DID 0204 COLOUR THEORY

Course Weight;

Number of units: 1

Lecture Hours: 35

Introduction;

The course introduces students to the elements and principles of colour theory and to
develop an appreciation of the potential of colour as both an expressive tool and a formal
design element in interior design and decoration.

Expected Learning Outcomes;

Upon completion of this unit the student should be able to:

a) explain the basic colour theory and the relations of the Primary, Secondary and
Tertiary colours

b) describe properties, juxtapositions and psychological effects associated with various

colours.

c) explain the importance of Psychological effects of colour in Interior Design

d) explain the popular basic colour schemes and the common period schemes

e) create, collate and present an original colour scheme,

f) experiment with colour to effectively convey visual ideas

g) use colour as an expressive tool and a formal design element in an interior design
exercise.

Course unit Content;

 Colour Theory, The Light (the Colour Spectrum) and Pigment theory.

 The Colour Wheel (Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Colours)

 Colour Systems (e.g. Munsell, Ostwald etc.)

 Colour Schemes (Basic Schemes and Periodic Schemes)

  Colour trends (Colour forecast) in interior decoration.

 Colour Psychology (Colour properties, juxtaposition of colours, Colour associations

/social effects, Environmental colour responses, effects of colour in Interior Design)

 Colour as an expressive tool and a formal design element in interior decoration.

Mode of Delivery;

a) Learning is lecture and exercise based.

b) Assigned readings.

c) Lecturer demonstration.

d) Group discussion and critique.

e) Assignments

Instructional Materials and/or Equipment;

a) Text books
b) Internet resources
c) Samples of past students works
d) Drawing and Graphic Design instruments and equipment
e) Computer and LCD Projector
f) Colour charts

Course Unit Assessment;

a) Continuous assessment tests

b) Practicals

c) Assignments

d) End of semester examination

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COLOR THEORY
Color is defined as an element of art and design that is perceived only by the sense of light. Also
defined as a form of matter that reflects light.
Color theories create a logical structure for color where the color relations are explained. There
are three basic categories of color theory that are logical and useful: The color wheel, color
harmony, and the context of how colors are used.

Origins of color theory: The Light Spectrum

This is a factor that influences how we perceive / see color.

In the 17th century, Isaac Newton discovered that prisms could disassemble and reassemble
white light. Newton observed that, when a narrow beam of sunlight strikes the face of a glass
prism at an angle, some is reflected and some of the beam passes into and through the glass,
emerging as different-colored bands. Newton hypothesized light to be made up of "corpuscles"
(particles) of different colors, with the different colors of light moving at different speeds in
transparent matter, red light moving more quickly than violet in glass. The result is that red light is
bent (refracted) less sharply than violet as it passes through the prism, creating a spectrum (Latin
for "appearance") of colors.

When one bends the spectrum, the color wheel is obtained

Newton divided the spectrum into seven named colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo,
and violet.
How we perceive light on an object- When all the light is absorbed except one, we see the visible
color say red, when all light is absorbed we see black, when all light is reflected we see white.

Pigment theory
Coloring matter or pigments are used to produce colours
for all practical uses. All objects contain pigments
(substances that absorb or reflect light) Pigments are
used for coloring paint, ink, plastic, fabric, cosmetics,
food, and other materials. Most pigments used in
manufacturing and the visual arts are dry colorants,
usually ground into a fine powder.
The powder is added to a binder (or vehicle), a relatively neutral or colorless material that
suspends the pigment and gives the paint its adhesion.
A distinction is usually made between a pigment, which is insoluble in its vehicle (resulting in a
suspension), and a dye, which either is itself a liquid or is soluble in its vehicle (resulting in a
solution)
Pigments can either be naturally occurring e.g. botanical materials, animal waste, insects,
mollusks etc. or they can be manufactured e.g. synthetic pigments
There are 3 pigments- red yellow and blue which cannot be created from any other pigment but
from which all others can be produced.
The Standard color wheel/ Color systems
A Color Wheel serves as a guide to produce pleasing combinations. It is a method of dividing
colours into regular intervals equidistant from each other around a circle to aid in the
identification of color. Only full hues as they appear in the spectrum are usually shown in a color
wheel.
A convectional color wheel contains the primary, secondary and tertiary colors consisting of 12
colors. However, variously mixing the colors on the wheel along the black and white yields an
unlimited number of colors creating the hue, value and intensity,

Primary Colors: Red, yellow and blue

In theory, the Primary Colors are the root of every

other hue imaginable. The primary pigments used
in the manufacture of paint come from the pure
source element of that Hue. There are no other
pigments blended in to alter the formula.

