Monday, November 22, 2010

Pink Color Meanings

Pink is a softer, less violent red. Pink is the sweet side of red. It's cotton candy and bubble gum and babies, especially little girls. The use of pink in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others — both the positive and negative aspects.

Good pink In the pink - healthy Tickled pink - happy, content Pink collar - female office worker (sometimes used in a derogatory manner) Bad or neutral pink Pink collar - female office worker (sometimes used in a derogatory manner to imply low person on the office totem pole) Pink - cut, notch, or make a zigzag

Pink Words: These words are synonymous with pink or represent various shades of the color pink.

Salmon, coral, hot pink, fuschia, blush, flesh, flush, fuchsia, rose.


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Friday, November 19, 2010

Purple Color Meanings

Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.

Pantone has selected the color Blue Iris (PANTONE 18-3943) as the 2008 Color of the Year telling us: "Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement."

The use of purple in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good purple Purple cow - something remarkable, eye-catching, unusual Purple prose - exaggeration, highly imaginative writing (also has negative connotations) Bad purple Purple speech - profanity, raunchy language Purple prose - exaggeration, colorful lies Purple haze - state of confusion or euphoria, possibly drug-induced, specific type of potent cannabis (marijuana), specific type of LSD

Purple Words: These words are synonymous with purple or represent various shades of the color purple.

Violet, plum, lavender, lilac, puce, thistle, orchid, mauve, magenta, royal, amethyst, wine, pomegranate, eggplant, mulberry.


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The Meaning of the Color Blue

Blue is calming. It can be strong and steadfast or light and friendly. Almost everyone likes some shade of the color blue.

Pantone has selected the color Blue Iris (PANTONE 18-3943) as the 2008 Color of the Year telling us: "Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement."

In many diverse cultures blue is significant in religious beliefs, brings peace, or is believed to keep the bad spirits away.

Blue conveys importance and confidence without being somber or sinister, hence the blue power suit of the corporate world and the blue uniforms of police officers. Long considered a corporate color, blue, especially darker blue, is associated with intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism.

Explore more Dark Blue Color Meanings.

Just as seeing red alludes to the strong emotions invoked by the color red, feeling blue or getting the blues represents the extremes of the calm feelings associated with blue, i.e. sadness or depression, lack of strong (violent) emotion. Dark blue is sometimes seen as staid or stodgy — old-fashioned.

In Iran, blue is the color of mourning while in the West the something blue bridal tradition represents love.

People describe How the color blue makes them feel

Mix the color of blue with green for a natural, watery palette. Add gray for understated elegance.

Sky blue and robin's egg blue, especially when combined with neutral light brown, tans, or beige are environmentally friendly color combinations.

Throw in a dash of blue to cool down a hot red or orange scheme. Grab attention with the contrast of blue and yellow.

These blue color palettes feature shades of blue combined with gray, orange, peach, purple, and earthy browns as well as palettes with multiple blues.

This selection of Dark Blue Color Palettes feature 2, 3, 4, and 5 color combinations centered around dark shades of blue such as Navy, Dark Slate Blue, and Dark Cyan.

The use of blue in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good blue True blue - someone loyal and faithful Out of the blue - unexpected (could be positive or negative) Blue ribbon - first rate, top prize Blueblood - person of noble birth, royalty Bluestocking - well-read or scholarly woman Bluebook - register of socially prominent people The Blues (capitalized) - popular style of music sometimes characterized by melancholy melodies and words Baby blues - Blue eyes (also see Bad blue words) Bad blue Feeling blue - feeling sad or depressed Blue devils - feelings of depression The blues (not capitalized) - depression, state of sadness Blue Monday - feeling sad Baby blues - post-partum depression Singing the blues - bemoaning one's circumstances Blue laws - laws originally intended to enforce certain moral standards Blue language - profanity Bluenose - puritanical individual Into the blue - entering the unknown or escape to parts unknown Out of the blue - unexpected (could be positive or negative)

Blue Words: These words are synonymous with blue or represent various shades of the color blue.

Sapphire, azure, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal, sky blue, baby blue, robin's egg blue, cyan, cornflower blue, midnight blue, slate, steel blue, Prussian blue.


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Purple Color Meanings

Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.

Pantone has selected the color Blue Iris (PANTONE 18-3943) as the 2008 Color of the Year telling us: "Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement."

The use of purple in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good purple Purple cow - something remarkable, eye-catching, unusual Purple prose - exaggeration, highly imaginative writing (also has negative connotations) Bad purple Purple speech - profanity, raunchy language Purple prose - exaggeration, colorful lies Purple haze - state of confusion or euphoria, possibly drug-induced, specific type of potent cannabis (marijuana), specific type of LSD

Purple Words: These words are synonymous with purple or represent various shades of the color purple.

