Minding Color
Written By: Amy Li
Music Andy Designs / Pinterest
Color has been with us for quite the long while. Our eyes are specially adapted to absorb different energy waves and sort them into different hues. Paintings, whether acrylic, gouache, oil, are colored. Since the start of movie animation, color was the goal, and now movies today are now filled with vibrant shades.
But amidst the world of advertisements, entertainment, and art, there were choices made as to which color would appear. Why is blue such a popular color? Why are certain characters in this color? How do the colors match the meaning of this drawing? Indeed, color is a complex subject, for, even though we see it as something called color, it is just an assortment of different waves, and much of it has to do with how the mind processes our environment.
Warm colors, such as red, usually present more energetic and warm feelings, and sometimes even “anger and hostility” (Cherry). On the other hand, cool colors are refreshing and calmer with "sadness or indifference” mixed in (Cherry).
The “meanings” of color are often put into art to aid the viewer in the meaning of the painting, immersing them in that picture’s world.
Main characters or those filmmakers want the viewer to pay attention to may have brighter or more contrasting colors to create a memorable impression. Restaurants also utilize color theory by leaning towards warmer tones such as “red and yellow…[which] are known to be more stimulating and hunger-inducing than their cool-toned counterpart” (Bucholz).
Perhaps blue is so popular because it is a cool color, evoking a sense of secureness. Perhaps it is because it is the color of the vastness of the sea and the sky, implying freedom and potential. Still, the interpretation of color is affected greatly by past experiences, associations, and culture, so although one might view a certain color as joyful, another may see it as anxiety-inducing.
For me, green is my favorite as it is refreshing and reminds me of nature and jade. It is calming, yet happy. It also calls to my upbringing, as there were many trees where I grew up.
Even though color takes on different meanings for different people, it remains important, not only because of its historical significance, but also its modern relevance
