history of graphic design

SYMBOL: HOW & WHAT THEY COMMUNICATE

Symbols have been used to show ownership, group affiliations and to signify who made a particular object. They convey direct information or can carry quiet subliminal messages.

A Symbol Primer

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1. Pictograms These images represent an idea or concept. Chinese is a written language comprised of 50,000 pictograms. Pictograms are useful for conveying information through a common "visual language" which is understood regardless of your native language or degree of literacy.	2. Phonograms A Phonogram is a graphic character or symbol that represents a spoken sound, or a combination of letters that represent a sound.	3. Rebus Picture images that represent a spoken sound. The rebus, which is mostly used for amusement today, was an important link in the development of the phonetic alphabet during the period of Egyptian hieroglyphics. (Milton Glaser)
4. Ideogram An ideogram is a character or symbol representing an idea or a thing without expressing the pronunciation of a particular word or words for it. Above, an ideogram demonstrates the perils of tipping a vending machine, below, a request to not smoke in a specific area.	5. Coat of Arms & Family Crest Originally signifiers of birth or hometown, coats of arms were worn on the crest of a helmet or chest armor for identity in battle. As the image was moved to other objects it first retained the helmet as part of the composition (see above where the deer stands) Eventually the image moved off of the helmet and chest plate and onto banners, dinnerware, etc. Now they appear on items ranging fromiautomobiles to web sites, or on any application that wishes to imply regal lineage or status.		6. Monogram Greek for 'single line.' In early European kingdoms illiterate monarchs signed documents with custom monograms. Today a designer's monogram can add status to an everyday object and add value to the price.

Trademark Pioneers: Symbols of Ownership or Product Origin

7. Trademarks | Brands During the Middle Ages European trade guilds began using marks to signify who made a specific product. The term "hallmark" came from the marks by artisans in the guild silver "hall" in London. Terms such as ear mark and branding have origins in the practice of farmers establishing ownership of their animals with cuts or marks on their skin. 8. Logotype Typography as the symbol form	In 1903 the Vienna Workshops, a co-operative of artisans, started producing items that merged pure and applied arts to combat the poor quality of mass production. By 1913 they registered their Weiner Werkstatte trademark. The mark was applied to furniture, fabrics, lamps, cards, and jewelry to authenticate their items. Any single product could carry the individual marks of several artists and designers as well as the Werkstatte studio symbol.	9. Printer's Marks (devices) Early European printers often used the combined images of the orb and the cross which symbolized the earth and Christianity. Another often repeated printer's mark originated with Aldus Manutius' Anchor & Dolphin which embodied his motto " Make Haste Slowly." Both marks have been used repeatedly for centuries by other printers looking for affiliation.	For a complete history of symbols read "Marks of Excellence, The History and Taxonomy of Trademarks," Per Mollerup, Phaidon Press, New York.

Trademark Pioneers

10. Peter Behrens (1868–1940) In 1907 Behrens designed this trademark for the German electric company, AEG. It was uniformly applied to all print graphics, buildings and products in the first complete corporate identity scheme.	11. Raymond Lowey Know as the father of modern industrial design, Lowey also designed many enduring trademarks. He streamlined and simplified his work acccording to his mantra, MAYA (most advanced, yet acceptable)What is he trying to say with the Nabisco symbol?	12. Paul Rand It was in the area of corporate identity design that Rand achieved his highest recognition. Catch this exhibit of his work at the University of Baltimore Maryland: Paul Rand, Modernist Design in Context. Oct 16 - Dec 13. To see a gallery of Rand logos go here.	"It reminds me of the Georgia chain gang,” quipped the IBM executive, when he first eyed the striped logo. Rand's IBM design exemplifies one of his credos of design, timelessness.

