reliable as it can be found throughout nature. A lighter version of brown signifies one with logic and common knowledge (smart).
So creatives, use color theory to your advantage to motivate people to take your call to action. To get people to feel the way you would like them to.
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September 3rd, 2007 at 8:15 am
I have passed this post to my wife who is designing a web site for women. Hopefully it will help her pick the right colors. Thanks for the insights.
September 3rd, 2007 at 10:57 am
hey cameron, I appreciate you passing this post on. Let her know to feel free to contact me if she has any questions.
cheers
mitesh
November 11th, 2007 at 1:19 am
[...] You can read the full story here [...]
May 16th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Psychology of colors - the bedroom…
Color can have an astounding effect on perception, personal feelings, and even interactions. Different colors evoke different memories, and different ideas. In the bedroom, where one is supposed to be most at ease, it is important that you …
July 25th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I was wondering what color would be great for a craft room/ office. I need a color for creativity. I heard that peach is good for that but the shace bothered me so I don’t want to use that color. Any help would be really appreicated.
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:29 am
Wait… What? How does purple paint on the tips make a plane lighter?
November 12th, 2009 at 5:32 am
thank you for the info — almost painted my dining room red -which would not have been good for hubby since he does a lot of work in there.
March 25th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
[...] planes’ tail tips purple so the plane would be “lighter”, but Mitesh’s color theory article touches upon a fascinating [...]