Violet, plum, lavender, lilac, puce, thistle, orchid, mauve, magenta, royal, amethyst, wine, pomegranate, eggplant, mulberry.


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The Meaning of the Color Green

Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment. On the flip side, green is jealousy or envy (green-eyed monster) and inexperience.The use of green in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good green Green light - go, permission to proceed (with a task) The green room - in theater or televisions it is the room where performers and guests go to relax Green thumb - good with plants Greenback - US dollar bill, money Greener pastures - something newer or better (or perceived to be better), such as a new job Bad green Green-eyed monster - jealosy Green with envy - jealous or envious Green - inexperienced, untested, untrained Greenhorn - novice, trainee, beginner Green around the gills - pale, sickly

Green Words: These words are synonymous with green or represent various shades of the color green.

Emerald, sea green, seafoam, olive, olive drab, pea green, grass green, apple, mint, forest, lawn green, lime, spring green, leaf green, aquamarine, beryl, chartreuse, fir, kelly green, pine, moss, jade, sage, sap, viridian.


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Thursday, November 18, 2010

Yellow Color Meaning

Yellow is sunshine. It is a warm color that, like red, has conflicting symbolism. On the one hand it denotes happiness and joy but on the other hand yellow is the color of cowardice and deceit. The use of yellow in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good yellow Yellow ribbon - hope, support, remembrance Mellow yellow - laid back, relaxation Bad yellow Yellow or Yellow streak or Yellow-bellied - cowardice or coward Yellow journalism - irresponsible reporting

Yellow Words: These words are synonymous with yellow or represent various shades of the color yellow.

Lemon, yellow ocher, golden, saffron, cream, topaz, mellow yellow.


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Color Meanings

Color combinations Use the color wheel as a starting point for mixing and matching colors.

J. BearColors are more than a combination of red and blue or yellow and black. They are non-verbal communication. Colors have symbolism and color meanings that go beyond ink. As you design brochures, logos, and Web sites, it is helpful to keep in mind how the eye and the mind perceive certain colors and the color meanings we associate with each color.

Physical and Cultural Color Reactions
Sometimes colors create a physical reaction (red has been shown to raise blood pressure) and at other times it is a cultural reaction (in the U.S. white is for weddings, in some Eastern cultures, white is the color for mourning and funerals). Colors follow trends as well. Avocado, a shade of green, is synomous with the 60s and 70s in the minds of some consumers.

Color Relationships
In addition to understanding color meanings, it helps with mixing and matching colors to know the relationship of adjacent, harmonizing, contrasting, and complementary colors. The subject is more fully explained in this Color Basics article. But below is a brief synopis: Adjacent or harmonizing colors appear next to each other on the color wheel. Harmonizing colors often work well together but if too close in value they can appear washed out or not have enough contrast. A harmonizing trio could be something like blue, light blue, and cyan or perhaps red, orange, and yellow. Contrasting colors are separated from each other by other colors -- they come from different segments of the color wheel. The further apart, the more the contrast. Red (from the warm half of the color wheel) contrasts with green and blue (from the cool half of the color wheel). Shades of purple contrast with shades of green. Contrasting colors that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel may be described as clashing colors -- see the description for complementary. Despite the name, colors that clash are not always a bad combination if used carefully. They provide great contrast and high visibility. Complementary colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel -- they are each half of a pair of contrasting colors. For example, blue is a complementary color to yellow. Green is complementary to purple and magenta. A pair of complementary colors printed side by side can sometimes cause visual vibration (clash) making them a less than desirable combination. However, separate them on the page with other colors and they can work together. Note the spelling. These are not complimentary colors. They don't always flatter (compliment) one another but they do complete (complement) each other.

On each of the cool, warm, mixed, and neutral pages are links to profiles of specific groups of colors with descriptions of their nature, cultural color meanings, how to use each color in design work, and which colors work best together.

On the next few pages we'll explore the color meanings of four different groups of colors. Cool Color Meanings (calming): Blue, Green, Turquoise, Silver Warm Color Meanings (exciting): Red, Pink, Yellow, Gold, Orange Mixed Cool/Warm Color Meanings: Purple, Lavender, Green, Turquoise Neutral Color Meanings (unifying): Brown, Beige, Ivory, Gray, Black, WhiteOr, jump directly to each of these colors to explore their nature, cultural color meaning, language, and which colors work well together. See how many others share your color preference.
Red | Green | Gold | Turquoise | Blue | Purple | Pink | Black | Orange | Yellow
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Funny Print Ads

These are some wonderfully funny (and in some cases just plain silly and/or icky) print ads. Enjoy. 50 Creative and Hilarious Print Ads for Inspiration (found via @nelson_design)

And more fun that's also inspirational: It's Friday and that means Layer Tennis.


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