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Soothing greens and cool blues, aggressive reds and happy yellows, they all have an effect on our lives
Coloured for life
By Priyanwada Ranawaka and Renu Warnasuriya
We are all walking rainbows. Even before we are born we are assigned a colour. Pink for girls, blue for boys. A baby's world is a blur of colours. As children, we are simply fascinated by colour. As adults we are governed by it. From the very beginning of our lives, colour is omnipresent. It influences what we eat, what we wear, what we use and even how we live. Do we realise the effect it has on our lives?

" It's unbelievable what colour does to people," says Chandani Rajaratnam, Executive Creative Director of J. Walter Thompson, who firmly believes that no one will buy something in a colour they don't like. Without even realizing it people often make decisions based on colour.

"Most consumers prefer white soap over coloured soap because they feel it is milder on their skin," says Chandini. The psychological effects of colour are vitally important to advertisers as it signifies to whom you are speaking. Darker colours like blue and black are used mainly for men's products while a wider range is used for women’s products.

A variety of colours is used for packaging ladies’ perfumes, depending on the fragrance and the mood it wishes to create. Mild perfumes with flowery fragrances usually come in pastel colours, while the stronger more sensual kinds come in fiery colours like red.

When it comes to toiletries, green is the preferred choice. Since it is the colour associated with nature, most people feel the products are safer. But where did people get the notion that certain colours depict the quality of products? "It's an idea derived from what people associate with colours," says Chandani. Leaves are green, therefore everything green is connected to nature.

Picture a shelf full of cans. Amidst all the blacks and greys there is one red tin. Where would your hand go? It is only natural to reach out for the most striking colour. Advertisers sometimes use certain colours purely because they are " attention grabbing”. Using the wrong colours can change this message." Advertising is all about communication in which colour plays a big part," explains Chandani.

When shooting a commercial, "every minute colour is carefully decided upon," she adds. In a commercial for a baby product, for example, the directors would stick to mild colours, from the clothes of the mother and baby, right down to the soft toys in the background.

It seems colour has a two-way effect on us. On the one hand, it reflects one's mood while on the other, it affects it. Red is considered a colour that arouses certain feelings…. including hunger! Ever noticed that most restaurants and food commercials have a touch of red in them? Says Chandani, "Red complements food." It is known to be a hunger stimulant. The colour scheme of a restaurant gives you a taste of the food they have to offer.

"Colour is the most cost effective way to make change," says Arabinda Fernando, professional interior decorator and landscape artist. When decorating a home, a background study of the owners, enables him to select a suitable colour scheme." It all depends on individual taste," he says. And most people these days are moving out for colour.

Colour can create illusions of space and light and blending colours can achieve remarkable effects. Certain colours are commonly used for certain rooms, because of the mood they created. Red for instance, was always associated with dining, while blues and greens are used for bedrooms. Blending colour can also create an illusion of space and light but Arabinda feels that the ability to do so is "a gift".

The colour scheme of an office often depends on the type of profession. Certain greens and wood panelling are used for lawyers' offices, because they create a solid type of atmosphere. A high tech office should use blues as it creates a ‘techno look’. However red walls in an office are not advised, as red tends to aggravate people, he warns.
For dress designer Sonali White, the choice of colour is very individualistic, depending on personal taste and style. "The colour you wear has an effect on your outlook and confidence." When it comes to designing clothes, picking the right colour is vital, she says. It should suit the time of day, occasion, complexion, height and size of the person. Larger people for example should stick to dark colours, as they tend to conceal bulk while the more petite types can carry off floral prints.

Then again, the larger the print, the larger you look. Dark complexions look best in whites, golds and lilac, while oranges and reds suit tanned skin. If you are fair skinned however, black and other dark colours are ideal. While people should experiment with colours, it is important not to go overboard, says Sonali. "When wearing a bright colour, always neutralize, don't wear the colour from head to toe," she adds.

People often unconsciously wear a colour that reflects the mood they are in. If you are depressed and in a bad mood, it is very unlikely that you would wear orange. The colour you wear affects your mind too. Bright colours like red and orange, which Sonali refers to as ‘pick me up colours’ can cheer you up when you are 'feeling blue!'
Ever wondered why evening wear is generally black? Sonali feels it's because,” it's a safe bet for most people." Black is a colour most people can get away with. It is both elegant and easy to accessorise.

Artist Senaka Senanayake, describes himself as " a great believer of the psychological impact of colour." When doing contract paintings for hotels, he is particular about the colours he uses. A bedroom painting, for instance, must never have colours that reflect aggression or violence. " Negative colours give out negative vibrations," he says. No one would want to wake up to a dull, gloomy painting. When buying a painting for a house it is important to buy something positive and not something that would evoke negative feelings in the viewer." I want people to live with my art," says Senaka who focuses on positive art.

Senaka believes that most colour associations began with culture. He pointed out that while most ancient Buddhist art was made up of reds, yellows, blacks and whites, this was mainly because of the unavailability of other colours. Having stuck to the same colours throughout the years, people have learnt to associate these colours with Buddhism. Other colour associations are brought about commercially. " Commercials and media have made certain colours become something," he says. The abundance of red during the Valentine season has led people to associate love with the colour red.

Well known for his vibrant paintings, Senaka believes that people need to stop focusing on the negativity in the world and focus on positive things. Thus he consciously works on positive paintings, using warm, lively colours. “It is my reaction to all the negativity in the world," says Senaka.

An alumni of Yale University, Senaka has studied the psychological effects of colour and spoke of Josef Albers, ' The father of the colour theory'. " The same colour can be used to do different things," says Senaka explaining that a grey circle on a yellow background would be entirely different to a grey circle on a green background. This is because the two combinations bring out different qualities in the grey. Anybody can make a study of the different colour theories and use colour effectively, he believes.
Ever been in a perfectly normal room, but for some reason felt uneasy?

Maybe it was the colour. “It's a subconscious thing," says Senaka. Without you even realizing it the colour of a room, can affect your mood. We take it so much for granted and yet it affects us in a profound way at all levels. Try to imagine living in a colourless world with no blue sky, no red apples, no green grass, no colour TV. Like it or not colour is an integral part of life.

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