Think of the three Primaries as the Parents in the

family of colors.

In paint pigments, pure Yellow, pure Red, and pure

Blue are the only hues that can’t be created by
mixing any other colors together. Printer inks and digital primaries are referred to as Yellow,
Magenta and Cyan.

Secondary Colors: orange, purple and green

When you combine any two of the Pure Primary

Hues, you get three new mixtures called Secondary
Colors.
Think of the three Secondaries as the Children in
the family of colors.
Yellow + Red = ORANGE
Red + Blue = VIOLET or PURPLE

Blue + Yellow = GREEN

Tertiary/ intermediate Colors

When you mix a Primary and its nearest secondary

on the Basic Color Wheel you create six new
mixtures called Tertiary colors.

Think of the six Tertiary Colors as the Grandchildren

in the family of colors, since their genetic makeup
combines a Primary and Secondary color.

Yellow + Orange = YELLOW-ORANGE

Red + Orange = RED-ORANGE
Red + Violet = RED-VIOLET

Blue + Violet = BLUE-VIOLET

Blue + Green = BLUE-GREEN
Yellow + Green = YELLOW-GREEN

This totals twelve basic colors that allow Warm and cool colors
you to mix an endless variety of hues, tints,
tones and shades. The color circle can be
divided into warm and
cool colors.

Warm colors are vivid

and energetic, and
tend to advance in
space.

Cool colors give an impression of calm, and create

a soothing impression.
The color wheel

White, black and gray are considered to be

 neutral.

Properties / Attributes of Color

There are three basic properties, or traits, that define color, these include; hue, value and
intensity.

HUE
Is the name of the color as it is labeled on the color
wheel. This property of color is referred to as hue.
Common hues include red, orange, yellow, green, and
blue.

VALUE
Another property of color is value. Value refers to the
darkness and lightness of a color inn relation to black or
white.

Tint-If a color is very light, we say it is a high-value color.

Shade-When a color is very dark, we say that its value

is low.
INTENSITY/ CHROMA
Two colors can be the same hue and the same value,
yet be two different colors.

Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a color

in relation to gray. Look at the two colors of blue here.
They are about the same value and they are both the
hue of blue but different intensity.

High intensity-Theoretically, the highest intensity that a

color can be is its hue as shown on the color wheel.
 Low intensity-The dullest a color can be is gray.

Intensity also describes the tone of a color i.e. high or

low tone

Munsell Color System

Albert Munsell, a color theorist, describes

each and every color as having three
dimensions. His diagram sums up the 12
Season Color Theory in a nutshell. The 3
aspects considered in his theory are value
(light or dark), hue (the actual colors) and
Chroma/ intensity (saturation). Every
color will be somewhere along this grid.

For example, colors at the bottom of the

center pole will be prevalent in the
“Deep” seasons. At the top of the pole,
those colors will be found in the “Light”
seasons.
 Depending where a color sits on the band
called “Hue”; they will generally be warm
or cool. The “chroma” line refers to how
pure or ‘saturated’ a color is. The chart
opposite illustrates the "chroma" concept
further. You have the “pure color” and
then by adding white, grey or black you
change the chroma.

Ostwald color system

The Ostwald system creates a color space based on

dominant wavelength (full color), purity (grays), and
luminance (value), mapping the values of hue,
saturation and brightness.
Neutrals

Are families of whites and off- whites, greys and blacks and off -blacks. Browns and beiges are also
often considered neutrals, even though they are actually coloured hues.

Whites
They give interiors increased visual space. Whitened backgrounds look light, spacious and further
away. Furnishings that are hues look/ seam cleaner and crisper surrounded with whites. This
approach is effective in retail merchandising where the product to be sold and clothing of
customers are considered part of the color scheme.

