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Color and Emotions in Art and Cinema
Color and Emotions in Art and Cinema
POSTED 6/12/2018
Color has come a long way - from Isaac Newton's seven colors of the rainbow to today's LCD monitors displaying more than 16 million*, from 14th century artists trying to better replicate reality to film directors using color to influence our mood.
Color has come a long way - from Isaac Newton's seven colors of the rainbow to today's LCD monitors displaying more than 16 million*, from 14th century artists trying to better replicate reality to film directors using color to influence our mood.
Starting about the time of the Renaissance and until photography appeared on the scene, Western artists often tried to reproduce reality as closely as they could - for example, to give the impression of depth on a two-dimensional canvas. Perspective and attention to detail were major contributors to this realism. The invention of oil painting by Jan Van Eyck (1390-1441) allowed him and later artists to create gradual shadings of color and thus an even more realistic representation of the subject.** (The previously used tempera-based paints had dried too quickly to allow this.) In the 1600's, Rembrandt used color - specifically the contrast between light and shade - to enhance the drama of a scene. The first impression of many of his paintings is of a rather dark brown - but these dark tones give even more power and force to the contrast of a few bright and brilliant colors.
Starting about the time of the Renaissance and until photography appeared on the scene, Western artists often tried to reproduce reality as closely as they could - for example, to give the impression of depth on a two-dimensional canvas. Perspective and attention to detail were major contributors to this realism. The invention of oil painting by Jan Van Eyck (1390-1441) allowed him and later artists to create gradual shadings of color and thus an even more realistic representation of the subject.** (The previously used tempera-based paints had dried too quickly to allow this.) In the 1600's, Rembrandt used color - specifically the contrast between light and shade - to enhance the drama of a scene. The first impression of many of his paintings is of a rather dark brown - but these dark tones give even more power and force to the contrast of a few bright and brilliant colors.
Later artists developed techniques or rules that used color to add to the illusion of depth in a painting. Although there were some notable exceptions (for example, Gainsborough's "The Blue Boy"), by the 1700's, standard practice was to use warm colors (preferably brown and golden tones) in the foreground with the background fading into pale blue tints. Blue gives the impression of distance, and the conventional wisdom (paint the foreground a mellow brown) rested on the observation that strong greens tend to clash with other colors. By the second half of the 19th century, after the invention of photography, artists experienced "difficulties arising from the clash between the need for tonal gradation to suggest depth and the desire to preserve the beauty of the colors we see."*** Beginning with the Impressionists and Post-impressionists and continuing through the various movements of modern art, color won out.
Later artists developed techniques or rules that used color to add to the illusion of depth in a painting. Although there were some notable exceptions (for example, Gainsborough's "The Blue Boy"), by the 1700's, standard practice was to use warm colors (preferably brown and golden tones) in the foreground with the background fading into pale blue tints. Blue gives the impression of distance, and the conventional wisdom (paint the foreground a mellow brown) rested on the observation that strong greens tend to clash with other colors. By the second half of the 19th century, after the invention of photography, artists experienced "difficulties arising from the clash between the need for tonal gradation to suggest depth and the desire to preserve the beauty of the colors we see."*** Beginning with the Impressionists and Post-impressionists and continuing through the various movements of modern art, color won out.
In the "special features" track of some DVD's, the director discusses his use of color to express an emotion or provide a theme for a character. The use of color to tell a story or to set a mood is a well-established part of film theory. Before film, there were artists and others who understood the emotions evoked by color. One of the earliest formal explorations of color theory came from an unlikely source**** — the German poet and artist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), who in 1810 published Theory of Colors, his treatise on the nature, function, and psychology of colors.
In the "special features" track of some DVD's, the director discusses his use of color to express an emotion or provide a theme for a character. The use of color to tell a story or to set a mood is a well-established part of film theory. Before film, there were artists and others who understood the emotions evoked by color. One of the earliest formal explorations of color theory came from an unlikely source**** — the German poet and artist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), who in 1810 published Theory of Colors, his treatise on the nature, function, and psychology of colors.
The colors available to the artist depend on the existing "technology" and, to some extent, by the artist's ability to find the right words to name or describe the color and effect. As bryologist***** Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote “Finding the words is another step in learning to see.” Goethe's contemporary, German geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner (1749-1817), set out to name each color, "not through the contemplative lens of philosophy but through the observational lens of science....to name each one is to confer reality and validity upon its essence, to burrow deeper into its meaning." ****
The colors available to the artist depend on the existing "technology" and, to some extent, by the artist's ability to find the right words to name or describe the color and effect. As bryologist***** Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote “Finding the words is another step in learning to see.” Goethe's contemporary, German geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner (1749-1817), set out to name each color, "not through the contemplative lens of philosophy but through the observational lens of science....to name each one is to confer reality and validity upon its essence, to burrow deeper into its meaning." ****
Werner's original characterization included an example of a mineral that exhibited that color. This was taken a step further by the Scottish botanical painter Patrick Syme who created a series of color charts. Painting each hue alongside Werner’s mineral description, Syme provided one example of the color from the animal kingdom and one from the plant kingdom. In the days before photography, sketches and water colours were the best means to describe the natural objects before them. So useful did scientists of the time find Symes work ( "Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours: Adapted to Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Anatomy, and the Arts") that Darwin took a copy of the book with him on the Beagle voyage.
