colors and meanings

[doriangrey]

what are the meanings of colors? I ask this because I'm interested in various treatments of the subject. for example I saw that colors used in poetry can have different meanings than the same colors in a different genre. your opinions are most welcome

[dawn]

don't have clue about it, sorry.

[swetha]

Color is considered one of the most useful and powerful design tools you have. People respond to different colors in different ways, and these responses take place on a subconscious, emotional level. In our American culture, black has long been associated with death, while white is believed to signify life and purity. In the Orient, however, white is the traditional color of mourning. In the United States, black has also come to suggest sophistication and formality. Americans generally associate trust an stability with the color blue, while Koreans have this reaction to pink and other pastel colors.
 
In the Western Culture:
Purple and gold are often associated with Royalty, wealth and opulence

Red, White and Blue reminiscent of the American flag, immediately convey notions of patriotism and, to some extent, conservatism.
Green has taken on a very strong connotation as the color representing ecology and concern for the environment, however, it also conveys meanings associated with money and the suggestion "to go ahead" which is obviously derived from traffic lights.
Colors represent holidays and seasons of the year.
The Fall foliage colors of Red, orange, yellow, and brown are clearly expressive of Thanksgiving. Halloween: Orange and Black. Red and Green represent Christmas. Purple and Yellow and other pastels colors represent Easter.
 
Blue, Red, White and Grey = Stability, Power, Trustworthiness, Conservatism
Yellow, Brown, Orange, Green = Nature, earthiness, warmth
Red, Orange, yellow = more warmth
Blues and Aquas = water and coolness
Primary colors (Red, Blue, Yellow) = Convey fun    
Color symbolism in Zulu beading.
Young girls learned bead work and the meaning of the symbols and colors used from their older sisters. The bead work was usually worn as a head or neck band. Men depended on female relatives to explain the code. The patterns and colors can also tell what region a woman comes from and what her social standing is.

Native American Color Symbolism

Colors in Native American culture often symbolize different things from
culture to culture....African cultures have different meanings....and
so on. Colors symbolize different qualities in various European cultures.

Native American color symbols--Cherokee

The Four Directions
Colors were associated with the four directions.
Blue represented North which meant cold, defeat and trouble.
White was South representing warmth, peace and happiness.
Red was East, the color of the Sacred Fire, blood, and success.
West was black the color meaning problems and death.
Other colors also had special meanings.
Brown was good but yellow meant trouble and strife.

The circle was also a basic symbol for the Cherokees.
The council houses were circular and the fire inside was
built so that the fire would burn in a circular path.
The stomp dance and other ceremonies were performed
in a circular pattern.

Navajo Meanings of Colors

This information was posted to Getty Teacher Art Exchange by Christine Merriam

The Four Sacred Mountains and directions are associated with colors. The Navajos belief is that their Creator placed them on the land between the following 4 mountains representing the 4 cardinal directions:

White: Mount Blanca (Tsisnaasjini' - Dawn or White Shell Mountain) Sacred Mountain of the East near Alamosa in San Luis Valley, Colorado
Blue: Mount Taylor (Tsoodzil - Blue Bead or Turquoise Mountain) Sacred Mountain of the South north of Laguna, New Mexico
Yellow:  San Francisco Peaks (Doko'oosliid - Abalone Shell Mountain) Sacred Mountain of the West near Flagstaff, Arizona
Black:  Mount Hesperus Dibé Nitsaa (Big Mountain Sheep) - Obsidian Mountain Sacred Mountain of the North La Plata Mountains, Colorado.
The principal colors, white, blue, yellow and black are linked to the four sacred mountains as well as the directions- Red is often considered a sacred color and represents sunlight. (source for this is off line now)

White Mountain Apaches
Four sacred colors of the White Mountain Apaches in east central Arizona contrast
interestingly with the Cherokee colors:
White represents the north, source of snow
Yellow is east, where the sun comes up
Green is south
Black is west, home of the sun's setting
These colors are used in a variety of settings, from the tribal government
seal to the ribbons on the cane of Changing Woman (the girls' puberty
ceremony).