Off –whites
They are produced by adding other neutrals to white or by mixing colors and neutrals into white.
These undertones produce off-whites that may be warm or cool, clean or dirty. Off-whites in
interiors are used in paints, wall coverings, textiles, flooring and accessories. Do not use off-
whites that are not similar in undertones e.g. yellowish off-white and dirty pinkish tones, they are
disturbing to the eye. Rather use off whites that are similar in appearance.
Greys
An ideal background color against white to show other colours. Easily mixed with other colours to
produce pinkish greys, yellowish greys, brownish greys etc. Greys can be rendered cool or warm
depending on the hues they have been mixed with.
Blacks
Blacks give a rich dark value to the neutrals; they sharpen and adds richness to hues placed next
to it. Accents of black gives richness in interiors. When blacks are used generously, they may
create a dramatic theatrical setting though it may produce feelings of depression in some people

Off-blacks
May be very dark greys or tinted blacks or where the hue is barely discernible. It can effectively tie
in the colour schemes.
Color Harmonies/ Color Schemes

Color harmony is the theory of combining colors in a fashion that is harmonious to the eye. A
color scheme is the choice of colors used in design to create style and appeal.

In combining colors, the 1st principle to follow is that they should look as though they belong
together. No color should ever fight for attention and neither should they be too much alike that
they are monotonous

Below are the basic color schemes that are generally accepted.

Achromatic

The neutrals white, black and grey are achromatic

Monochromatic

Based on one color. Colors that are shade, tone or tint variations
of the same hue. Introduce texture and patterns to create
interest in an interior. The neutrals black, grey and white can
also be included because they are no color

Complementary
Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel -
(example: red and green).

The high contrast of complementary colors creates a vibrant look

especially when used at full saturation. This color scheme must
be managed well so it is not jolting. One color must dominate
and the other color should subdue.

Complementary colors are tricky to use in large doses, but work

well when you want something to stand out.

Complementary colors are really bad for text.

Analogous
Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to each other
on the color wheel. They usually match well and create serene
and comfortable designs.

Analogous color schemes are often found in nature and are

harmonious and pleasing to the eye.

Make sure you have enough contrast when choosing an

analogous color scheme.

Choose one color to dominate, a second to support. The third

color is used (along with black, white or gray) as an accent.

Triad
A triadic color scheme uses colors that are evenly spaced
(equidistant) around the color wheel.

Triadic color harmonies tend to be quite vibrant, even if you use

pale or unsaturated versions of your hues.

To use a triadic harmony successfully, the colors should be

carefully balanced - let one color dominate and use the two
others for accent.

Split-Complementary
The split-complementary color scheme is a variation of the
complementary color scheme. In addition to the base color, it
uses the two colors adjacent to its complement.

This color scheme has the same strong visual contrast as the
complementary color scheme, but has less tension.

The split-complimentary color scheme is often a good choice for

beginners, because it is difficult to mess up.

Rectangle (tetradic)/ Double complementary

The rectangle or tetradic color scheme uses four colors arranged

into two complementary pairs.

This rich color scheme offers plenty of possibilities for variation.

The tetradic color scheme works best if you let one color be
dominant.

You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and
 cool colors in your design.

Square
The square color scheme is similar to the rectangle, but with all
four colors spaced evenly around the color circle.

The square color scheme works best if you let one color be
dominant.

You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and
cool colors in your design.

In conclusion

The basic schemes are nothing more than guidelines to help you in the study of color. They should
not be considered as prescribed formulas to be strictly followed in selecting and using color.

Any combination is more interesting when there are variation in hue, value, intensity, texture
pattern etc.
ASSIGNMENT 2. Create a new print document in either
Illustrator or power point in landscape
Exercise 1:
orientation.

1. Go online and find examples of Interior

•Type "Color Harmonies" at the top of the
design spaces (domestic or commercial) that
cover page along with your name, lecture’s
have used the various types color harmonies.
name (submitted to:), institution and date of
submission.
Find the following-

1 example of a cool scheme (GBV) •Begin to organize your found images into
categories as indicated in 1 above- primary,
1 example of a warm scheme (ROY)
secondary, intermediate, analogous,

2 complementary schemes (across the complementary, triad, tints, shades, neutral

wheel- YV, BO, RG, OY/BV, etc.) and high intensity etc.