Symbols Developed for Information

13. Isotypes "Words Divide, Pictures Unite." The International System of Typographic Picture Education was developed from the logical-positivist theories of Otto Neurath (1920 -1945). His "world language without words" hoped to enhance education and international understanding. ..there was what the Isotype group called the Transformer: principally Marie Neurath(née Reidemeister) and Friedrich Bauermeister. The transformer was the real designer of Isotype work: the one who gave visual form to the material being worked on.	Gerd Arntz an activist artist who embraced the same socialist ideals as Neurath. Arntz created over 4,000 symbols for Neurath's Isotype team in clean graphic styles that set the tone for future symbol designers.	14 Otl Aicher German Munich Olympics, 1972 The pictograph system he and his team devised for the Munich Olympics and the Frankfurt Airport is now the international standard. His Olympic symbols (right) set a new standard for reductionism and clarity in 1972, the era of the "International Style." With an intense interest in the communicative power of symbols that could be universally recognized, Aicher and his team developed a cohesive set of nearly 180 pictograms for sporting events as well as services through a strict orthogonal and diagonal square grid, where all visual elements were arranged at 90 and 45 degrees. The sum of all the work amounted to a very precise and structured identity with just the right amount of warmth.(From speak up website) See the new Olympic Pictograms for the Peking Olympics 2008.
15. Henry Dreyfuss Industrial designer Dreyfuss advocated for symbols to replace words on control panels to enhance safety and clarity. In 1972 Dreyfuss and his staff codified and published graphic symbols from throughout the world for a unified frame of reference.		16. AIGA Transportation Symbols Dreyfuss urged the AIGA and the IDSARoger Cook & Don Shanosky and offered copyright free to encourage universal adoption. You can download them for free on the AIGA website. to convince the US Department of Transportation to implement a well designed system of passenger and pedestrian symbol signs. A committee studied and standardized dozens of symbols which were drawn by	Samples of the D.O.T. symbols 1974

Digital Symbol Pioneers

17. William Golden Designing for CBS Broadcasting, Golden created the first symbol that was deliberately considered for how it would look on a screen.Golden's original inspiration came while he was driving through Pennsylvania Dutch country, where he became intrigued by the hex symbols resembling the human eye drawn on Shaker barns to ward off evil spirits. He also came across a drawing in a Shaker art book from the 1850s that also looked like an eye. With the help of graphic artist Kurt Weiss, the first Eye logo was drawn.	18. Susan Kare The visual language of point-and-click computing came to life in the imagination of Susan Kare, a fine arts curator hired by Apple in 1983 to design the look and feel of the Macintosh interface. Her whimsical, easy-to-grok icons tempted even nontechies to pick up a mouse, and her sleek screen fonts — with jet-set names like Geneva and Monaco — launched the first wave of elegant digital typography. Now see her work on her site http://www.kare.com	19. Interbrand's new logo for xerox considers the internet and animation..."They wanted a logo that would work as well on the Internet and on a fast-moving bike as it does in print or on television. Xerox is a sponsor of the Ducati Xerox World Superbike Team. "The Internet, sponsorships, all kinds of 3D icons - none of that existed when Xerox adopted its old logo," said Maryann Stump, senior director of brand strategy for Interbrand. "And you can do animation with a symbol that you just can't do with a wordmark."	The Xerox/Interbrand team settled on lowercase letters because they seemed friendlier, and on a deeper red and a thicker font, to stand out better on the Web and on high-definition television. They chose a ball to suggest forward movement and "a holistic company" Stump said. They also devised a series of variously-colored "connectors" - swirled lines, reminiscent of the ribbons used to connote support for AIDS and breast cancer research - that Xerox will etch on conference rooms at its new headquarters in Norwalk, Connecticut, and that it will use to connect images and text in commercials & advertisements. International Herald Tribune

