Colour preference and recognition

BFA Graphic Designing

Institute for Arts and Culture

Colour preference and recognition

Name: Wasi Iftikhar

Roll no: 0282

Submitted to: Huma Maqbool

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Colour preference and recognition

Synopsis

Colour preference and recognition

Colors are the important part and blessing in everyone’s life. They are responsible for

human perceptions and how it affects their mind and behaviour. Every colour has its own

meaning some of them are quickly perceived and some of them are lately perceived. Colours

are perceived in two categories: i) warm colours and ii) cool colours. Colour selection is very

much important in some people's lives because it is a powerful communication between you

and the world and leaves its effect on behaviour. There are many methods to examine the

effect of colours on humans psychologically and behaviourally. In the context of art “The

colour theory” explains about the rules and guidelines for communication for this they use

colour wheel for correct use of colours according to visual interference and reaction with the

environment. Every colour has a meaning, colours also have a tendency to show about the

personality of a person.

Hence, it shows election is important in our life and the correct way to them is where you

want.

Keywords; human perceptions, warm colours, cool colours, human psychologically, colour

theory, mind and behaviour.

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Colour preference and recognition

Introduction

Colour selection and perception

Colour perception is the mental process of chromatic signals and the visual cortex and the

image is converted into symbolic representation. Different colours show different emotions

depending upon the power of perceiving. Everywhere we see everything has a colour, mostly

colours are used for marketing that attracts the individual towards itself so the attraction

towards a colour depends upon how an individual is perceiving the colour. People with colour

blindness cannot see colours; they can only see black and white colours because the visual

cortex does not represent the light of colours on the retina. In the context of art colours plays

a very important role in the life of an artist. They use to describe their thoughts in the form

of colours, their thoughts and selection of colours are correlated. Anything we eat has colours

like fruits and vegetables. Colours represent the attraction towards anything towards itself.

People respond to colours depending upon stimuli of the colour if they like them or not, the

colour attracts them if they like them. The way we perceive colours impacts on the choices

we made in everyday life from eating to looking and wearing all depends upon our choices of

colours. They show what we buy, what we wear, what we look and feel. Perceiving colours is

an evolutionary function in human beings from eating green leafs to death. Most people have

ability to see minute changes in saturation of colours whether they are from pigment or light.

In the retina of human beings there are 100 photoreceptors that are intrinsic to colours which

are:-

i) Rods

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Colour preference and recognition

ii) Cones.

Rods depend on the grey spectrum to see the white and black colours which are helpful

to see in dark and also depends upon on perception of size and shape.

Cones depends upon on perception of colours into three categories:-

i) Red light

ii) Green light

iii) Blue light

But these colours cannot be seen singularly for this purpose. Isaac theory of primary

colours introduces the trichromatic theory of colour vision which stipulates the level of

activation of primary cones.

For example:-

We see yellow colour because our red and green cones are activated at that time. When

all three cones are equally activated then we get a grayscale vision.

Trichromatic theory:-

Trichromatic theory based on additive process. Additive process is known as the mixing

of dark and light shade to get a new template. For example:-Computer images are a mix

of colours red, blue and green (Fig 1). Computer images are based on pixels that depend

upon 256 variations so whenever we see an image on any electronic device that depends

upon a variation of thousands of pixels.

(Armstrong A. d., 2007-2021)

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Colour preference and recognition

Fig. 1 A computer combines red, green and blue colour to generate

Thousands of colour

This theory only shows how cells perceive the colours but do not tell how our brain

processes it. For this purpose there is another theory known as opponent theory.

Opponent process theory of colour vision:-

This theory explains how our brain processes the information it gets and explains how

information is received by the retina into colour vision?

This theory suggests that the parsing information depends upon on receptors in three

categories:-

⮚ Blue-Yellow

⮚ Red- Green

⮚ Black-White.

These colours only detect one colour at a time cannot be detected as multiple that’s

why we can’t see reddish-green or a yellowish-blue , they generate new colours brown

and green. The colour is being viewed by the brain because of opposing effects of

neurons. It causes two signals, the excitatory signal and inhibitory signals.

