Color Theory and Emotional Effects

1. Certain colors have specific meanings whether it be within a certain culture, religion, or lifestyle. Context can provide the colors meaning and intention, especially the effect on people’s emotions. A color’s intensity and the certain color scheme used when refer to paintings or drawings also affect the viewers emotions and their perception of the art. Growing up, we all understand the meaning and colors associated with stop and go, boy and girl, and colors dealing with certain holidays. Without the use of these colors in reference, the meaning won’t be the same. In reference to holidays, would Halloween be the same if colors referring to it weren’t black or orange? Say we used pink and brown. The meaning wouldn’t be the same as the original colors. This use of colors can be used to seasons as well. For spring and summer, we use bright colors. Spring refers to more of pastel colors. Fall is oranges, reds, yellows, and browns, and winter is usually white, or blue in reference to cold. But if we switched these colors up, the meaning wouldn’t be the same. Our minds connect with the colors around us and use them as a basis to refer to certain things and moods. The attached website is explaining that by using stop and go and the color used with each. 
2. One fact about color that I find the most interesting is that there is not one color that can’t be made just by using the basic colors; red, green, blue and yellow. By mixing certain colors together, so many different ones can be made. Depending in the initial color’s intensity, value, and hue, deeper or lighter colors can be made. It’s just astounding to know that so many beautiful colors stem from for or five simple ones.  
3. It’s interesting to know how light on water and reflection from the sun onto water is an inspiration to painters and intrigues them. The colors that the reflection portrays are very beautiful and somewhat difficult to paint. It is also interesting how June traveled to Venice, found a perfect spot to sketch a painting and created a gorgeous work from a simple painting relating to the surrounding area’s colors. She says it’s the feelings that come out of a work that you have to hang on to. 
4. I loved the reference to Renaissance art. That was one of my favorite time periods when referring to art because it was so intricate yet to beautiful. It reflected the time and what people felt. Geometry, color, balance, all reflect the emotion of a picture and what the viewer takes from it. The statement, “art shows civilization changing” summarizes how deep and meaningful one picture can be. It can represent a whole clan of people, a whole period of time, or a religion. Just one picture can speak years, tears, happiness, struggle, demise, maturity, ect. The feelings are endless but we need to appreciate every work, from the pre-historic cave paintings until present day art.