Symbols and Cultural Mismatches

20. Religious Interpretations The Red Cross logo,other world religions. " The Red Crystal is a compromise designed to break a deadlock over the admission of Israel as a full member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and would allow countries with mixed populations to replace the cross or crescent with a more neutral symbol." designed in 1963, cannot be used in Muslim countries due to its connotation of Christianity. The red cross will soon be changed to the the red diamond, an acceptable symbol for Christian, Muslim. Jewish and	The Red Cross, the Red Crescent ... and now the Red Crystal.	21. Perception of Skull and Crossbones "Research indicates that the old skull and crossbones used in the past to identify poisons had little meaning for the children in the 20th century. Pirate symbols have been exploited in movies, cartoons, commercial products and amusement parks to denote happy, exciting things like pirates and adventure.""In a university-conducted testing program, children at daycare centers were shown six symbols which were affixed to identical bottles of mouthwash often found in family homes. The symbols included a red stop sign, the skull and crossbones, and four others. At the beginning of the test, each child was told that he might find bottles like these at home and was asked to identify any bottle he might not like to play with." From the Washington Poison Center web site	" The symbol that proved to be least attractive to the children was Mr. Yuk." Mr. Yuk was developed for, and is distributed by, the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
	The compromise plan was discussed during six years of negotiations brokered by the Swiss government. Its adoption requires approval by two-thirds of the 192 signatories to the Geneva Convention. We live in a period where these symbols are taking on very strong connotations and very divisive ones." Like the designers of euro bank notes, which feature nondescript images of bridges, arches and other monuments, officials at the Red Cross believe that by selecting a symbol devoid of any apparent historical reference, controversy can be avoided."

Symbols and Branding

22. Branding / Rebranding Rebranding is the process by which a product or service developed with one brand, company or product line affiliation is marketed or distributed with a different identity. This may involve radical changes to the brand's logo, brand name, image, marketing strategy, and advertising themes. These changes are typically aimed at the repositioning of the brand/company, usually in an attempt to distance itself from certain negative connotations of the previous branding, or to move the brand upmarket.	Poland--how a country gets rebranded. Last year, Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs hired DDB Corporate Profiles, a branch of the global agency DDB, to design a logo that could be used to promote tourism and trade. This summer, the company unveiled its design: a red-and-white kite whose tail is held by a dancing stick figure that doubles as the K in the word ''Polska.'' The Polska lettering is thick, red and curvaceous, a nod to the emblem of the Solidarity movement. The red-and-white design on the kite is a four-square checkered pattern, reminiscent of the emblem on Polish warplanes."A dancing group of people flying a kite with Poland's colors' has taken the place of protesters carrying a bloody flag."	23. Carolyn Davidson Based upon art student Carolyn's $35 interpretation of the wings of Nike in 1971, the swoosh was once the emblem of youth and athleticism but now has an unfortunate association with corporate greed.	24. Anti-Branding Black Spot Sneaker Campaign The world’s first global anti-brand created by Adbusters magazine. "The world's most ethical shoes" Blackspot campaign was born almost three years ago when we decided to stop merely criticizing the status quo and actually do something about it. It was born on the back of Nike, capturing the attention of the global media as a lively attack on the brand idolatry and sweatshop production methods of that multinational. Encouragingly, over 25,000 people are now wearing Blackspot shoes. Visit them at Black Spot Price $115.00
Kaz Bascik	Wojciech Mierowski

http://www.designhistory.org/

COLOUR MEANING

Color Meaning

Red

Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love.

Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility, which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted red. In heraldry, red is used to indicate courage. It is a color found in many national flags.

Red brings text and images to the foreground. Use it as an accent color to stimulate people to make quick decisions; it is a perfect color for 'Buy Now' or 'Click Here' buttons on Internet banners and websites. In advertising, red is often used to evoke erotic feelings (red lips, red nails, red-light districts, 'Lady in Red', etc). Red is widely used to indicate danger (high voltage signs, traffic lights). This color is also commonly associated with energy, so you can use it when promoting energy drinks, games, cars, items related to sports and high physical activity.

Light red represents joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, and love.
Pink signifies romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness.
Dark red is associated with vigor, willpower, rage, anger, leadership, courage, longing, malice, and wrath.
Brown suggests stability and denotes masculine qualities.
Reddish-brown is associated with harvest and fall.

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Red : Energy, strength, passion, eroticism, cheerfulness, courage, element of fire, career goals, fast action, lust, desire, blood, vibrancy, driving forces, risk, fame, love, survival, war, revolution, danger, aggression, strength, power, determination, emotional intensity, sex, provoking, dynamic, stimulating, courage, bravery, good-tasting, force, leadership, drama, excitement, speed, heat, warmth, violence, attention, generosity, romance

Red stimulates metabolism, increases respiration rate, perspiration, appetite and raises blood pressure. Red is a strong masculine colour.