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Colour preference and recognition

As compared to both theories both are important because one explains the perception

of colours and other explains the process of information in the brain.

Colours are the important part and blessing in life. They are responsible for human

perceptions and how it affects their mind and behaviour. Every colour has its own

meaning some of them are quickly perceived and some of them are lately perceived.

Colours are perceived in two categories: i) warm colours and ii) cool colours

Warm colours:-

A group of colours in a colour wheel associated with warm colours that evoke warm

feelings. These colours are warmth and fire i.e yellow, orange and red.

Cool colours:-

Cool colours are those colours that have calming effect and are interpersonal, antiseptic

and cold. These colours are soft and refreshing to eyes i.e.:- blue, green, white and silver.

Colour wheel categorised colours in three categories:-

❖ Primary colours

❖ Secondary colours

❖ Tertiary colours

Primary colours:-

Primary colours are those colours in which two colours are mixed with each other to

get a new colour. Light colour is mixed with dark colour.

Example:-

Red, yellow and blue.

If we mix red and blue we get magenta colour.

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Colour preference and recognition

Secondary colours:-

Secondary colours are those colours we get after mixing of two primary colours.

Example:-

Orange and violet.

If we mix red with yellow we get orange colour.

Tertiary colours:-

A tertiary colour is an intermediate colour obtained by mixing of full saturation of one

primary colour and half saturation of other primary colour and none of a third party.

Example:-

Red-orange, yellow-orange, blue-green, blue- violet.

Colour selection is very much important in life because it is the powerful communication

between you and the world and leaves its effect on behaviour but people with colour

blindness are unaware of this blessing because they can’t see colours. There are many

methods to examine the effect of colours on humans psychologically and behaviourally.

In the context of art “The colour theory” explains about the rules and guidelines for

communication for this they use colour wheel for correct use of colours according to visual

interference and reaction with the environment. Every colour has a meaning, colours also

have a tendency to show about the personality of a person. Following are the 8 basic

colours that shows up the personality:-

(Chapman, 2006-2021)

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Colour preference and recognition

Basic 8 colours and their meanings:-

Fig. 2 Eight colour-wheel

Red:-

Red is the primary colour and is associated with love, fire, passion and violence. Red colour

effect both physically and mentally. Physically it affects by raising blood pressure and

respiration rate and mentally it affects by raising of anger or level of aggression. Red is the

sign of danger or used in traffic lights to stop but also used for importance like on red

carpet events. In different cultures red stands for different meanings like red used in china

for prosperity. In design red is a bright colour and used as a powerful accent.

Blue:-

Blue is used for calmness and freshness. It is more reliable and friendly. Blue colour is

mostly liked by many people. Blue colour shows the peace for spirituality. People who

love blue are of very calm and cool personality.

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Colour preference and recognition

Green:-

Green has some similarities with the characteristics with blue colour which shows the

starting of new beginning and growth, it also shows jealousy and lack of experience. As

this colour represents the inner peace like blue colour just like nature gives the peace to

spirituality.

Yellow:-

Yellow represents the category of warm colours and shows the brightness of sun and

happiness. Yellow can also be used to tease someone calling yellow means to calling

coward to someone. Yellow also means hope and cheerfulness. Its light and dark variation

also have meanings like dark yellow represents the antique and light yellow for calmness

and happiness.

Orange:-

Orange is associated with seasons and is a very vibrant colour. Orange colour is the

secondary and is related with health like orange fruit and shows the aspects of creativity

and is considered friendly and inviting.

Purple:-

Purple is a combination of two colours and used as a royal colour. People very wealthy

can afford them just like the royal family and it shows creativity and imagination. People

who love purple have a creative and imaginative mind. Purple shows the sense of

luxuriousness and romance i.e. lavenders.

Brown:-

Brown is the neutral warm colour and associated with stone, wood and earth. Brown

colour shows reliability with steadfastness and earthiness and considered as dull colour.

In designs it is used for giving textures on background.

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Colour preference and recognition

Black:-

Black is the strongest elegant colour and is associated with power. Black is used for font

design and for dressing. People mostly wear black dresses on death but some wear them

as a style and elegance. It is considered as dull colour for evil and is used in sophistication

in designs as mystery.

