According to color psychology, colors can carry specific meanings. Αnd, the perception of color can cause evaluations automatically by the person perceiving. The colors in nature attract, distract, or avoid attention. And, we just follow and compromise with this rule in every aspect of our life. Thus, the colors that we choose to surround us, can tell things about our mood and our feelings.
Psychological tests and quizzes with colors
There are many psychological tests and quizzes that connect our color preferences with our current emotional and mental state. I made two tests yesterday. And, I find out how much “to the point” was their results were with my current living situation.
• The first quiz on ColorQuiz.com is partially based on research by Dr. Max Luscher during the early 1900’s http://www.colorquiz.com/index.php.
• The second test in TestColor.com by a team of psychologists and psychoanalysts acclaims that can generate over 50 million answers.
This “state of heart and mind” is inevitably reflected in every artistic creation through colors and forms, or through their absence. So, the successful usage of colors can become the key that would elevate every artistic expression whether this is; a painting, a statue, an installation, a photograph, etc. The photographer Wayne Turner writes in one of his interesting articles, Understanding Color in Photography, we think and feel with colors. That’s why only the appropriate color utilization can draw in the eye of the viewer.
The choices considering color usage that one will make during the process of the creation are many and complicated. There will be one dominant color or more? The colors will be bright and bold, dark and dense, or soft and pastel? The background will function as a contrast or in accordance with the main color of the theme? We take many of these decisions sub-consciousness, in the unreached spots of our minds.
Yet, it is true that identical compositions can look completely different when using different color palettes and hues. And, the harmony and the excellence may be achieved either randomly with the first instant attempt, or after a long post-processing experience of failing experiments and struggle.