2 split complementary schemes (base color, •Keep all of the images arranged in a line and
it uses the two colors adjacent to its of similar size. Be creative and add your
complement. R, BG, YG, etc.) signature style in your presentation by use of
say border lines etc.
2 triad schemes (equally spaced across the
color wheel- OGV, RYB, OY/GB/RV, etc.)
•Finally, label each type of harmony with the

2 analogous schemes (colors adjacent to following information:

one another- OYG, YGB, GB/B/BV, etc.) -Cool Colors recede and are calming.
-Warm Colors advance and are energetic
2 Monochromatic schemes (tints and shades -Analogous colors: 3 colors next to one
of one color) another on the color wheel. They are
soothing to look at.
1 shade (color plus black)
-Triadic colors are colors that are equally
1 tint (color plus white) spaced on the color wheel. They are exciting
and energetic, yet still balanced.
1 tone (muted/neutral gray tones)
-Complementary colors are across from one
another on the color wheel. They have the
1 high intensity (brightest colors)
most contrast and can be very intense and
loud. and calm.
-Split complementary colors are a variation -Monochromatic: many shades of one color.
of complements, using the base color and They are calm and balanced.
the two colors adjacent to its complement. -High Intensity: Colors are pure and very
They are intense but more subdued than bright. They are very energetic and jump off
complements. the page.
-Tints: color + white. These are calm and
3. The work should be neatly bound in an A3
quiet.
folder for the final presentation.
-Shades: color + black. Often these colors are
very rich and deep- they can be mysterious
or scary.
-Tones: color + gray. These colors are neutral
Color Rules

Guide lines to help in Experimenting with color

1. Tints are attractive in combination with other tints, hues and shades for example try pink
with purple, bright green blue or maroon.
2. Shades are attractive in combination with tints, achromatic colors but not with intense
spectrum colors. Try the shade with light green, grey and blue green
3. Colors should be distributed in such a way as to create a feeling of balance, bright colors
“carry more weight” than those of less intensity, so a lesser amount of bright colors is
needed to balance a bright color. Therefore the larger the area, the more subdued the
color and the smaller the area, the more intense the color can be. NB/ keep in mind that
the larger the area the more intense the color looks so avoid large areas of bright colors,
strong colors are attractive in small areas.
4. Too many colors in combination create confusion. Generally 3 is the maximum number to
be handled attractively. Small rooms look larger when fewer colors are used- 2 major
colours are usually the best.
5. Color schemes based on 4 colors are reserved mainly for prints and plaids
6. Large rooms can handle bold patterns. Use patterns sparingly in small rooms. One pattern
per room is usually sufficient.
7. In coordinating colors, one color should be dominant, equal amounts of several colors
colours create confusion. Emphasize on color and vary it by using diff tints, shades e.g.
dark green rug, light green walls and use other colors as subordinates or accents.
8. One way to emphasize color is by using it for the largest area. The largest area is the back
ground. This includes the walls, floor and ceiling. Generally, keep the background colors
soft and soothing. Strong colors can be aggressive that the area ceases to be a background.
A room’s background should not force itself upon your attentions. It should permit the
furnishings to standout.

Furniture is the 2nd largest area in a room- smaller than the back ground area; however,
bright strong, deep colors are possible in a room. They should be used to create interest in
a room and not overwhelm people who live in it.
 Accents and accessories comprise the 3rd area. Here you can use the sharp vivid colors to
add spark and complete the picture. These decorative accessories put “you” in the room-
they express your personality.

9. Combining colours can be complicated. Select an assortment of colors from samples which
are large enough to give the effect they will have in a room. For example have 1sqm for
color sample, fabrics, wall paper; painted card board etc. tiny color samples may look
different when applied on a large area. Color has a way of gathering strength when applied
on walls and ceilings because light rays reflect back and forth from wall to wall.

In conclusion

Every room is a challenge and only the designer can decide the effect he/she wants to create.
There are no hard or fast rules, only guidelines to help you.

