Week 3: Color Theory and Emotional Effects

Color seems so simple, but it is actually very complicated to explain.  It has always been interesting to me how others might perceive color differently than I do – is what I call green exactly what someone else sees as green?  One definition of color is HVI, or hue, value, and intensity, as used by computer programs.

One of my favorite things this week was learning the effect color has on emotion.  The emotion colors can evoke depends on the context they are in; different colors have different associations and symbolism for different cultures and individuals.  In Living With Art, I learned that red is believed to increase appetite (which explains why it is so often used in restaurant décor), while blue can lower blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rate since cool colors have a calming effect.  

The theoretical aspect of color that I most enjoyed learning about was the difference between subtractive and additive color.  I actually had never heard of either of these terms until I read about them on “My Art Studio.”  I realized that people who work with theatre lighting and the like conceptualize color in a different way than I ever have.  I found out that I normally think of color in terms of additive color, such as mixing red and blue to make purple or blue and yellow to make green because the primary colors of the subtractive color system are red, yellow, and blue, while in additive color, they are red, green, and blue. 

Understanding subtractive and additive color has also helped me to understand the colors black and white, which have confused me ever since an art teacher years ago informed me that light is the combination of all colors while black is the absence of color.  This used to confuse me because I would assume that black is the combination of all colors since I know that when I want to make brown paint, I mix all the other colors.  After exploring “My Art Studio,” I now understand that my teacher was talking about these colors in terms of light, as in additive color.

In the "Color" video, I was particularly struck by how the artist specifically created her works of art to be about feeling.  I am not sure if all artists directly think about how their color choices may affect the viewer; I am sure most take it into consideration, but this particular artist made it her main goal in her artwork.  She truly recognized the affect color has on emotions. 

In the Feelings video, I learned that two artists were representative of the thoughts and feelings of their time period.  David focused on the general goodness of man; his overall theme was that without kings or religion, mankind would be more free to express their individuality.  Goya, on the other hand, was a very dark artist, but only after a serious disease affected his health.   Goya went through a period of work that people call "the black paintings."  These paintings focused on the unwanted and the uncomfortable, particularly uncomfortable for me was the dog sinking in quicksand because I am claustrophobic!