164
Job no:59657 Title : Rockport-Complete Colour Harmony Client : Provision
Scn :
#
175 Size : 171.45(w)228.6(h)mm Co : M8 Q5 O/P: V
Dept : DTP D/O : 04.10.03 (Job no:000000 D/O : 00.00.02 Co: CM0)
p164
8 8
Job no:5
Scn :
#
1
Dept : D
text
BLUE
If blue is your favorite color, you’re in
good company. Blue is the best liked of all
colors. Light- to medium-range blues are
especially pleasing and restful. In fact,
staring at blue actually reduces your pulse
and respiration rate and temporarily low-
ers your blood pressure.
Practically all our associations with
blue are positive. When we see cool or
ocean blues, many of us think of the sky
and calming waters, or perhaps a vacation
on an exotic island.
In many cultures, blue is considered
the most protective of all colors. In the
Middle East, for example, blue doors are
thought to guard against evil spirits, while
people in the American Southwest often
paint their porch ceilings blue to ward
off ghosts.
Before the advent of refrigeration,
cobalt blue was used in kitchens and
pantries because insects, unlike humans,
are repelled by this color. Blue kitchens
continue to be popular to this day.
Navy blue in particular represents
loyalty and trustworthiness, as evidenced
by the expression “true-blue friend.” Blue
is therefore ideal for expressing sincerity
and reliability. When politicians run for
office, they often choose navy blue for
their suits. After all, what politician doesn’t
want to be thought of as trustworthy?
Navy blue also commands respect, as
with police and military uniforms, while
“blue laws” were created to enforce moral
standards. Men particularly like blue.
Brighter blues are ideal for wearing to
parties and social gatherings if you want
all the latest gossip. People will be more
inclined to open up to you because blue
is so friendly and likable.
Darker blues signify good breeding,
high social status, stability, and dignity.
The term “blue blood” originated in Spain,
where Moorish aristocrats actually believed
they had bluer veins than those with mixed
ancestry. That was also the thinking in
ancient Egypt, where blue varicose veins
were considered a sign of royalty and
beauty, causing wealthy women to actually
paint them on their legs with blue dye.
Those were the days.
CompColorHarmp154-187/.qxd20/8/04 2:22PM Page164
165
Job no:59657 Title : Rockport-Complete Colour Harmony Client : Provision
Scn :
#
175 Size : 171.45(w)228.6(h)mm Co : M8 Q5 O/P: V
Dept : DTP D/O : 04.10.03 (Job no:000000 D/O : 00.00.02 Co: CM0)
8 8
p165
text
COLOR PSYCH 101
• Blue is the best liked of all colors and
is a particular favorite of men.
• Practically all our associations with
blue are positive, making it an uplift-
ing and peaceful color.
• Navy blue commands respect,
representing loyalty, trustworthiness,
fidelity, and integrity.
• Blue can make a space appear larger,
and time seems to pass more slowly
in its presence.
• Deep blue is associated with opulence
in many cultures, and when you are
the best, you get a “blue ribbon.”
Blue has been a symbol of fidelity,
hope, and faith since ancient times. That’s
where the tradition of the bride wearing
“something blue” originated.
In the home, the deeper blues lend a
regal stature and serious atmosphere to a
room, while the lighter or brighter blues
have more charm and sweetness. In fact,
blue is associated with a sweet taste, which
is why it is consistently used on sugar pack-
aging and related products. Land O’Lakes
butter comes in a yellow box, but the
words “sweet cream” are written in blue.
People tend to be more productive
in blue rooms, and studies have actually
shown that weightlifters can handle heavier
weights in a blue gym.
Luxury cars often come in an elegant
midnight or silver blue that symbolizes
power and success, while sportier cars,
such as the Volkswagen Beetle, come in a
brighter shade to suggest fun.
CompColorHarmp154-187/.qxd20/8/04 2:22PM Page165
166
Job no:59657 Title : Rockport-Complete Colour Harmony Client : Provision
Scn :
#
175 Size : 171.45(w)228.6(h)mm Co : M8 Q5 O/P: V
Dept : DTP D/O : 04.10.03 (Job no:000000 D/O : 00.00.02 Co: CM0)
p166
8 8
Job no:5
Scn :
#
1
Dept : D
text
PURPLE
Purple could be called the delusions-
of-grandeur color. Historically, purple was
so difficult and expensive to produce that
it could be worn only by society’s
crème
de la crème
.
According to Simon Garfield’s fasci-
nating book
Mauve, thousands of mollusks
needed to be “crushed, salted for three
days, and then boiled for ten” just to make
enough dye for a single robe.
In ancient Rome, the elusive color was
reserved for Caesar, triumphant generals
returning from war, and Roman senators.
The higher one’s rank, the more purple
he was allowed to display. Even today, U.S.
soldiers who are wounded in combat
receive a Purple Heart for their sacrifice.
So it’s no wonder that purple is associ-
ated with wealth, royalty, and extravagance.
But there is a spiritual side as well, since
purple later became the color of ecclesias-
tical robes and the fringe of prayer shawls
in Judaism.
