Colour psychology symbolism

Here’s a little from a long conversation between Grisburga and myself where we started to talk about colour psychology symbolism and the psychological impact of colours on the brain. I remembered a course that I’d taken years ago about using colour as a psychological symbol. I didn’t have any notes to refer to at the time, but I’ve had a good forage around since I spoke with Grisburga and discovered some of my long-forgotten hand-written notes (I never throw anything like this away as I know someday, someone will want to know more…) which I thought you might find interesting.

Colour as a psychological symbol

There are 4 types of colours that affect the brain:

1. those that stimulate
2. those which seem charged with high energy or power
3. those which are associated with the retention of impulse
4. those which are drained of intensity

Isn’t it amazing how these patterns of four keep popping up everywhere!

1. Stimulant colours

These are strident colours at full intensity and often express flair and freedom. Examples are primrose yellow, magenta, lime green, and sky blue. For instance, according to Lüscher, magenta is a peak stimulus red, most often a sign of ostentation – for example, a symbol of seduction, coquetry, panache or ritualistic display. It can also symbolise subtle powers of discrimination and / or aesthetic abilities. For children magenta has been said to express a magical state of enchantment and wish fulfillment.

2. Power colours

These colours are charged with high energy and power and often express confidence and achievement. Examples are orange, blood red, emerald green, and royal blue. For instance, deep yellows, or orange yellows, have the ‘advancing’ qualities of red and the ‘radiant’ qualities of yellow. Together, their high stimulus and radiance make them apt for expressions of energetic, and especially erotic, activities.

3. Restraint colours

These are associated with the retention of impulse and are often self-reflective. Examples are citrine, burgundy, jade, and turquoise. For example, the greenish blues add together the blue of idealisation with the green symbol of the self-core. Self-reflective and self-expressive colours (according to Lüscher), they can suggest conceit and narcissism (according to Birren). They have been recognised as a sign of self-consciousness in children’s’ paintings.

4. Subdued colours

These are drained of intensity and are relaxed and familiar.Examples are sandstone, terracotta, olive, and denim blue. For example, rich, humid and mature green shades, as of over-ripe fruit, such colours are reflectors of sensuous satisfaction (according to Lüscher) and symbolise satiety or satisfaction, perhaps even resting on your laurels.

Which personality type are you?

So which one of these four types do you identify with most?

1. Stimulant – primrose yellow, magenta, lime green, and sky blue
2. Power – orange, blood red, emerald green, and royal blue
3. Restraint – citrine, burgundy, jade, and turquoise
4. Subdued – sandstone, terracotta, olive, and denim blue

Which group of colours do you prefer?

Because each one of them relates to a specific colour personality type. You can easily discover which of the 4 colour personality types you are by taking the colour psychology quiz which comes as an integral part of my Colour Psychology course and my Colour Analysis Training in a Box program.

But if you want to know more than that?

You may be looking for something more in depth, like this lovely lady from the US – Puttiburga emailed me – “Kim, I’ve been working as a color consultant for 17 years. I am sorry I didn’t train with you but I didn’t know about you then! I would really like to add color personality in my consultations. Can I buy your quiz separately, or do I need to purchase Colour Analysis Training in a Box?”

Dear Puttiburga, You don’t necessarily need Colour Analysis Training in a Box. My Colour Psychology course was designed especially for an experienced consultant like you. And yes, it also contains the colour quiz (and answers) that will get you started immediately.

I may have mentioned before that I introduce the 4 colour personality types – Yellow, Blue, Green and Red – in the Colour Psychology course and in Colour Analysis Training in a Box, one of my signature training programs. Both include a questionnaire (and answers) that you should test out on yourself first before unleashing it on your other half, parents, children, friends, work colleagues, and clients. If you’re an established image consultant, you could then easily add colour personality as an extra, super-duper, added-value service for your clients. Think of the benefits:

• they get to find out more about their own personality and who they are
• you discover more about your clients so you can create bespoke, better services for each individual
• you make more money
• everyone wins!