Emotions are closely linked to colors. Each color can express a certain state. Warm colors express different emotions than cool colors, for example. It all depends on how the psychological effects of color are being used.
Did you know that colors have an amazing power? They can make us feel happy or sad, anxious or relax. The reactions colors can create are rooted in psychological effects, biological conditioning and cultural imprinting.
In order to understand the colors’ effect on us, we should understand the psychological effects colors might have on an average person as well as the fundamentals of color theory and the meanings of colors.
A color’s brightness, shade, tint or tone and whether it’s cool or warm-toned have an effect on your emotions.
Further, in this article, you will find more about colors and emotions:
Warm colors
Warm colors such as red, orange and yellow are next to each other on the wheel and they evoke feelings of happiness, optimism and energy, but they can also signal danger or they can grab your attention (think stop signs, hazard warnings and barrier tape). Did you know that red an also increase a person’s appetite?
The impact of cold colors
Cool colors such as green, blue and purple are usually calming and soothing but can also express sadness. Being a mixture of blue (calm) and red(intense), violet can help spark creativity. Incorporate these colors in your branding strategy if you want to display health, beauty or security.
Colors that express happy feelings
Warm colors like yellow, orange, pink and red are bright colors that express happiness. Pastel colors like peach, light pink or lilac can also have an uplifting effect on your mood. If you’re looking to boost your mood and get a dose of optimism, choose brighter and lighter colors. By combining multiple primary and secondary colors together, you get a youthful, colorful effect.
Colors that express sadness
Dark and muted colors usually express sadness. Black and grey are the quintessential sad colors, but dark and muted cool colors like blue, green or neutrals like brown or beige can have a similar effect on feelings and emotions depending on how they’re used. Black is considered the color of mourning in Western cultures, whereas in some East Asian countries it’s white to emphasize purity and rebirth.
Colors that can calm us
Green and blue are cool colors that can make us feel calmer. Pastel colors and particularly cool-toned pastels like baby blue, lilac and mint have a calming and relaxing effect. Beige, gray and white are neutral colors that can create the same calm mood. Neutrals like white, beige and grey can also make you feel calm. The fewer colors you combine and the more simple and pared-back design is, the more calming it will feel.
Energizing colors
In order to energize yourself and boost your mood, use strong, bright colors and also neon colors. All these colors have a powerful effect on emotions. All these colors will grab your attention and they will stand out, but if you don’t want to be too irritating on the eyes, you should avoid mixing them. Royal blue, turquoise, magenta and emerald green are strong colors, highly pigmented that will surely have a stimulating effect that will make you feel refreshed and energized.
You will find the meaning of each color in our next article, so you can choose the right colors to improve your mood.