Interestingly, the once-exclusive purple
is now more popular with women than
men. In fact, many women cite purple as
their favorite color.
Perhaps purple’s color composition
has something to do with that, blending,
as it does, the excitement of red with the
tranquility of blue. It’s therefore considered
the color of compromise, or striking a
happy medium. People who wear purple
are thought to be nurturing, passionate,
and eager to please—qualities more often
ascribed to women than men.
Purple suggests very different emotions
depending on its shade. The darkest plum
has funereal overtones and can be depress-
ing and solemn. In many countries it
replaces black as the official color of
mourning.
But plum has an air of mystery and
magic as well, giving it an elusive quality
that adds to its moneyed appeal. Royal
purple, with its noble heritage, also suggests
affluence and status, but without the
aloofness of darker hues.
CompColorHarmp154-187/.qxd20/8/04 2:22PM Page166
167
Job no:59657 Title : Rockport-Complete Colour Harmony Client : Provision
Scn :
#
175 Size : 171.45(w)228.6(h)mm Co : M8 C6Q3 O/P: V2
Dept : DTP D/O : 04.10.03 (Job no:59657C1 D/O : 06.1 1.03 Co: CM8)
8 8
p167
text
COLOR PSYCH 101
• Royal purple exudes class, power,
passion, sensuality, and luxury.
• Deep plum is spiritual and mysterious,
with a serious, dignified quality. Think
“purple mountains’ majesty.”
• Lavenders and violets have a sweet,
romantic, and nostalgic appeal.
• People tend to get less work done
in purple rooms because the color
encourages daydreaming.
• Women often cite purple as their
favorite color.
Because of the abundance of red in
their composition, bright fuchsias carry
the most energy. Those are happier, more
exciting colors, while violets and laven-
ders have a romantic, nostalgic quality.
Because of purple’s mixed messages,
you’ll rarely see it in food packaging at the
supermarket, or in big-ticket purchases
such as cars or appliances. In packages
and advertising, the color is most often
used to denote products or services aimed
at women.
In decorating, purples can be very
dramatic and sensual, often adding an
old-time Hollywood kind of glamour. But
as one top designer said, “Purple is like a
spice. In small doses it adds flavor, but
too much and it’s overpowering.”
Since lavender is a delicate, tranquil
color, it is often used in bedrooms. Both
the color and the scent from the lavan-
dula plant are used homeopathically to
encourage sleep.
Creative people, especially artists and
designers, are said to love purple. And it’s
a consistently big hit with children. Little
girls can’t get enough of it.
CompColorHarmp154-187/.qxd20/8/04 2:22PM Page167
168
Job no:59657 Title : Rockport-Complete Colour Harmony Client : Provision
Scn :
#
175 Size : 171.45(w)228.6(h)mm Co : M8 C6Q3 O/P: V2
Dept : DTP D/O : 04.10.03 (Job no:59657C1 D/O : 06.1 1.03 Co: CM8)
p168
8 8
Job no:5
Scn :
#
1
Dept : D
text
PINK
Optimists are said to look at the world
through “rose-colored glasses.” And no
wonder, since pink not only promotes
affability, but actually discourages aggres-
sion and ill will.
Alexander Schauss, director of the
American Institute for Biosocial and
Medical Research in Tacoma, Washington,
studied subjects’ reactions to a color he
named Baker-Miller pink and found that
when used in jails, the color temporarily
calmed violent prisoners. In Morton
Walker’s book
The Power of Color, Dr.
Schauss explained, “Even if a person tries
to be angry or aggressive in the presence
of pink, he can’t. The heart muscles can’t
race fast enough. It’s a tranquilizing color
that saps your energy.”
Al Capone’s cell at Alcatraz was pink.
Staring at pink lessens anger and phys-
ical strength so effectively that it has also
been used to reduce the suicide rate in
correctional institutions and deter antiso-
cial behavior in problem schools. On a
lighter note, football coaches have used
pink paint in the locker rooms of visiting
teams to make their opponents less aggres-
sive on the field.
When you get fired, the notice comes
on a “pink slip” to soften the blow. And a
Sweet’N Low package is colored pink,
implying that the contents will not harm
you or later appear on your hips.
In addition to being passive, pink
calms and soothes, as in the soothing
pink of Pepto-Bismol. That notion goes
back to the eighteenth century, when pink
was thought to aid in digestion, boosting
the popularity of a color called ashes of
roses. It must work, since “there’s a sucker
born every minute” showman P. T. Barnum
painted his own mansion’s dining room a
pale pink.
The slang associated with pink is also
upbeat, as in “tickled pink,” meaning
delighted, and “in the pink,” suggesting
good health.
While red speaks of passionate love,
pink is more nurturing. That’s why it is
regarded as a feminine color and a peren-
nial favorite for baby girls. People who
like pink are often sensitive and romantic.
Shocking pink, as its name implies, is
more energetic than the pastel shades
because of its high concentration of red.
That vibrancy also makes hot pink appear
fun and trendy. Studies have shown that
the color can be used effectively in chil-
dren’s rooms to discourage overactive
CompColorHarmp154-187/.qxd20/8/04 2:22PM Page168
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.