Lecture 2 - Meaning of Colors

energy

Color is light, light is energy, so color is _____.

energy

Color is the perceivable characteristic of light; light is energy, so color is a form of ____.

seven

In 1666 Sir Isaac Newton discovered that sunlight is a mixture of colors by noticing that when a ray of light passes through a prism, it is dispersed into its ____ constituent colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

two

You can’t use only a single color in your work even if it is a site, logo or a business card. It needs to be a combination of ____ or more colors to be effective.

Black

For some it is the color of elegance, and it sometimes gives the idea of prosperity. But for others it can be a reminder of something unpleasant (death, hopelessness, evil, mourning).

three
red, yellow, blue

In traditional color theory, there are only ____ colors which can’t be formed by combining others, to be more specific there are only ____ colors from which all the rest are created. These colors are: ___, ___and ___– primary colors.

green, orange, purple

Mixing the primary colors we will get the secondary colors – ____, ____and ____.

Tertiary

____ colors are combinations between primary and secondary

marigold, vermilion, magenta, violet, aquamarine, chartreuse

Colors (yellow-orange or ____, red-orange or _____, red-purple or _____, blue-purple or ____, blue-green or ____ and yellow-green or ______).

Warm Colors
brown, orange, pink

_____ are the colors from red to yellow including ____, ____, ____. These colors evoke warmth because they remind us of things like the sun or fire. These tend to advance in space.

Cool Colors

_____ are from green to blue, but also include some shades of violet. _____ are better for backgrounds and will give the impression of calm and reduce tension.

neutral

White, black and gray are considered to be _____.

Warm colors

_____ include red, orange, and yellow, and variations of those three colors. These are the colors of fire, of fall leaves, and of sunsets and sunrises, and are generally energizing, passionate, and positive

warm colors

Use _____ in your designs to reflect passion, happiness, enthusiasm, and energy.

Red

____ is a very hot color. It’s associated with fire, violence, and warfare. It’s also associated with love and passion.

Red

In history, it’s been associated with both the Devil and Cupid.

Red

____ can actually have a physical effect on people, raising blood pressure and respiration rates. It’s been shown to enhance human metabolism, too.

importance

Red can be associated with anger, but is also associated with _____

China, brides, South Africa
communism

In ____, red is the color of prosperity and happiness. It can also be used to attract good luck. In other eastern cultures, red is worn by ____ on their wedding days. In ____, however, red is the color of mourning. Red is also associated with _____

red

In design, ____ can be a powerful accent color. It can have an overwhelming effect if it’s used too much in designs, especially in its purest form.

brighter, darker

It’s a great color to use when power or passion want to be portrayed in the design. Red can be very versatile, though, with ____ versions being more energetic and ____ shades being more powerful and elegant.

Orange

_____ is a very vibrant and energetic color. In its muted forms it can be associated with the earth and with autumn.

Orange

Because of its association with the changing seasons, ____ can represent change and movement in general. ___ is also strongly associated with creativity.

Orange

Because ____ is associated with the fruit of the same name, it can be associated with health and vitality. In designs, ____ commands attention without being as overpowering as red. It’s often considered more friendly and inviting, and less in-your-face.

Yellow

_____ is often considered the brightest and most energizing of the warm colors. It’s associated with happiness and sunshine.

Yellow

____ can also be associated with deceit and cowardice, though (calling someone ____ is calling them a coward).

Yellow

____ is also associated with hope, as can be seen in some countries when ____ ribbons are displayed by families who have loved ones at war. ____ is also associated with danger, though not as strongly as red.

Egypt, Japan, India

In some countries, yellow has very different connotations. In ____, for example, yellow is for mourning. In ____, it represents courage and in ____ it’s a color for merchants.

bright yellow, softer yellows

In your designs, _____ can lend a sense of happiness and cheerfulness. _____ are commonly used as a gender-neutral color for babies (rather than blue or pink) and young children.

Light yellows, Dark yellows, gold-hued yellows

____ also give a more calm feeling of happiness than bright yellows. ____ and ____ can sometimes look antique and be used in designs where a sense of permanence is desired.

Cool colors

____ include green, blue, and purple, are often more subdued than warm colors.

Cool colors

They are the colors of night, of water, of nature, and are usually calming, relaxing, and somewhat reserved.

Blue, green, purple

____ is the only primary color within the cool spectrum, which means the other colors are created by combining ____ with a warm color (yellow for ___ and ___ for purple).

green, purple, cool colors

Because of this, ____ takes on some of the attributes of yellow, and ____ takes on some of the attributes of red. Use _____ in your designs to give a sense of calm or professionalism.

