The Meaning of Colours

For most of us, a rainbow of colours envelopes our lives. Over 80% of visual information is related to colour.¹ What colours and combinations of colours stimulate people to be interested in different things? What colours make us feel pleasure or disapproval, hot or cold, to be attracted or repelled, our appetite stimulated or suppressed?

Many reactions to colour are instinctual, universal and cross cultural boundaries. "Colors also convey messages that go beyond ethnic, racial, or gender boundaries. According to a 1997 survey by Cooper Marketing Group, Oak Park, IL, power is represented by the color scarlet red for 25% of respondents, black for 17% and bright violet blue for 13%. More than 55% of those surveyed chose one of these three colors out of 100 colors. Fragility was most represented by pale pink (27%), white (9%), and pale lavender (9%)."²

Other associations with colours are specific to a culture or regions. Mixing appropriate amounts of different colours however can neutralise inherent negative cultural connotations.

Web design which achieves successful marketing results is sensitive to the cultural, instinctual and iconic meanings of colour in relation to the product being promoted and considers the cultural backgrounds and gender of the targeted clientele. Avoiding the extremes of sheer garishness and boredom, effective design displays symphonic colour arrangements of shades, tints, tones and complementarities to tantalise and maintain interest. Adding textures too can alter colours - a roughly textured surface makes a colour seem darker, while a smooth surface lightens the same colour.

Colour trends may defy instinctual, cultural and iconic constraints - for example, the recent craze for vivid lime green. As Jill Morton says: "Psychologically, the 'anti-aesthetic' colors may well capture more attention than those on the aesthetically-correct list. History clearly demonstrates that this has been a prevalent trend in art since the turn of the 20th century, when Dada's urinals and snow shovels put an end to the era of Matisse and French Impressionism."³

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here are some colors with their definitions in differents countries:

red:
                                  

European : Danger (stop signs), love (hearts), excitement (for sale signs)

China : Traditional bridal colour, good luck, celebration, happiness, joy, vitality, long life, summoning, the direction South. Chinese saying goes "when something is so red, it is purple" - red purple brings luck and fame.

Japan : life

India : Purity

Eastern : Joy (with white)

Hebrew : sacrifice, sin

Christian : sacrifice, passion, love

USA : Christmas (with green), Valentine's day (with white)

South Africa : Mourning

Australian aboriginals : the land, earth, ceremonial ochre

Cherokees : success

Hopi : the direction South

Romans : Red flag signified the onset of battle

Celtic : Death, afterlife

Feng Shui : Yang, Fire, good luck, money, respect, recognition, protection, vitality

Pink:
                               

European : Feminine colour, baby girls

East India : Feminine colour

Japan : Popular with both sexes

Korea : trust

Feng Shui : Yin, love

Orange:
                        

European : Autumn, creativity, harvest

Netherlands : Favourite colour (House of Orange)

Ireland : Protestants

USA : Halloween, cheap goods

Hinduism : Saffron (peachy orange) is a sacred color

Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, strengthens concentration, purpose, organization

Brown:
                             

Colombia : discourages sales

Australian Aboriginals : colour of the land, ceremonial ochre

Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, industry, grounded

Yellow:
                                     

European : Hope, joy, happiness, hazards, cowardice, weakness, taxis

Asia : sacred, imperial

China : Nourishing, royalty

Egypt : Mourning

Japan : Courage

India : Merchants

Buddhism : wisdom

Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, auspicious, sunbeams, warmth, motion

Green:
   
                                          

China : Exorcism, green hats indicate a man's wife is cheating on him.

Japan : Life.

Islam : Hope - the cloak of the prophet was thought to be green, virtue - only those of perfect faith can wear green.

Ireland: Symbol of the entire country, Catholics

European/USA : Spring, new birth, go, safe, environmental awareness, Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas (with red)

USA : Money

Feng Shui : Yin, Wood, growing energy, refreshing, nurturing, balancing, harmony normalising, healing, health, peaceful, calming

Blue:
                                        

European : soothing, "something blue" bridal tradition

Cherokees : defeat, trouble

Iran : mourning

China : immortality

Colombia : soap

Hinduism : the colour of Krishna

Judaism : holiness

Christianity : Christ's colour

Catholicism : colour of Mary's robe

Middle East : protection

Worldwide : 'safe' colour

Feng Shui : Yin, Water, calm, love, healing, relaxation, peace, trust, adventure, exploration

Black:

European : Funerals, death, mourning, rebellion, cool, restfulness

China : Colour for young boys

Thailand : Bad luck, unhappiness, evil

Judaism : Unhappiness, bad luck, evil

Australian Aboriginals : colour of the people, ceremonial ochre

Feng Shui : Yin, Water, money, income, career success, emotional protection, power, stability, bruises, evil