There is no substitute for good judgment and color sense. Your personal reaction to color is
always a legitimate influence on your choice, therefore observe colours, experiment and develop
an eye for color.
Factors influencing Color perception

i. Texture and Material

ii. Color placement/ juxtaposition
iii. Light

Texture and Material

Texture is a general characteristic for a substance or a material. Texture exists all around us. It can
be natural, invented, or manufactured. It can also be simulated or made to look and or feel rough,
smooth, hard, or soft natural or artificial. Simulated textures such as a rough stone wall or a fluffy
cloud are made to look and feel like real textures.
Texture and material absorb or reflect light. Smooth surfaces reflect light which makes colors
appear lighter and more intense. Grained wood and textures absorb or refract (break up) the light
causing colours to appear darker thus an exact material in colored samples will not appear as
precise when installed.

Figure showing a rough texture Figure showing a smooth texture

Color placement/ juxtaposition
Placing colors close together will cause colors to affect one another because of their afterimages.
Smart juxtaposition of one colour against another could make a given colour look dull or bright. A
color placed near a green mat takes on a greenish cast or undertone. A color selected alone then
installed in combination with other hues may take on undertones that give different characters to
that color. The result may be pleasing or disharmonious; therefore it is important to coordinate
color under similar lighting conditions or on the site before installing to avoid unpleasant
surprises.
In the image below, small rectangles of the same light lavender colour fabric have been placed in
the center of rectangles of fabrics of other, strong, saturated colours.
Each lavender square look slightly different in each case. Some look brighter, some look duller,
and some look darker.
What is happening is that your brain is producing the afterimages of the colours you are looking
at, and superimposing them on the other colours. The afterimage is always a faint version of the
complementary colour.
Here is another example of how the surrounding colours affects a colour.

Look at the two brown fabric squares. One is on yellow fabric, the other one is on blue fabric.
They are separated by two fabric strips, one orange and one navy. The square on the left side is
darker than the square on the right hand side, the colour difference arises from the background
they are placed on top of, and the colours they are next too.
This principle can be practiced with other colours. Green can be made more dazzling by placing it
against red or any colour containing red, such as orange, maroon, pink or crimson. Green will not
appear so dazzling against blue or turquoise.

Light
Simply stated that we cannot see colours unless there is light i.e. light rays that are being
absorbed or reflected. See full discussion under the Light Spectrum topic at the introduction to
color theory.
Color is the visible spectrum of light wavelengths from red to violet as perceived by the eye and
interpreted by the brain. The most detectable color in both day light and night is yellow. Light
which is seen as white emits seven colours of the spectrum, which are achieved by passing a ray
of light through a prism producing R O Y G B IN V – The seven colors of the rain bow.
Our eyes see the blended ray as white because they are not capable of isolating them like the
prism. So in order for us to see color, the light ray has to fall on the surface of an object which has
pigment (coloring matter) that gives color to objects. Therefore the visible color is the reflected
ray.
What is Color Psychology?

The psychology of color is based on the mental and emotional effects colors have on sighted
people in all facets of life. There are some very subjective pieces to color psychology as well as
some more accepted and proven elements. Keep in mind, that there will also be variations in
interpretation, meaning, and perception between different cultures. Color may also influence a
person’s mental or physical state. The concepts of color psychology can also be applied in
everyday life.

RED. Physical
Positive: Physical courage, strength, warmth, energy, basic survival, 'fight
or flight', stimulation, masculinity, excitement.
Negative: Defiance, aggression, visual impact, strain.

Being the longest wavelength, red is a powerful colour. Although not

technically the most visible, it has the property of appearing to be nearer
than it is and therefore it grabs our attention first. Hence its effectiveness
in traffic lights the world over. Its effect is physical; it stimulates us and
raises the pulse rate, giving the impression that time is passing faster than
it is. It relates to the masculine principle and can activate the "fight or
flight" instinct. Red is strong, and very basic. Pure red is the simplest
colour, with no subtlety. It is stimulating and lively, very friendly. At the
same time, it can be perceived as demanding and aggressive.

BLUE. Intellectual.
Positive: Intelligence, communication, trust, efficiency, serenity, duty,
logic, coolness, reflection, calm.
Negative: Coldness, aloofness, lack of emotion, unfriendliness.

Blue is the colour of the mind and is essentially soothing; it affects us

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mentally, rather than the physical reaction we have to red. Strong blues
will stimulate clear thought and lighter, soft blues will calm the mind and
aid concentration. Consequently it is serene and mentally calming. It is the
colour of clear communication. Blue objects do not appear to be as close
to us as red ones. Time and again in research, blue is the world's favourite
colour. However, it can be perceived as cold, unemotional and unfriendly.