Werner's original characterization included an example of a mineral that exhibited that color. This was taken a step further by the Scottish botanical painter Patrick Syme who created a series of color charts. Painting each hue alongside Werner’s mineral description, Syme provided one example of the color from the animal kingdom and one from the plant kingdom. In the days before photography, sketches and water colours were the best means to describe the natural objects before them. So useful did scientists of the time find Symes work ( "Werner’s Nomenclature of Colours: Adapted to Zoology, Botany, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Anatomy, and the Arts") that Darwin took a copy of the book with him on the Beagle voyage.
The psychology of color has been examined in scientific journals as well as in less rigorous subjective surveys. I've found a couple of interesting articles and have used them in the comparison below. The first, "Color Psychology: Does It Affect How You Feel? How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors", is from the the VeryWellMind website. The other is from Psychology Today and concerns the effect of colors in the home, "The Surprising Effect of Color on Your Mind and Mood".
The psychology of color has been examined in scientific journals as well as in less rigorous subjective surveys. I've found a couple of interesting articles and have used them in the comparison below. The first, "Color Psychology: Does It Affect How You Feel? How Colors Impact Moods, Feelings, and Behaviors", is from the the VeryWellMind website. The other is from Psychology Today and concerns the effect of colors in the home, "The Surprising Effect of Color on Your Mind and Mood".
Below is a very elementary side-by-side comparison of theories of the effect of colors on our emotions. I've used the "Psychology of Color in Film" infographic from studiobinder.com as a starting point, placing quotes from Goethe's work and observations from psychological studies besides the graphic.
Below is a very elementary side-by-side comparison of theories of the effect of colors on our emotions. I've used the "Psychology of Color in Film" infographic from studiobinder.com as a starting point, placing quotes from Goethe's work and observations from psychological studies besides the graphic.
*Of which the human eye can detect "just" 7 million.
**Jan van Eyck painted in such convincing detail that his paintings may have served as legal documents - e.g., Arnolfini's Betrothal.
***The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich
****Maria Popova, BrainPickings
*****Bryology (from Greek bryon, a moss, a liverwort) is the branch of botany concerned with the scientific study of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts).
How about black and white?
How about black and white?
The Studiobinder infographic does not show these colors, but here is what VeryWellMind says for black: Black is often used as a symbol of menace or evil, an indicator of power; associated with death and mourning and with unhappiness, sexuality, formality, and sophistication. And for white: White represents purity or innocence, can create a sense of space or add highlights; also described as cold, bland, and sterile. Some of the positive meanings that white can convey include cleanliness, freshness, and simplicity. The color white often seems like a blank slate, symbolizing a new beginning or a fresh start. On the negative side, white can seem stark, cold, and isolated. Consider how a large, white, empty room might seem boring, bland, and stark.
So how did the comparison go?
So how did the comparison go?
For most colors, there is much correspondence between the desired effects of the cinematographers (or, at least, of those at studiobinder.com) and the observations of the poet and the psychologists. The exceptions are yellow and green. Studiobinder's effects are more negative. For yellow, none of the other sources mention it having the effects of madness, sickness, insecurity or obsession. For green, none mention corruption, ominous, darkness, danger. (Goethe does mention that when yellow is "sullied" - tending towards green - it produces a "very disagreeable effect.")
RED
Goethe: It conveys an impression of gravity and dignity, and at the same time of grace and attractiveness. The first in its dark deep state, the latter in its light attenuated tint; and thus the dignity of age and the amiableness of youth may adorn itself with degrees of the same hue... Surrounding accompaniments of this color have always a grave and magnificent effect. The red glass exhibits a bright landscape in so dreadful a hue as to inspire sentiments of awe.
VeryWellMind: Red is a bright, warm color that evokes strong emotions; associated with love, warmth, and comfort; also considered an intense, or even angry, color that creates feelings of excitement or intensity.
PSYCHOLOGY TODAY: People seeing others in front of red backgrounds generally find those other individuals are more attractive...so reds are great for a bedroom wall. Having a red surface in view also gives us a burst of strength, so reds are good choices for home gym areas, etc. Seeing red has been linked to impaired analytical reasoning, though, making it a bad option for offices.
PINK
VeryWellMind: Pink is associated with love and romance. It has a calming effect during the initial exposure to the color. Pink is often described as a feminine color, perhaps largely due to associations people form during early childhood. People sometimes associate the color with qualities that are often thought of as feminine, such as softness, kindness, nurturing, and compassion.
