Color Me What Color?

By |2018-11-15T09:52:08-06:00March 31st, 2014|Make Me Think Monday|0 Comments

After five years, I’ve decided it’s time to revamp my website.

Branding has been a big component of my thought process as I work with a web designer to create an updated site.

I’ve written several popular blogs on the topic. You can check out the three part series (1) here or (2) here or (3) here and another here.

I thought I had a good handle on branding until the designer asked me a basic question. What color scheme do I want? 

Now, I’m thinking lots about color.

Research shows

  • Strong color elicits strong visceral responses. For example, red is energizing, blue affects introspection, and golden light inspires the spiritual or enlightened.
  • Using colors can set up an audience or a reader to anticipate particular actions and/or things.

Ever notice how movie producers employ color to set the viewer’s expectations. Gwyneth Paltrow’s bedspread in Shakespeare in Love and Nick Cage’s bedspread in Moonstruck were a hot orange-red…a color which suggests heat and activity. And, guess what – lots of lusty activity happened on those orange-red bedspreads. 

Colors do symbolize and, either blatantly or subtly, enhance the mood of the reader or viewer.

Suddenly, color became be a critical component for my new brand. I found a color symbolism chart on a fascinating website and a . Canva also offers a page that teaches you about colors and color combination meanings. There’s another excellent explanation of color meanings here.

Only trouble is, with all that knowledge, I’m having a hard time deciding what color would make a viewer think of women’s fiction with romance and literary flair?

Here’s the list. You’ll see what I mean.

Red: Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, all things intense and passionate, sincerity, happiness (Only in Japan)
 
Pink symbolizes love and romance, caring, tenderness, acceptance and calm.
 
Beige and ivory symbolize unification. Ivory symbolizes quiet and pleasantness. Beige symbolizes calm and simplicity.
 
Yellow signifies joy, happiness, betrayal, optimism, idealism, imagination, hope, sunshine, summer, gold, philosophy, dishonesty, cowardice, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, illness, hazard and friendship.
 
Blue: Peace, tranquility, cold, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, loyalty, sky, water, technology, depression, appetite suppressant.
 
Turquoise symbolizes calm. Teal symbolizes sophistication. Aquamarine symbolizes water. Lighter turquoise has a feminine appeal.
 
Purple: Royalty, nobility, spirituality, ceremony, mysterious, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, honor, arrogance, mourning, temperance.
 
Lavender symbolizes femininity, grace and elegance.
 
Orange: Energy, balance, enthusiasm, warmth, vibrant, expansive, flamboyant, demanding of attention.
 
Green: Nature, environment, healthy, good luck, renewal, youth, spring, generosity, fertility, jealousy, inexperience, envy, misfortune, vigor.
 
Brown: Earth, stability, hearth, home, outdoors, reliability, comfort, endurance, simplicity, and comfort.
 
Gray: Security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring. Silver symbolizes calm.
 
White: Reverence, purity, birth, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, winter, snow, good, sterility, marriage (Western cultures), death (Eastern cultures), cold, clinical.
 
Black: Power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, unhappiness, depth, style, sadness, remorse, anger, anonymity, underground, good technical color, mourning, death (Western cultures), austerity, detachment.

So what colors would you choose?