Basic Theory

1. Harmony can be defined as a pleasing arrangement of parts, whether it be music, poetry, color, or even an ice cream sundae.2. The human brain will reject under-stimulating information3. Red appears more brilliant against a black background and somewhat duller against the white background.4. Observing the effects colors have on each other is the starting point for understanding the relativity of color.5. White light applied to the red paint, some of the light bounces off the "red" paint. The "red" is what is reflected into your eye onto your retina.6. Thus if we see red, it's because our cones sensitive to the wavelength around 700-760 nm's send information that we translate into red. Thus if we see red there, then our cones are responding to reflected nm's7. Our eyes could not perceive white or black simply because no light is present to be reflected off a "white" or "black" object and be received by our eyes.8. In respect to this it would be possible to create 100% black only with a surface containing all colors9. For the eye to perceive an object as white, the object must reflect all colors (or close to)10. A surface capable of reflecting all colors must be void in color itself11. There's the color you can touch, such as the skin of an apple or a painted wall.12. This (Additive) color model is used in computer monitors, television sets and theater.Scientists recognize the light primaries of red, green and blue.13. In subtractive color theory, all colors mix to yield black.14. In the print industry, cyan, magenta, yellow and black are used as the primary colors. When you mix all the colors, the result is gray.

Color and the Body

1. Blue is an appetite suppressant. Weight loss plans suggest putting your food on a blue plate2. Blue food is a rare occurrence in nature. There are no leafy blue vegetables (blue lettuce?), no blue meats (blueburger, well-done please)3. Also known as "Drunk tank pink," this color has been used to calm violent prisoners in jails.4. There's no proof that the reactions lasted longer than 15-30 minutes.5. Even if a person tries to be angry or aggressive in the presence of pink, he can't. The heart muscles cant race fast enough6. This is best understood by the fact that each sense has a pathway to the brain. These paths are parallel to each other.7. A cross over from one pathway to the other occurs. Seeing the color yellow-green may evoke taste sensations of sourness; pink may evoke sweetness. Seeing the color grey may evoke olefactory (smell) sensations of smokiness.8. To the person with synaesthesia, a color might have a "taste", a sound might be "felt", and a food might be "heard".

Color and Vision

1. The human eye can see 7,000,000 colors2. Yellow, pure bright lemon yellow is the most fatiguing color. Why? The answer comes from the physics of light and optics. More light is reflected by bright colors, resulting in excessive stimulation of the eyes.3. Your eye is filled with 250,000 color decoding cones. 4. Color originates in light. Sunlight, as we perceive it, is colorless. In reality, a rainbow is testimony to the fact that all the colors of the spectrum are present in white light.5. Color is the visual effect that is caused by the spectral composition of the light emitted, transmitted, or reflected by objects.6. All the "invisible" colors of sunlight shine on the apple. The surface of a red apple absorbs all the colored light rays, except for those corresponding to red, and reflects this color to the human eye. The eye receives the reflected red light and sends a message to the brain.7. Black is the absence of color (and is therefore not a color). There are no photons of light. In other words, there are no photons of colors.8. White is the blending of all colors and is a color. Light appears colorless or white. Sunlight is white light that is composed of all the colors of the spectrum. A rainbow is proof. (Additive).9. Here's a simple way to show how black is made: Combine all three primary colors(Subtractive Theory)10. White is not a color

Color Symbolism

1. Cultural associations: the color of currency, traditions, celebrations, geography, etc. (For example, green is associated with heaven (Muslims) and luck (U.S. and Ireland)2. Religious and mythical associations: the colors associated with spiritual or magical beliefs (For example, the green man was the God of fertility in Celtic myths, a symbolism that carries over into todays associations of Green M&M candies with sexuality in the U.S.3. Dark and light shades of any color convey completely different meanings. For example, pink (light red) loses all of red's associations with energy and takes on new connotations of tenderness and sweetness.4. Colors take on new meaning when combined with other colors.5. Green has been reinterpreted by late 20th century American culture to signify a state of heightened sexuality in this specific situation.6. White would not be an appropriate color for a wedding in China. It is the color of mourning. If a bride chooses a white wedding gown, her parents would probably not allow her to get married.7. It is said that green is the most restful color for the human eye.8. Suicides dropped 34% when London's Blackfriar Bridge was painted green.9. Orange is currently a trendy, hip color. It was a groovy color back in the 70s and then it faded away.10. Orange evokes the taste of healthy fruits, bursting with juice.11. Red is the color of extremes. Its the color of passionate love, seduction, violence, danger, anger, and adventure12. For example, in our current world of non-standard terms, most people are familiar with colors described by words such as crimson, indigo, chartreuse and khaki.13. Speaking of turquoise, this term and chartreuse are examples of several common English terms of French origin14. Of note were the 1,000 plus terms used to define whites, off-whites, and beige. Adjectives such as glistening, pearly, shimmery, blinding, glittering, and gleaming were frequently coupled with white.