Green

____ is a very down-to-earth color. It can represent new beginnings and growth. It also signifies renewal and abundance.

green

Alternatively, ____ can also represent envy or jealousy, and a lack of experience.

Green

____ has many of the same calming attributes that blue has, but it also incorporates some of the energy of yellow. In design, ___ can have a balancing and harmonizing effect, and is very stable.

Brighter greens, olive greens, dark greens

_____ are more energizing and vibrant, while ____ are more representative of the natural world. ____ are the most stable and representative of affluence.

Blue

The meaning of ____ is widely affected depending on the exact shade and hue. In design, the exact shade of ____ you select will have a huge impact on how your designs are perceived.

Light blues, Bright blues, Dark blues

____ are often relaxed and calming. ____ can be energizing and refreshing. ____ , like navy, are excellent for corporate sites or designs where strength and reliability are important

sadness

Blue is often associated with ____ in the English language. Blue is also used extensively to represent calmness and responsibility.

Blue

____ is also associated with peace and has spiritual and religious connotations in many cultures and traditions (for example, the Virgin Mary is generally depicted wearing ____ robes).

Purple

____ is a combination of red and blue and takes on some attributes of both. It’s associated with creativity and imagination, too.

Dark purples, Light purples

In design, ____ can give a sense wealth and luxury. ____ purples are softer and are associated with spring and romance.

purple

In ancient times, the dyes used for creating ___ hues were extracted from snails and were very expensive, so only royals and the very wealthy could afford them.

Thailand

In ____, purple is the color of mourning for widows. Dark purples are traditionally associated with wealth and royalty, while lighter purples (like lavender) are considered more romantic.

Neutral colors

_____ often serve as the backdrop in design. They’re commonly combined with brighter accent colors.

Black

____ is the strongest of the neutral colors.

Black

____, when used as more than an accent or for text, is commonly used in edgier designs, as well as in very elegant designs.

black

It can be either conservative or modern, traditional or unconventional, depending on the colors it’s combined with. In design, ____ is commonly used for typography and other functional parts, because of its neutrality.

Black

____ can make it easier to convey a sense of sophistication and mystery in a design.

Black

On the positive side, it’s commonly associated with power, elegance, and formality. On the negative side, it can be associated with evil, death, and mystery.

Black

____ is the traditional color of mourning in many Western countries. It’s also associated with rebellion in some cultures, and is associated with Halloween and the occult.

white

In design, ___ is generally considered a neutral backdrop that lets other colors in a design have a larger voice.

White

It can help to convey cleanliness and simplicity, though, and is popular in minimalist designs. ____ in designs can also portray either winter or summer, depending on the other design motifs and colors that surround it.

White

____ is at the opposite end of the spectrum from black

East, India

In much of the ____, however, white is associated with death and mourning. In ____, it is traditionally the only color widows are allowed to wear.

Gray

____ is a neutral color, generally considered on the cool end of the color spectrum.

Light grays, dark grays

It can sometimes be considered moody or depressing. _____ can be used in place of white in some designs, and ______ can be used in place of black

black
blue, brown
gray typography

Pure grays are shades of ____, though other grays may have ___ or ___ hues mixed in. In design, gray backgrounds are very common, as is _____.

brown

In design, ____ is commonly used as a background color. It’s also seen in wood textures and sometimes in stone textures.

Brown

It helps bring a feeling of warmth and wholesomeness to designs. It’s sometimes used in its darkest forms as a replacement for black, either in backgrounds or typography.

Brown

It’s a completely natural color and a warm neutral. ____ can be associated with dependability and reliability, with steadfastness, and with earthiness. It can also be considered dull.

Beige

____ is somewhat unique in the color spectrum, as it can take on cool or warm tones depending on the colors surrounding it.

Beige

It has the warmth of brown and the coolness of white, and, like brown, is sometimes seen as dull.

Beige

It’s a conservative color in most instances, and is usually reserved for backgrounds. It can also symbolize piety.

ivory

In design, ____ can lend a sense of elegance and calm to a site. When combined with earthy colors like peach or brown, it can take on an earthy quality. It can also be used to lighten darker colors, without the stark contrast of using white.

Ivory and cream, Ivory

_____ are sophisticated colors, with some of the warmth of brown and a lot of the coolness of white. They’re generally quiet, and can often evoke a sense of history. ____ is a calm color, with some of the pureness associated with white, though it’s a bit warmer.