YELLOW. Emotional
Positive: Optimism, confidence, self-esteem, extraversion, emotional
strength, friendliness, creativity.
Negative: Irrationality, fear, emotional fragility, depression, anxiety,
suicide.

The yellow wavelength is relatively long and essentially stimulating. In this

case the stimulus is emotional; therefore yellow is the strongest colour,
psychologically. The right yellow will lift our spirits and our self-esteem; it
is the colour of confidence and optimism. Too much of it, or the wrong
tone in relation to the other tones in a colour scheme, can cause self-
esteem to plummet, giving rise to fear and anxiety. Our "yellow streak"
can surface.

GREEN. Balance
Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration,
reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace.
Negative: Boredom, stagnation, blandness, enervation.

Green strikes the eye in such a way as to require no adjustment whatever

and is, therefore, restful. Being in the center of the spectrum, it is the
colour of balance - a more important concept than many people realize.
When the world about us contains plenty of green, this indicates the
presence of water, and little danger of famine, so we are reassured by

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NOTES BY EMILY W MUCHIKA
green, on a primitive level. Negatively, it can indicate stagnation and,
incorrectly used, will be perceived as being too bland.

VIOLET. Spiritual
Positive: Spiritual awareness, containment, vision, luxury, authenticity,
truth, quality.
Negative: Introversion, decadence, suppression, inferiority.

The shortest wavelength is violet, often described as purple. It takes

awareness to a higher level of thought, even into the realms of spiritual
values. It is highly introvertive and encourages deep contemplation, or
meditation. It has associations with royalty and usually communicates the
finest possible quality. Being the last visible wavelength before the ultra-
violet ray, it has associations with time and space and the cosmos.
Excessive use of purple can bring about too much introspection and the
wrong tone of it communicates something cheap and nasty, faster than
any other colour.

ORANGE.
Positive: Physical comfort, food, warmth, security, sensuality, passion,
abundance, fun.
Negative: Deprivation, frustration, frivolity, immaturity.

Since it is a combination of red and yellow, orange is stimulating and

reaction to it is a combination of the physical and the emotional. It focuses
our minds on issues of physical comfort - food, warmth, shelter etc. - and
sensuality. It is a 'fun' colour. Negatively, it might focus on the exact
opposite - deprivation. This is particularly likely when warm orange is used
with black. Equally, too much orange suggests frivolity and a lack of
serious intellectual values.

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NOTES BY EMILY W MUCHIKA
PINK.
Positive: Physical tranquility, nurture, warmth, femininity, love, sexuality,
survival of the species.
Negative: Inhibition, emotional claustrophobia, emasculation, physical
weakness.

Being a tint of red, pink also affects us physically, but it soothes, rather
than stimulates. (Interestingly, red is the only colour that has an entirely
separate name for its tints. Tints of blue, green, yellow, etc. are simply
called light blue, light green etc.) Pink is a powerful colour, psychologically.
It represents the feminine principle, and survival of the species; it is
nurturing and physically soothing. Too much pink is physically draining and
can be somewhat emasculating.

GREY.
Positive: Psychological neutrality.
Negative: Lack of confidence, dampness, depression, hibernation, lack of
energy.

Pure grey is the only colour that has no direct psychological properties. It
is, however, quite suppressive. A virtual absence of colour is depressing
and when the world turns grey we are instinctively conditioned to draw in
and prepare for hibernation. Unless the precise tone is right, grey has a
dampening effect on other colours used with it. Heavy use of grey usually
indicates a lack of confidence and fear of exposure.

BLACK.
Positive: Sophistication, glamour, security, emotional safety, efficiency,
substance.
Negative: Oppression, coldness, menace, heaviness.

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NOTES BY EMILY W MUCHIKA
Black is all colours, totally absorbed. The psychological implications of that
are considerable. It creates protective barriers, as it absorbs all the energy
coming towards you, and it enshrouds the personality. Black is essentially
an absence of light, since no wavelengths are reflected and it can,
therefore be menacing; many people are afraid of the dark. Positively, it
communicates absolute clarity, with no fine nuances. It communicates
sophistication and uncompromising excellence and it works particularly
well with white. Black creates a perception of weight and seriousness.
It is a myth that black clothes are slimming:

White

White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in

decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with
everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to
keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply
sterility.

