Why We Gravitate Towards Certain Colors Part 1
I’ve decide to start the new year off by publishing my color presentation, “Why We Gravitate Towards Certain Colors”, on this blog. I will publish weekly installments until it is completely represented here. Keep in mind that the content of all of these posts are copyrighted and not authorized for any sort of reproduction without expressed consent by myself.
With that said let’s get started. Why do we gravitate towards certain colors? You know they say if you live long enough you might just learn something along the way. After more than 30 years in the business of color in one fashion or another, I’ve observed that despite one color trend after another, we invariably rely on a core palette of classic colors when doing high end design work. What is it about the quality of certain colors that makes them so timeless and appealing? Great design never goes out of style, it only gets better with time.
I think it is important to look at a dictionary definition of color; the sensation resulting from stimulation of the retina of the eye by light waves of certain lengths. The words sensation and stimulation strike me as important keywords on our color journey.
The word color can be used in many different ways. It can be a noun, (red, blue, yellow), a verb, (to change something’s appearance), or as an adjective, (color picture, color monitor). It is also used to describe our emotional state or moods and feelings (remember having a blue day?) It is worth noting that more often than not when I hear people talking about colors they say the color feels right or doesn’t feel right. Yes we are actually feeling something when we are in the presence of color. The rods and cones in our eyes are literally vibrating causing us to see color but also allowing us to feel it as well. Many experiments have been done on the behavior of children and others when surrounded by certain colors. The results of these show us how vulnerable and sensitive we are as creatures to the color of our surroundings. I have witnessed the emotional results of this challenge with many of my clients through the years.
Ultimately color is a “perceptual function of light.” In the absence of light there is no color to behold.
