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.