Color psychology is a term that is used more and more often. It is usually in the context of interior designs, branding, or outfits, but hey, it can also apply to what color of wallet you should choose.
We are surrounded by colors and that’s a beautiful thing. They all have a deeper meaning which we are about to discover now.
Whether you want to use color psychology in your brand, paint the living room so you feel nice vibes, or simply put together a nice outfit, you will leave this post satisfied.
Ready to dive in?
Color Psychology – What Is It About?
Well, in easy words it means that every color sends specific vibes and makes us feel a certain way. Of course, it can sometimes be subjective, yet color psychology finds the universal meaning of colors.
There are cultural associations with specific shades, for example, black is worn on funerals, pink is considered a girly color, and red is a timeless one.
Being aware of the primary meaning of colors can help you in daily life – creating color palettes for various occasions will be a piece of cake for you after a while.
So basically color psychology is:
- the way specific colors affect our mood
- the cultural associations with colors
- symbols of different shades
- the vibe and atmosphere that each color creates
Now, why won’t we get a little more specific so you can understand the concept better?
Basic Colors
We will talk about the basic colors – blue, red, and yellow – which are then combined to create an army of different shades.
So knowing the meaning behind each of them is essential and can help understand why colors are so important and teach you how to recognize the meaning that they carry.
It all comes down to four elements – temperature of the color, so if the color feels warm, cool, or neutral. This knowledge is essential when it comes to decorating the house or dressing according to one’s beauty type.
Then come the vibes which can be positive, negative, neutral, and everything in between.
After that we will analyze the primary meaning of every color – there are many but for now, we will focus on two to three of the strongest ones.
At the end, we will look at the symbolism of colors, often used in art and literature.
We will cover it all, so get a pen and a notebook and get ready to write some things down, colorful student 🙂
The Color Psychology of Blue
Blue is one of the primary colors and brands have been using it for years. It’s because blue is often associated with trust and professionalism.
But that’s not where the color psychology of blue ends – blue symbolizes the sky, and water so it can be associated with paradise. Overall, it carries many positive feelings and scientists prove it calms people down.
Going even deeper into the color psychology of blue we can discover that this color is cool. It means that it will harmonize with the cool skin tones. But also, one should be mindful of it when picking a lightbulb. It’s not the coziest choice to aim at cool blue light, just saying 🙂
So, generally, the color psychology of blue can be summarized this way:
- temperature: cool
- vibes: positive, calm, peaceful
- meaning: trust, professionalism
- symbols: water, sky, boy
If you want to go deeper into this subject, I have a whole article devoted just to the color psychology of blue.
The Color Psychology of Yellow
Yellow is one of my favorite colors and soon it will be clear why. 🙂
As opposed to blue, the temperature of yellow is warm. And now you have a base for recognizing the temperature of each shade – if it leans more towards yellow, it is warm. If towards blue, it’s cool. If it stays right in the middle – neutral. So the first point of the color psychology of yellow is that it is warm.
It is not a surprise since as you probably know, many warm things are yellow. For example in the color psychology of yellow, this color is associated with the sun and the stars. But also, you have sunflowers, which are the most friendly flowers, aren’t they?
In the color psychology of yellow, the vibes of this shade are positive – it means happiness, joy, and fun. And that’s exactly why I love this color so much 🙂
So the summary of yellow will look like this:
- temperature: warm
- vibes: positive, happy, exciting
- meaning: joy, fun
- symbols: sun, starts, sunflower
If you want to learn more about the color psychology of yellow, head on to the article about the happiest color in the world.
The Color Psychology of Red
It’s a classic color, but the color psychology of red goes way beyond love and romance.
Red seems very aggressive, so no wonder why majority of shades of red are warm. Sure, you can find some shades that lean towards neutral or even cool, yet the general feeling is usually warm.
In the color psychology of red the vibe is strong, aggressive, and powerful so the primary vibe is negative. It puts us in a state of alarm which is not always pleasant. One should always be careful with red.
Red also has many symbols. In the color psychology of red, we can find for example love, heart, or blood. This color has many meanings in art and literature since it’s the strongest of all colors.
So red’s profile will look like this:
- temperature: warm/neutral
- vibes: negative, danger, alarm
- meaning: love, desire, sacrifice
- symbols: heart, blood, roses
If you would like to examine the color psychology of red, make sure to check out the article about this color.
How to Mindfully Use Colors?
As we’ve seen, colors have power, and underestimating them might not be the best idea.
We can create a certain feeling in the room simply by implementing the right colors.
It is also possible to put certain associations in somebody’s mind by choosing colors for the brand’s logo carefully.
Of course, colors magically do not change reality, but they can influence it.
You can also use color psychology to express yourself, for example through art or outfits. This is what I teach on my blog – how to find your colorful style and send a beautiful message with colors.
Colors can tell a whole story if we only give them a chance.
Additional Resources
We covered the basics of color psychology including the color psychology of blue, the color psychology of yellow, and the color psychology of red, but if you are interested in other colors, you can continue the journey.
Green is another color that carries a lot of meanings, just as well as pink or purple. And the true meaning of orange can truly surprise you!
If you want to get deeper into the subject and achieve professional results, for example for your brand, I can recommend a book that will guarantee you success.
It covers color psychology in professional use widely and deeply, providing you with additional color palettes.
Also, if you want some help in creating cohesive and magnificent color palettes, this pocket chart will do the work for you. All you have to do is to pick your favorite one. 🙂
I equipped you with the essentials, and now you can get more advanced.
Aha, and a little advice at the end – enjoy the colors along the way!