Color Symbolism: Meanings associated with colors

28 Mar 2017 03:03 AM By mandar.marathe

We associate certain meanings with each color we see. This is called "Color Symbolism".

A few years back I painted a series of paintings based on these meanings. All 8 paintings in this series were painted on 8" x 24" stretched canvases and the title of the series is "Impact". This series is based on the symbolic meaning of colors.

These paintings are done in a realistic-abstract style in which there is a suggestion about reality but it's not very descriptive. From a distance, these paintings look like a patch of vibrant color and create an impact on the viewer's mind, but on a closer look, some suggestive details narrate the story of the painting.

Let's look at each painting and the symbolism behind that color.

1. Blue

Blue represents both the sky and the sea. It is associated with open spaces, stability, expansiveness, inspiration, and sublimity.

2. Purple

Blue and red come together to form Purple color. So, it contains the calmness of blue and the energy of red. It symbolizes royalty, exclusivity, and authority.

3. Green

Green is the color of life, rejuvenation, nature, and energy. It symbolizes abundance, freshness, fertility, and the environment.

4. Orange

Orange is formed by combining red and yellow. It is a very warm color and it symbolizes dominance, good times, knowledge, and civilization.

5. Yellow

Yellow is the color of the sunshine, radiant energy and also of caution. Desert, dried grass, hot and arid land have this color in abundance.

6. Pink

Pink is the color of love and affection. It represents love, friendship, harmony, and approachability.

7. Red

Red is the color of fire and blood. It symbolizes danger, strength, and power.

8. Turquoise

The Turquoise color is found in shallow oceans and is associated with peace, tranquility, joy, and serenity.

Similarly, every other color evokes certain feelings in our minds.

So, next time you want to create a painting or a presentation, make sure you use the appropriate colors in the right proportion. This will certainly help you in creating the feelings you want in the viewers' minds.

Happy coloring!

Mandar