Red tends to promote images and text, making objects appear larger and closer, though less than yellow coloured objects. Bright red can be annoying if used over large areas and is useful as a iconic colour to encourage people to act quickly eg. on buy or click here buttons. An apetite stimulant, red is useful for promoting products associated with energy ... drinks, cars, sports and games.

Care is need using red in proximity with green ... as the old adage goes: 'Red and green should not be seen without something in between'.

Mixing bright blue and bright red is also not recommended ... the combination is very tiring on the eye.

Light red : joy, sexuality, passion, sensitivity, love, indecision
Dark red : willpower, rage, wrath, tenseness, vigour, anger, leadership, courage, yearning, malice, wrath
Maroon : Yang, indecisiveness


European : Danger (stop signs), love (hearts), excitement (for sale signs)
China : Traditional bridal colour, good luck, celebration, happiness, joy, vitality, long life, summoning, the direction South. Chinese saying goes "when something is so red, it is purple" - red purple brings luck and fame.
Japan : life
India : Purity
Eastern : Joy (with white)
Hebrew : sacrifice, sin
Christian : sacrifice, passion, love
USA : Christmas (with green), Valentine's day (with white)
South Africa : Mourning
Australian aboriginals : the land, earth, ceremonial ochre
Cherokees : success
Hopi : the direction South
Romans : Red flag signified the onset of battle
Celtic : Death, afterlife
Feng Shui : Yang, Fire, good luck, money, respect, recognition, protection, vitality

Orange

Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow. It is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation.

To the human eye, orange is a very hot color, so it gives the sensation of heat. Nevertheless, orange is not as aggressive as red. Orange increases oxygen supply to the brain, produces an invigorating effect, and stimulates mental activity. It is highly accepted among young people. As a citrus color, orange is associated with healthy food and stimulates appetite. Orange is the color of fall and harvest. In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance.

Orange has very high visibility, so you can use it to catch attention and highlight the most important elements of your design. Orange is very effective for promoting food products and toys.

Dark orange can mean deceit and distrust.
Red-orange corresponds to desire, sexual passion, pleasure, domination, aggression, and thirst for action.
Gold evokes the feeling of prestige. The meaning of gold is illumination, wisdom, and wealth. Gold often symbolizes high quality.

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Orange : warmth, energy, balance, enthusiasm, vibrancy, vitality, expansiveness, flamboyance, excitement, business goals, property deals, ambition, career, goals, general success, justice, legal matters, selling, action, attention-grabbing, the sun, friendly, inviting, intense, joy, strength, endurance, steadfastness, tropics, quick movement, wealth of the mind and knowledge, charity, growing things, fascination, friendliness, happiness, beginnings, heat, creativity, autumn, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, courage, earth, mental and appetite stimulatant, emotional lift, assurance, social force, health, warmth, attractiveness, cheerfulness, mood-lightening, uninhibited, independence, amiability, constructiveness, self-assuredness, cheap, low-budget, fun kids colour, youth

In restaurants, as orange is an appetite stimulant, orange decor encourages sales. Less passionate than red, orange still increases oxygen supply to the brain, stimulating mental activity. Popular amongst youth.

Orange backgrounds help images seem closer and larger, but avoid over-use. Useful for highlighting important elements, promoting food products and toys.

"As we turned our sights to orange, substantial research (including the data gathered at The Global Color Survey at www.colormatters.com and the Pantone Consumer Color Preference Study® dated June 1996) documented that orange is one of Americans' least favorite colors. ... In 1991, Forbes called attention to orange's mundane associations in its December 23 article, 'Does orange mean cheap?' Yes, it does."4

Dark orange : autumn, deceit, distrust
Red orange : desire, sexuality, pleasure, domination, aggression, thirst for action
Bright orange : tangy citrus, health
Pale orange : apricot, coral, peach and melon are sophisticated

European : Autumn, creativity, harvest
Netherlands : Favourite colour (House of Orange)
Ireland : Protestants
USA : Halloween, cheap goods
Hinduism : Saffron (peachy orange) is a sacred color
Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, strengthens concentration, purpose, organization

Yellow

Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy.

Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy. Yellow is often associated with food. Bright, pure yellow is an attention getter, which is the reason taxicabs are painted this color. When overused, yellow may have a disturbing effect; it is known that babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow is seen before other colors when placed against black; this combination is often used to issue a warning. In heraldry, yellow indicates honor and loyalty. Later the meaning of yellow was connected with cowardice.

Use yellow to evoke pleasant, cheerful feelings. You can choose yellow to promote children's products and items related to leisure. Yellow is very effective for attracting attention, so use it to highlight the most important elements of your design. Men usually perceive yellow as a very lighthearted, 'childish' color, so it is not recommended to use yellow when selling prestigious, expensive products to men – nobody will buy a yellow business suit or a yellow Mercedes. Yellow is an unstable and spontaneous color, so avoid using yellow if you want to suggest stability and safety. Light yellow tends to disappear into white, so it usually needs a dark color to highlight it. Shades of yellow are visually unappealing because they loose cheerfulness and become dingy.

Dull (dingy) yellow represents caution, decay, sickness, and jealousy.
Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and joy.

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Yellow : sun, intelligence, light, accelerated learning, memory, logical imagination, social energy, cooperation, organisation, breaking mental blocks, sunshine, joy, happiness, intellect, energy, cheerfulness, optimism, purity, enthusiasm, warmth, honour, loyalty, mental force, clarity, perception, understanding, wisdom, dishonesty, betrayal, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, disease, weakness, caution, cowardice, follower, curiosity, mellowness, confidence, humour, dreams, creativity, desire to improve, action, idealism, optimism, imagination, hope, summer, philosophy, uncertainty, restlessness, glory, enlightenment

Yellow stimulates mental activity, generates muscle energy and attracts attention - it is the colour most visible to the human eye. Thus yellow objects move to the forefront. Students who study in yellow rooms do better in exams. Cheerful yellow can be used to promote food especially in combination with other fruit and vegetable tones, children's and leisure products and is best used as a highlight. With overuse, yellow can be disturbing and promote anxiety. Babies cry more in yellow rooms. Yellow against black denotes a warning ... the sting of the bee.

Yellow is not a practical colour to use when selling expensive items to men ... they perceive it as an untrustworthy and childish ... and avoid yellow if you wish to evoke safety and stability. Care is needed with shades of yellow as they can lose their warmth and appear dirty.

Dull yellow : caution, decay, sickness, jealousym aging
Light yellow : intellect, freshness, and joy
Ivory/cream : quiet, pleasantness, calm, understated elegance, purity, softness, more rich and warm than white

European : Hope, joy, happiness, hazards, cowardice, weakness, taxis
Asia : sacred, imperial
China : Nourishing, royalty
Egypt : Mourning
Japan : Courage
India : Merchants
Buddhism : wisdom
Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, auspicious, sunbeams, warmth, motion

Green

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green has strong emotional correspondence with safety. Dark green is also commonly associated with money.

Green has great healing power. It is the most restful color for the human eye; it can improve vision. Green suggests stability and endurance. Sometimes green denotes lack of experience; for example, a 'greenhorn' is a novice. In heraldry, green indicates growth and hope. Green, as opposed to red, means safety; it is the color of free passage in road traffic.

Use green to indicate safety when advertising drugs and medical products. Green is directly related to nature, so you can use it to promote 'green' products. Dull, darker green is commonly associated with money, the financial world, banking, and Wall Street.

Dark green is associated with ambition, greed, and jealousy.
Yellow-green can indicate sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy.
Aqua is associated with emotional healing and protection.
Olive green is the traditional color of peace.

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Green : earth mother, physical healing, monetary success, abundance, fertility, tree & plant magic, growth, food, hope, personal goals, resurrection, renewal, youth, stability, endurance, freshness, nature, environment, tranquil, refreshing, quiet, hope, immortality, health, healing, good luck, renewal, youth, jealousy, inexperience, trees, grass, vigour, growth, harmony, responsiveness, generosity, safety, envy, misfortune, quietude, compassion, renewal, moderation, nurturing, diplomacy, calm, contemplation, joy, love, abundance, balance, self-control, inexperience, hope, good omens, soothing, sharing, dependability, friendliness

Green lowers blood pressure, relaxes the nervous system, calms and soothes the mind, stimulates creativity, and is an appetite suppressant. Green is easy on the eye and can improve vision. Images set in green backgrounds seem farther away. Green is popular in most cultures.