In conclusion
A single colour can have many different meanings in different cultures. In Asia orange is a
positive, spiritually enlightened, and life-affirming colour, while in the US it is a colour of road
hazards, traffic delays, and fast-food restaurants. Colours can symbolise a rite of passage,
differentiate a premium from a discount brand, and distinguish between fun and serious, young
and old, male and female. Context is everything: a group of people wearing black might be the
crowd at a gallery opening, priests, Mennonites, a punk band, ninjas, Kabuki stagehands,
Bedouins, mourners, or a mime troupe.
In addition to all the traditional meanings associated with colours in various cultures (those
linked to birth, weddings, funerals or even the colour of the mailbox), there are also those
layers of meaning brought about by international marketing and communication: for instance
Coca-Cola red.

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NOTES BY EMILY W MUCHIKA
Concentrating on web advertising, context for a banner is given not only by the cultural context
for which it is developed, but also by the Web site on which it is hosted. A clash of colours or
meanings between the web site content and the banner could annihilate or even damage the
objectives sought by the advertiser.

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How Does Color Affect Visual Merchandising?

Color in store displays grabs attention.

When a consumer walks down a street lined with shops, each business on the block is
competing for the consumer's attention. Appealing storefront displays and in-store product
displays are examples of visual merchandising that can make the difference between attracting
a new customer and losing that customer to a competitor. Color is a key component of visual
merchandising that can influence consumer choices.

Role of color in visual merchandising

Attracting Attention

One of the most important roles of color in visual merchandising is attracting attention to a
business or product. Bright colors such as red and orange tend to stand out and draw the eye,
while cool colors such as blue and green do not. If a business is concerned primarily with
attracting initial attention from customers, the use of bright colors in merchandising displays
can help it achieve its goal. For instance, a candy store could use a red window display with
product samples set around waist level to attract the attention of children. In areas saturated
with certain colors, the use of contrasting colors can draw attention. For example, if many of
the stores in one part of a mall have brightly colored displays, a store with dark displays and

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could be more effective at attracting attention by creating a stark contrast that gives consumers
a break from the bright colors.

Color has been used to attract attention

Creating Emotional Impact

Beyond their ability to command attention, colors can have an emotional effect on customers
and portray meaning about the goods a business offers. Different colors tend to evoke different
feelings in people, which can affect how they perceive products. For instance, green and blue
tend to call to mind feelings of calm, while bright colors such as red and yellow can evoke
feelings of excitement. If a business wants customer to associate its products with relaxation,
using soothing colors such as blue or green in product displays can be more effective than using
bright colors.

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 Color has been used to create an emotional impact

Color Associations

Certain colors carry strong connections to specific ideas and industries, which businesses can
use to enhance their visual merchandising. For example, green is strongly associated with
environmental friendliness, so a company that is marketing to the environmentally conscious
crowd might benefit from liberal use of green in its product displays.

Color has been used to create an association

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Background Colors

The color of the background in product displays can have a powerful effect on visual
merchandising. If a background color is too strong, it can clash with main colors on the display
or the product itself. Unobtrusive colors such as beige, white and light shades of cool colors can
help keep consumer attention focused on the main color and products used in a display.

Subdued beige background for the diplay.

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Color forecasting/ trends

Pantone chart showing color of the year for Pantone chart showing color of the year 2016
various years

Forecast colors show the design community where colors are trending. Meaning we expect
them to grow in popularity, but they may or may not be here today. Color forecasters look at 2
factors when forecasting.

So what do color forecasters look for when determining trends?

They study information from many resources, such as current and predicted economic
conditions, travel destinations, cinema, theater, trade shows, and various trend-watching
organizations, websites and blogs.

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It is important for an interior designer to know their color trends. Pantone is the company an
interior designer wants to follow online for yearly and quarterly fashion color trends. The color
of the year for 2014 was Radiant Orchid, 2012’s color, Tangerine Tango (a reddish orange), and
Emerald for 2013. Color of the year for 2016 is deep peacock.

Interior designers are encouraged to consider these colors as additions to current trends and to
incorporate them into existing palettes, rather than using them to create something entirely
new.

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