Color Theory/Emotional Effects

1.
Color has a very strong effect on our emotions without us even realizing it. We sometimes recognize emotion because of the color displayed. Color and the effect on our emotions are said to be cultural. In America we recognize red with love, and joy...but it can also explain hate and anger. We see blue as calming, sad, or depressing. Yellow is generally happy. Depending on the culture you were brought up in determines how you feel when looking at certain colors. In America red and green bring joy because we recognize them as Christmas colors, but for Van Gogh in Europe the red and green expressed tense environments  In art many times we separate the colors we see into the warm and cool colors, which reflect directly on our emotions, the reds-happy, the blues-sad. Artists also display their emotions through the colors they include in their paintings. (ex. Van Gogh combined harsh color combinations to display his hatred) Not only do they display their emotion in the paint, the paint brings our their emotion.

2.
The theoretical aspect of color that most fascinates me are color harmonies. Color harmonies usually only include a few colors within a single composition. I think color harmonies bring out the emotions in the art work. Color harmonies and emotions go hand in hand in the art world. When using color harmonies it is all about how the colors are going to react with each other, the same way we look at art to express feelings. When looking at art we are influenced by how we feel based on the colors that are included, the ability to blend and use these colors brings out our emotions. I also think that artists use color harmonies to express themselves, an artist who paint in monochromatic harmonies and only in blue may be painting to release stress, to calm oneself, or to calm their audience. Color harmonies fascinate me so much because of this connection to the emotional aspect of art.

3.
In the color video the biggest impact on me in regards to color and emotion was the fact that colors reflect on each other. Colors reflect on each other, producing stronger or lighter colors. Color reflect off each other in paintings, just as they do in the real world. Since colors reflect on each other they have the ability to keep the painting alive. The colors work together, we don't see just one color, we see many different ones, even if they are the same color. Through the reflection we can see these same colors differently. Going along with this idea that colors reflect on each other, I found the fact that paintings can be changed by just one color very interesting. When looking at a picture one color can make the painting fall apart or pull it together. It's not how much of that one color you use, but how it reflects off the other colors and portrays different colors that way.

4.
In the feelings video the biggest impact on me in regards to color and emotion was the development of Renaissance era. Renaissance means rebirth, which is what happened to art during that time period. Art took a change of perspectives, from faith to reason. Through this change of reason released feelings. I like the creation of this period because it's when artists began to develop ideas as to why use certain shapes, and colors. These shapes and colors were now being used to evoke their audiences emotions and feelings. I think the Renaissance and Enlightenment period had the greatest influence on art because artists were finally developing art based on their feelings, and their audiences feelings.