Useful as a marketing colour for organic, healthy and natural 'green' products.

Dark green : money, ambition, greed, jealousy, heaviness, prestige, promotes concentration
Yellow-green/lime green : sickness, cowardice, discord, and jealousy, nausea - don't use this colour for promoting food products as it's an appetite depressant.
Olive green : peace
Avocado : 60s and 70s refridgerators
Blue greens : most accepted colour group across gender lines
China : Exorcism, green hats indicate a man's wife is cheating on him.
Japan : Life.

Islam : Hope - the cloak of the prophet was thought to be green, virtue - only those of perfect faith can wear green.
Ireland: Symbol of the entire country, Catholics
European/USA : Spring, new birth, go, safe, environmental awareness, Saint Patrick's Day, Christmas (with red)
USA : Money
Feng Shui : Yin, Wood, growing energy, refreshing, nurturing, balancing, harmony normalising, healing, health, peaceful, calming

Blue

Blue is the color of the sky and sea. It is often associated with depth and stability. It symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven.

Blue is considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect. Blue is strongly associated with tranquility and calmness. In heraldry, blue is used to symbolize piety and sincerity.

You can use blue to promote products and services related to cleanliness (water purification filters, cleaning liquids, vodka), air and sky (airlines, airports, air conditioners), water and sea (sea voyages, mineral water). As opposed to emotionally warm colors like red, orange, and yellow; blue is linked to consciousness and intellect. Use blue to suggest precision when promoting high-tech products.

Blue is a masculine color; according to studies, it is highly accepted among males. Dark blue is associated with depth, expertise, and stability; it is a preferred color for corporate America.

Avoid using blue when promoting food and cooking, because blue suppresses appetite. When used together with warm colors like yellow or red, blue can create high-impact, vibrant designs; for example, blue-yellow-red is a perfect color scheme for a superhero.

Light blue is associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.
Dark blue represents knowledge, power, integrity, and seriousness.

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Blue : good fortune, communication, wisdom, protection, spiritual inspiration, calmness, reassurance, gentleness, fluidity, water, sea, creativity, peace, calming, higher thoughts, mystery, sky, formality, travel, devotion, progress, quiet wisdom, freedom. betterment of humanity, love, trust, loyalty, intelligence, reassurance, artistry, compassion, inner strength, devotion, depression, sadness, tranquility, stability, unity, truth, understanding, confidence, acceptance, conservatism, security, cleanliness, order, comfort, cold, technology, devotion, harmony, depth, faith, heaven, piety, sincerity, precision, intellect, sadness, consciousness, speech, messages, ideas, sharing, cooperation, idealism, sincerity, empathy, relaxation, affection, inspiration, friendship, patience, contemplation, infinity, harmony, non-threatening, dependability

Some believe blue slows the metabolism and suppresses the appetite. As it does not require the eye to focus, images and objects recede in blue backgrounds. With overuse, can create feelings of cold. Although also popular with women, blue is the predominant favourite colour of males and is suited to web sites involving and promoting technology, medical products, cleanliness, air, sky, water, sea and automotives. Blue is the favourite colour of more than half of the world's people - it is the colour least disliked by most cultures.

High impact designs can be created with combinations of blue, red and yellow. Combinations of light and dark blues can create feelings of trust.
Pale Blue : ethereal, delicate, calming, health, healing, tranquility, understanding, softness

In combination with pinks and pale yellows, creates the image of spring.
Aqua : freshness, pristine, vigour, movement, dramatic, confidence, strength, individualism, eccentricity, humour, fearlessness, festivity

Royal Blue : richness, superiority, cold
Dark blue : depth, expertise, stability, credibility (especially with gold), intellect, wisdom, corporate colour, warmth, knowledge, power, integrity, seriousness, knowledge, health, decisiveness, law, order, logic, dependability, serenity

Combining dark and lighter shades of blue creates a conservative and sophisticated look.

