Hue Are You?

In 2002 I had my first solo adventure to the west coast. The most memorable parts of the trip were a run through Golden Gate Park , a road trip on the PCH and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art . I fell for Rothko . Something about his color selections, the way they were blended and the proportions moved me. It wasn’t until after that expedition that I wanted to understand the why behind color and its impact on our world.

“In the color spectrum, blue light waves are shorter waves and are referred to as ‘cool’, whereas red waves are longer and seen as ‘warm’”. -Professor Nancy Stone, Missouri University

“Women are more attracted to men wearing red.” -Journal of Experimental Psychology

“Sports teams that wear red are more likely to win. The effect seems to result from an innate association between the color red and dominance. Red is a badge of status in many species.” -Professor Russell Hill, Durham University

“Blues are typically well liked because people like clear skies and clean water. They dislike greenish brown because of its negative associations.” -Professor Stephen Palmer, UC-Berkeley

The article containing the research briefs also gives cues on how to use hues to your advantage. Use colors considered stimulating, like reds and oranges, in areas you want people to be social or when you need to feel empowered or confident. Colors that are calming, like blues and greens should be used when you need to relax or want to feel good. Play with color and find which colors work best for you. Worth a listen: this story from NPR on how seeing red and blue affects the outcome of tasks.