Connotations of Colors

English II

Red

• Red is excitement, drama, urgent passion, strength, assertiveness, and an appetitite stimulant.

• Examples: A Valentine’s Day Heart, rose of love, the red apple, and the fire engine. Also the color of the Devil.

• Strong preferences to red are linked to people that feel most secure, financially and personally

Pink

• Makes you think of baby girls. Considered a warm and cheerful color. Soft pinks generate simple, uncomplicated emotions.

Orange

• May suggest fire, vitality, warmth and energy.

• Use to make natural associations, like carrots.

Yellow

• The first color the eye processes. It’s bright, sunny, welcoming, cheerful, and the color the most visible to the human eye.

• Positives associations include deities with glowing halos and golden hair, enlightenment, and precious metals

• Negatives associations include dishonesty, cowardice, egoism, betrayal, and caution.

Green

• It’s the color of nature, a sign of growth, the harbinger of Spring and warmer weather.

• Green represents optimism, good luck, freshness, fertility and suggests things are getting better or healing.

• The color of money, strong associations with finance, business, economic stability, and entitlement.

• Green is linked with envy, Martians, sickness, slime, and decaying food.

Blue

• The color of a local policeman’s uniform, suggests power and authority, but also inspires confidence, a sense of safety and trustworthiness.

Purple

• It can be like magic or intense like the final glow of sunset, or brave like a Purple Hear. It can be regal and full of authority, rich and jewel-like. Suggests intelligence and creativity, but also suggests cruelty, and in some cultures is the color of mourning.

Brown

• The earth, roots, giving of life. Linked with wealth and a subtle but expensive taste, particularly fur shades. A secure color associated with things that are dirty or unclean.

White

• The color of the dove of peace, crispness, tidiness, innocence, moral purity, and cleanliness.

• Connotes sterility and blandness.

Black

• Influential color, typical of business suits. The color of mystery.

• Suggests emptiness, darkness, and evil.• Black can be sophisticated and elegant,

when associated with wealthy, achievement-oriented women.

• Can symbolize corruption, emptiness, and depression

Setting the Tone

• Traditional: burgundy, teal, navy, hunter green, gold, plum, slate blue, vanilla.

• Nurturing: peach, honey yellows, warm rose, cream, grayed lilac, baby blue, soft green.

• Romantic: pink, rose, sage green, lilac, antique while, cameo blue.

• Tranquil: blue, blue-green, cool lavender, seafoam green, mauve, light gray, natural.

• Contemplative: neutral gray, beige, taupe, off-white with colored accents.

• Whimsical: true red, bright blue, daffodil, kelly green, orange, periwinkle, vibrant pink.

• Sensuous: warm red, mango, plum purple, hot pink, gold, deep blue, chocolate.