European : soothing, "something blue" bridal tradition
Cherokees : defeat, trouble
Iran : mourning
China : immortality
Colombia : soap
Hinduism : the colour of Krishna
Judaism : holiness
Christianity : Christ's colour
Catholicism : colour of Mary's robe
Middle East : protection
Worldwide : 'safe' colour
Feng Shui : Yin, Water, calm, love, healing, relaxation, peace, trust, adventure, exploration

Purple

Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

According to surveys, almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors. Purple is a very rare color in nature; some people consider it to be artificial.

Light purple is a good choice for a feminine design. You can use bright purple when promoting children's products.

Light purple evokes romantic and nostalgic feelings.
Dark purple evokes gloom and sad feelings. It can cause frustration.

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Purple : influence, third eye, psychic ability, spiritual power, self assurance, hidden knowledge, dignity, high aspirations, royalty, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, sophistication, cruelty, arrogance, intuition, dreams, unconscious, invisible, telepathy, empathy, imagination, deja vu, universal spirit, spiritual connection, deeper truth, nobility, wealth, extravagance, dignity, independence, magic, creativity, energy, self-confidence, ego, ambition, fame, luxury, big profits, richness, sensuality, elegance, contemplation, meditation, majesty, lesbianism, Wicca, New Age spirituality, paganism, conceit, arrogance, nausea

Almost 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors, making bright purple effective for promotion of children's products. Light purple is useful for feminine designs. Excessive exposure to purple may cause people to become sullen, withdrawn and ill-at-ease with their surroundings. Purple is a polarising colour - people either love it or hate it.

Lavender : Yang, sexual indecision, malleability, romance, nostalgia, feminity
Dark purple : gloom, sadness, frustration, royalty, richness
Mauve : Yang, world consciousness
Violet : Meditation, creativity, concentration, quietness, creative force, beauty, inspiration, artistry, music, chivalrous love, excellence, ethereal, sensuality, responsibility, sacrifice
Blue purple : mystical
Red purple : sensual, quirky

Thailand : Mourning
European : Royalty
Catholicism : Mourning, death, crucifixion
Feng Shui : Yin, spiritual awareness, physical and mental healing

White

White is associated with light, goodness, innocence, purity, and virginity. It is considered to be the color of perfection.

White means safety, purity, and cleanliness. As opposed to black, white usually has a positive connotation. White can represent a successful beginning. In heraldry, white depicts faith and purity.

In advertising, white is associated with coolness and cleanliness because it's the color of snow. You can use white to suggest simplicity in high-tech products. White is an appropriate color for charitable organizations; angels are usually imagined wearing white clothes. White is associated with hospitals, doctors, and sterility, so you can use white to suggest safety when promoting medical products. White is often associated with low weight, low-fat food, and dairy products.

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White : spirituality, goddess, peace, higher self, purity, virginity, reverence, simplicity, cleanliness, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, sterility, cold, clinical, sterility, clarity, perfection, innocence, virginity, goodness, light, fairness, safety, positivity, faith, coolness, charity, successful innovations, union, self-sacrifice, holiness, feminine divinity, pristine, chastity, positivity

All white rooms can be uncomfortable with a stark atmosphere. White is useful for a background or accent colour as it highlights other colours. White is perceived by the eye as a brilliant colour.

White can indicate simplicity with high-tech products and safety and cleanliness with medical products.

European : Marriage, angels, hospitals, doctors, peace, milk Japan : Mourning, white carnation means death
China : Death, mourning
India : Unhappiness
Eastern : Funerals
Feng Shui : Yang, Metal, death, mourning, ancestal spirits, ghosts, poise, confidence

Black

Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery.

Black is a mysterious color associated with fear and the unknown (black holes). It usually has a negative connotation (blacklist, black humor, 'black death'). Black denotes strength and authority; it is considered to be a very formal, elegant, and prestigious color (black tie, black Mercedes). In heraldry, black is the symbol of grief.

Black gives the feeling of perspective and depth, but a black background diminishes readability. A black suit or dress can make you look thinner. When designing for a gallery of art or photography, you can use a black or gray background to make the other colors stand out. Black contrasts well with bright colors. Combined with red or orange – other very powerful colors – black gives a very aggressive color scheme.

