Don’t be Color Blind

     Often, as artists and creators, we find ourselves working in colors that are visually appealing to us. But not everyone sees through the same eyes. I read some recent chatter about folks who create primarily in certain colors. So I’ve put together some interesting facts and resources about choosing colors.

     An excellent free resource is “ColourLovers” It is an interactive site that allows you to make your own color combinations and add it to a huge database of other users color combinations. You can see what color combinations other people find appealing. I guarantee that you will come across some combinations that you would never put together. They say that color reflects a “mood” or state of mind and that it can evoke certain feelings when viewed. Perhaps, as artists, we should consider that when creating.

Colors are associated with feelings and emotions. Below is a list gathered from several resources matching colors with emotions

blues - calming, restful

creams - calming, restful

yellows - happiness, creativity

oranges - excitement

reds - passion, excitement

greens - peacefulness, nature, imagination

purples - deeper shades associated with depression

black - anger, fear

browns/neutrals - sadness

pink - pale tones are calming, brighter tones more exciting

     I wasn’t able to find research on it, but would be curious to know is “Are the artists color choices in creating, a reflection of their own state of mind when creating”
     And now I would like for you to take an introspective moment and think about the colors you most use in your artwork and see if there is any correlation between those colors and your state of mind.