Medicine Wheel color symbolism:
EAST- dawn of new day-Yellow-illumination-inspiration-eagle
SOUTH- red or green-passion, heart, warmth-emotions-porcupine
WEST- black-introspection, self examination, reflection-bear
NORTH- wisdom of our elders-white-white buffalo

The Flag of the Flag of the Iowa Nation
The color of the streamers brings together the four primary
colors in Native American art, the black, yellow, red and white. These
colors are said to represent the four races of man and the four prime
directions of the compass. With its use of color and its chosen emblems the
flag of the Iowas may be the most typical of all Native American
flags.

Information below was from a site I would not go to with students (site is no longer online) I have omitted all of the pagan color symbolism from this page. Sources were not documented.

Asian Color Symbolism
Red: Happiness, marriage, prosperity
Pink Marriage
Yellow: Against evil, for the dead, geomantic blessings
Green: Eternity, family, harmony, health, peace, posterity
Blue: Self-cultivation, wealth
Purple: Wealth
White: Children, helpful people, marriage,
mourning, peace, purity, travel
Gold: Strength, wealth
Gray: Helpful people, travel
Black: Career, evil influences, knowledge, mourning, penance, self-cultivation

Native American Color Symbolism (varies by ethnic group - this source was not "authoritative")

Red (Faith): Communication
Yellow (Love): Overcoming challenges through unconditional love
Blue (Intuition): Using intuition to teach and serve
Green (Will): Living willfully
Pink (Creativity): Working
White (Magnetism): Sharing
Purple (Wisdom): Gratitude/healing
Orange (Learning): Kinship
Gray (Honoring): Friendship
Brown (Knowing): Self-discipline
Rose (Seeing): Motivation
Black (Hearing) Harmony; listening
Crystal (Clarity): Wholeness

Astrological Color Associations (this source was not "authoritative")

(SIGN--COLOR)
Aries -- White
Taurus -- Yellow
Gemini -- Red or Purple
Cancer -- Bright Green
Leo -- Golden Yellow/Orange
Virgo -- Pale Blue or Violet
Libra -- Violet
Scorpio -- Reddish Brown
Sagittarius -- Orange or Purple
Capricorn -- Brown or Blue
Aquarius -- Dark Blue
Pisces -- White or Purple

Color Therapy - Color and the Brain
Specific colors have different effects (list copied from Biopulse.org)
Black: self-confidence, power, strength
Blue: calming, lowers blood pressure, decreases respiration
Green: soothing, relaxing mentally as well as physically, helps those suffering from depression, anxiety, nervousness
Violet: suppresses appetite, provides a peaceful environment, good for migraines
Pink: used in diet therapy as an appetite suppressant, relaxes muscles, relieves tension, soothing
Yellow: energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite
Orange: energizes, stimulates appetite and digestive system
Red: stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, respirations and blood pressure.

princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm

[dawn]

Now a days the color symbol not have that much importance that they use to have few in old times .

[swetha]

there r new techniques too liek color therapy etc

[Vishwas]

Very good post.

[swetha]

i think there is so muh more to colour therapy... really interesting:)

[in_the_blue]

which one do you think is more effective?
colour therapy or aromatherapy?

[Dj I.C.U.]

The both of them it depends on the persons character,I've tried aromatherapy and it had a good effect on me I've become more calm and reliable.

[doriangrey]

aromatherapy is more efficient in my opinion.

[doriangrey]

swetha wrote a lot of color semnifications in different cultures, but I'm somehow disappointed to see that those semnifications don't have things in common.

[doriangrey]

it's interesting to see how in some cases, red for example is a symbol of romance, but in others is a symbol of violence. do you know other opposite semnifications of colors?