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Introduction:
It is probably well to mention at this point that color affects people Psychologically. These qualities were discovered during the Middle Ages, and are partly responsible for the use of so much blue in the stained-glass windows in the great cathedrals. Color meanings and perceptions around the world are often paradoxical. It's up to the designer to choose a palette that works to the advantage of a given design. |
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White |
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- White - is cheering and reflects sunlight, particularly when used with red, yellow, or orange.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Purity, cleanliness, precision, innocence, sterility, death
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Signifies virginity, marriage in the U.S. but death in India and other Eastern cultures.
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Black |
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- Black suggests color and like gray it is depressing unless combined with a livelier color.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Power, sexuality, sophistication, death, mystery, fear, unhappiness, elegance
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Signifies death and mourning in many Western cultures. In packaging, conveys elegance, wealth, and sophistication.
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Blue |
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- Blue - reduces mental excitability and therefore helps one to concentrate. It is both cooling and sedative, but cannot be used indiscriminately, as too much of it produces melancholia.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Trust, conservative, security, technology, cleanliness, order
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Used in the U.S. by many banks to symbolize trust.
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Green |
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- Green is a cooling color and acts as an opiate.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Nature, healthy, good luck, jealousy ("green with envy"), renewal
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Doesn't do well in a global market. There are problems associated with green packaging in China and France. Green has been successful in attracting investors in the Middle East.
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Yellow |
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- Yellow is cheering and stimulating and draws attention.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Optimism, hope, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice (a coward can be described as "yellow"), betrayal
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Yellow is a sacred color to Hindus.
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Red |
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- Red is exciting and stimulates the brain.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Power, energy, warmth, passions, love, aggression, danger
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Red changes meaning in the presence of other colors. With green, it becomes a symbol of Christmas. When combined with white, it means joy in many Eastern cultures.
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Purple |
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- Purple is a sedative and soothing.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Spirituality, mystery, royalty, transformation, cruelty, arrogance
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Purple appears very rarely in nature.
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Brown |
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- Brown is restful and warming but should be combined with orange, yellow, or gold, because it can be depressing if used alone.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Earth, reliability, comfort, endurance
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Food packaging in the U.S. is often colored brown, to great success. In Colombia, brown discourages sales.
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Grey |
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- Grey suggests color and like brown it is depressing unless combined with a livelier color.
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- PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
Intellect, futurism, modesty, sadness, decay
- NOTES OF INTEREST
Gray is the easiest color for the eye to see.
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