ORANGE
Goethe "Red-yellow" - darker shade: gives an impression of warmth and gladness, since it represents the hue of the intenser glow of fire. "Yellow-red" - lighter shade: produces an extreme excitement, and still acts thus when somewhat darkened. A yellow-red cloth disturbs and enrages animals.
VeryWellMind: Orange calls to mind feelings of excitement, enthusiasm, and warmth. Orange is often used to draw attention, such as in traffic signs and advertising. Orange is energetic. Orange is also the color of bright sunsets and fruits such as oranges and tangerines, so the many people might associate the color with the beauty of a setting sun or the refreshing taste of citrus. Orange is also linked to autumn and the color of dying leaves and pumpkins. The color is also heavily linked to Halloween in the United States, so it can sometimes have a dark or even cartoonish association.
YELLOW
Goethe: In its highest purity it always carries with it the nature of brightness, and has a serene, gay, softly exciting character. State is agreeable and gladdening, and in its utmost power is serene and noble, it is, on the other hand, extremely liable to contamination, and produces a very disagreeable effect if it is sullied, or in some degree tends to the minus side. Thus, the color of sulphur, which inclines to green, has something unpleasant in it.
Psychology Today: Using yellow in a home can be problematic. Many people dislike the color. An exception: Many people use yellow in kitchens—with no negative sales repercussions. Yellow may be accepted in kitchens because warm colors stimulate our appetite.
VeryWellMind ; Key characteristics include Warmth: Yellow is a bright that is often described as cheery and warm; it is Difficult to read: Yellow is also the most fatiguing to the eye due to the high amount of light that is reflected; Frustration: Yellow can also create feelings of frustration and anger. While it is considered a cheerful color, people are more likely to lose their tempers in yellow rooms and babies tend to cry more in yellow rooms; Energetic: Yellow can also increase the metabolism; Attention-grabbing: Since yellow is the most visible color, it is also the most attention-getting color. Yellow can be used in small amount to draw notice.
GREEN
Goethe: The eye experiences a distinctly grateful impression from this color. If the two elementary colors are mixed in perfect equality so that neither predominates, the eye and the mind repose on the result of this junction as upon a simple color. The beholder has neither the wish nor the power to imagine a state beyond it. Hence for rooms to live in constantly, the green color is most generally selected.
Psychology Today: Seeing the color green has been linked to more creative thinking—so greens are good options for home offices, art studios, etc.
VeryWellMind: Green is a cool color that symbolizes nature and the natural world; also represents tranquility, good luck, health, and jealousy. Researchers have also found that green can improve reading ability. Green has long been a symbol of fertility and was once the preferred color choice for wedding gowns in the 15th-century. Green is often used in decorating for its calming effect. For example, guests waiting to appear on television programs often wait in a “green room” to relax. Green is thought to relieve stress and help heal. Those who have a green work environment experience fewer stomachaches.
BLUE
Goethe: This color has a peculiar and almost indescribable effect on the eye. Its appearance is a kind of contradiction between excitement and repose. As the upper sky and distant mountains appear blue, so a blue surface seems to retire from us. But as we readily follow an agreeable object that flies from us, so we love to contemplate blue — not because it advances to us, but because it draws us after it. Blue gives us an impression of cold, and thus, again, reminds us of shade. Rooms which are hung with pure blue, appear in some degree larger, but at the same time empty and cold.
Psychology Today: People are more likely to tell you that blue is their favorite color than any other shade. That makes it a safe choice. Seeing blue also brings thoughts of trustworthiness to mind; always a good thing.
VeryWellMind : Blue is described as a favorite color by many people and is the color most preferred by men. Because blue is favored by so many people, it is often viewed as a non-threatening color that can seem conservative and traditional. Blue calls to mind feelings of calmness or serenity. It is often described as peaceful, tranquil, secure, and orderly. Blue can also lower the pulse rate and body temperature. Blue is often seen as a sign of stability and reliability. Blue is often used to decorate offices because research has shown that people are more productive in blue rooms. Blue can also create feelings of sadness or aloofness. Consider how a painting that heavily features blue, such as those produced by Picasso during his "blue period," can seem so lonely, sad, or forlorn.
PURPLE/VIOLET
Goethe "Red-blue" (lighter shade): a somewhat active character, although it is on the passive side. Its exciting power is, however, of a different kind from that of the red-yellow. It may be said to disturb, rather than enliven. "Blue-red" (darker shade): This unquiet feeling increases as the hue progresses, and it may be safely assumed, that a carpet of a perfectly pure deep blue-red would be intolerable. On this account, when it is used for dress, ribbons, or other ornaments, it is employed in a very attenuated and light state, and thus displays its character as above defined, in a peculiarly attractive manner.
Psychology Today: People link a grayish violet with sophistication, so it can be a good selection for places where you’re trying to make the “right” impression.
VeryWellMind: People often describe this color as mysterious, spiritual, and imaginative. Purple tends to occur rarely in nature, so it is viewed as rare and intriguing. Some have described it as regal, sensual, or soothing.
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