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Black : protection, repelling negativity, binding, shapeshifting, power, sexuality, sophistication, formality, elegance, classy, wealth, power, mystery, fear, evil, anonymity, unhappiness, depth, style, evil, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, modern music, space, high quality, bad luck, formality, reservedness, dignity, elegance, secretiveness, fear of the unknown, night, emptiness, dirtiness, sophistication, strength of character, dramatic, authority, prestige, grief, anger, reliability, strong, classic, strength, anti-establishment, modernism, serious

. Black is an excellent technical colour and it assist targetting a sophisticated high-end market or a youth market to add mystery. Over a large area, black can be depressing. Though black backgrounds can enhance perspective and depth, they diminish readibility of text. Useful for web sites for art and photography to help other colours to vibrate.

European : Funerals, death, mourning, rebellion, cool, restfulness
China : Colour for young boys
Thailand : Bad luck, unhappiness, evil
Judaism : Unhappiness, bad luck, evil
Australian Aboriginals : colour of the people, ceremonial ochre
Feng Shui : Yin, Water, money, income, career success, emotional protection, power, stability, bruises, evil

Pink : Romance, love, friendship, femininity, truth, passivity, good will, emotional healing, peace, calming, affection, emotional maturity, caring, nurturing, sweet tasting, sweet smelling, ethereal, delicacy.

Pale pink : sweetness of youth, fragility
Vibrant pinks : high spirits, energy, youth
European : Feminine colour, baby girls
East India : Feminine colour
Japan : Popular with both sexes
Korea : trust
Feng Shui : Yin, love

Brown : friendships, special events, earth, materialistic thoughts, hearth, home, outdoors, inexpensive, reliability, credibility, comfort, endurance, stability, simplicity, comfort, longevity, intimacy, tranquility, masculine, nurturing, contentment, strength, sensuality, productivity, passivity, fertility, generosity, dirt, substance, practicality, hard work

Brown is too low key if used broadly without texture or another color to enhance it. Useful for promoting food and outdoor products for work and play.

Reddish-brown : harvest, autumn
Beiges and tans : Yang, sophistication, neatness, conceals emotion
Copper : passion, money goals, professional growth, business productivity, career moves
Coffee browns : sophistication, richness, robustness, panache

Colombia : discourages sales
Australian Aboriginals : colour of the land, ceremonial ochre
Feng Shui : Yang, Earth, industry, grounded

Gold : wealth, god, winning, safety, masculine power, happiness, playful humour, prestige, wisdom, love of spirit, meaning, purpose, awe, spiritual love, quests of the heart, desire for power, mystic powers, higher mathematics, sciences, attainment, concentration.

Gold and navy (credibility) are the best combination for selling to men and the second best for selling to women.

World-wide : Success, high quality, money
Feng Shui : Yang, Metal, God consciousness

Turquoise : calming, emotional healing, protection, refreshing, sophisticated

Turquoise is equally popular with men and women. Mixes well with pale pinks and lavenders for a feminine look. Create a retro scenario with turquoise and pink or art deco by combining it with white and black. Combined with grey, silver, terra cotta and tans, it produces a southwestern USA look. With orange or yellow, it creates an innovative, fresh image suitable for sports-oriented sites.5

Light Turquoise : feminine
Teal : sophisticated
Ancient Persians : warding off evil eye

Silver : glamous, distinguishment, high tech, industrial, graceful aging, telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, psychometry, intuition, dreams, astral energies, female power, communication, goddess, ornate riches, sleekness, modernity

To create a high-tech look, use silver with other colours. Silver works well combined with gold and white to promote a feeling of control and power.

Silver and other reflectors are strong eye attractors and are associated with life-giving water.

Feng Shui : Yin, Metal, trustworthiness, romance .
Grey : security, reliability, intelligence, staid, modesty, dignity, maturity, solid, conservative, practical, old age, sadness, boring, practicality, professional, sophisticated, durability, quality, quiet, conservativeness, gloominess, sadness
Feng Shui : Yin, Metal, dead, dull, indefinite

www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning
www.sibagraphics.com/colour.php