Colours have great effect on personality and are related with the rods and cones of our

eyes that are responsible for the seeing of light and dark shades of colours. Colours are

the communication source and are associated with personal emotions.

Example:-

In some cultures people wear white on death associated as angels and goddess and

associated with cleanliness and virtues. And in some cultures people wear black on death

for dull days on someone's death for showing the emotions of sadness.

Colours effects on us due to the effective communication with the brain and eyes they

show different reactions as behaviourally and psychologically. Selection and reaction on

different colours is a universal element in human beings and able to predict on different

colours like if someone says colour green an individual predicts it with nature as green.

(Lennartz, 2010)

So through this, it shows that colour selection is important in our life and the correct way to

them where you want. But many of the questions arises after reading this. Queries like how

colours show their effect psychologically?

How do they affect our behaviour?

Effect of warm and cool colours?

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Colour preference and recognition

Which colour is perceived quickly?

Which colour is perceived late?

Which colour is most attractive and why?

How does it show the personality of a person?

All the answers of these questions depend upon on researches that how these researches

have been performed and how many are there to cover these queries. The most common

questions that are to be answered in this research is which colour is perceived commonly fast

as compared to other ones. Behavioural and psychological effects of colours on individuals.

To answer these questions three methods are going to be used, the very first research is on

the colour perceiving that which colour is to be perceived first and fast? For this we are going

to apply our research on a small population. Taking colour cards and pasting it on a wall or a

board. The colour cards will be eight different colours and tell your population to see it then

ask them one by one which colour they have perceived first, which colour attracts them most.

Answers of our population will be the result of our research.

Then the question arises: what are the behavioural effects of colour on individuals? To find

the answer of this question we are going to apply this research on the small size of population

and going to use two colours of different categories one from warm colours (Red) and other

from cool colours (Blue). Now split your population into two halves then say to sit half of them

in a room having red light and to read something for 15-20 minutes and send the other half

into the room having blue light and tell them to read something for 15-20 minutes as well.

After 15-20 minutes observing the behaviour of both of the population the showing behaviour

will be our result. Next question arises: what are the psychological effects of these colours?

Every individual has its own personality depending upon different traits. Selection of colours

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Colour preference and recognition

shows our personality. So, for this question we are going to apply our research on a small

population, we are giving them some colour papers and telling them to select only one of

your choice. This research is also known as 8-schemas, there are specific 8 different colours

that show your personality, what kind of a person you are and your mentality. Individuals who

have selected their colour according to their choice would describe their personality and

thinking.

Conclusion:-

Colour preference and recognition tells us about how we perceive colours, how and what

their effects on human beings are physically and psychologically. By the observation and

experimentation of this research we conclude that red colour creates tension to be quickly

perceived by the eye. Colour spectrum seen by the eye that creates a visual representation

hence effects behaviourally and physically. The Effects of both categories are different, warm

colours evoke warm feelings and cool colours have calming effects. As white and black colour

have a low effect on mood. Hence the eye and brain both play an important role in perceiving

light as colour, through reflectors of colour messages are sent through brain and from brain

to eye. The place which is responsible for the act of perceiving colours are rods and cones in

the eyes.

Bibliography

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Colour preference and recognition

Armstrong, A. d. (2007-2021). Art and ArtX Online. From Art Therapy:

http://www.arttherapyblog.com/online/color-psychology-psychologica-effects-of-
colors/#.YGttQOgzZPY

Birren, F. (1984). color & Human Response. Wiley; 1st edition (February 1, 1984).

Chapman, C. (2006-2021, 28 1). COLOR THEORY OF DESIGNER. From SAMASHING MAGAZINE:

https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/color-theory

Kremers, J. (2016). Human Color Vision. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.

Lennartz, V. F. (2010, 23 1). COLOR THEORY FOR DESIGNR. From SAMASHING MAGAZINE:
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/color-theory

Norman, D. (2002). COLOR THEORY. From INTERTACTION DESIGN FOUNDATION:

https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/color-theory

(Birren, 1984)

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