Week #5, Colour and painting

Color plays an important role when trying to express emotions in artwork such as a painting. This is because we tend to match certain colors to certain emotions even though emotions are not visual and don't have colors. For example if you were to pick a color to express happiness what would it be? Probably yellow. If you were trying to make a peaceful and calming painting would you use vibrant colors and Lots of red. Probably not.
                 So, I researched and learned how different Colors can mean different emotions:


                                                             Colors and emotions
Black.
Black is the color of mystery, but it also symbolizes the darkest feelings: grief, despair, and sorrow. Just as black can't get any darker, these feelings can't get any deeper. Black is also the color of domination and isolation. It can be used to hide how you really feel.

 

Grey
Grey is the color of neutrality, dullness, apathy and even depression.
Because it's neither dark nor bright, grey can symbolize the fear of choosing a side. Grey is not as dark or sorrowful as black, but can symbolize tiredness of not feeling anything at all.
On the other hand, grey can symbolize stability and rationality when put next to vibrant colors.

 


Red
Red is the color of energy, passion and ambition, but also desire and love. It symbolizes fierce feelings of determination. Red is about feeling "with all your heart", be it love or anger. However, red can also mean danger and anxiety.

 

Orange
Orange is a calmer type of red. It symbolizes joy, and optimism. Orange can also be about motivation, but not the fierce determination like red. It expresses cooperation, extrovert energy and the power of working together.



Brown
Brown can symbolize different things. Some think of it as a dirtiness and foulness like the ground. However, brown tones can add a warming effect to your artwork. Brown can symbolize stability, comfort and can sometimes give a warming feeling, picture it like a warm cup of hot cocoa. Brown is also the color of chocolate, who doesn't like chocolate!? :)

 

White.
White can be considered a default color. It symbolizes spiritual purity, light, perfection and innocence. White can make paintings less overwhelming, every color can be neutralized by adding white, it can add a pastel effect making everything calmer. White is the color of enlightenment balance, and spiritual awakenings.



Yellow
Yellow is the color of enthusiasm, happiness and cheerfulness (I bet you guessed that!). Yellow is one of the brightest colors and symbolizes optimism and brightens everything put next to it. However, yellow can also mean stubbornness and cowardice.



Green.
Green is the color of youthfulness, balance, calm and safety. Green is often used to represent natural growth, and nature which can also mean the symbol of life and spirit. However green also has negative menaings such as jealousy..

 

Blue
Blue is the color of wisdom, loyalty, rationalism, and stability. It symbolizes calm, faith, and trust and can be associated with introversion. Using blue in paintings can give a calming affect to your paintings. Blue is often used to express sadness as well.

 


Purple
Purple is the color of magic, and mystery. It can symbolize creativity, independence, flow, spirituality and imagination. Purple is also referred to as the color symbolizing royalty. Purple also represents pride and narcissism.

Pink.
Pink is the color of recklessness, being silly and immature. But it is also the color of kindness, caring, gentleness, love and joy. Pink is a fun colour that can represent 'quiet feelings' as well as being detached from reality
                                       
                                     

Now that we've gone over the colors we can use in our paintings, what exactly are we going to paint and how can it express our emotions?
Start by thinking about the emotion you'd like to express in your painting. How does that emotion make you feel? How would you describe what goes on in your mind when you feel this emotion?
For example grief from loosing a loved one.
When I have felt grief, I felt sorrowful and upset. I constantly visual the happiest memories I have shared with them and get upset when I realize that I wont be able to see them ever again. If I were to Turn grief into a painting, I'd likely draw the happiest memory I've shared with my lost one and paint with colors such as grey, blue or black to express sad emotions such as sorrow, depression or sadness to express the fact that the memories are fading.
To express happiness, and life, you can paint nature with yellow fall leaves and sunlight peaking through the treetops. To express joy and fun you can draw desserts! Because who doesn't get joyful by the thought or desserts!
To express emotions, you can also use symbolism, or draw how the emotion feels physically. For example, stress can feel like your constantly carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders and cant get anywhere.

 Anyways, As you can see, There are many different emotions you can try and express in your artwork. I can go on for hours! Now that you know how you can use color and some ways to express you feelings, why don't you try it for yourself!


Thanks for reading this blog post! I hope it was helpful! See you soon :)

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