When my art students are ready to make the transition from grayscale to color, I introduce them to the color wheel. I ask them to create as many colors as possible, make marks on a piece of paper with each color, and then write down an emotion, feeling, or meaning they associate with it. This simple exercise can prepare them for the expressive possibilities of modern and postmodern art, where color becomes much more than a way of representing what we see.
But does color have a language of its own?
The German writer and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe believed there was a universal language of color. His theories suggested that colors could produce certain emotional and psychological responses. Later scientific research challenged the idea that these associations were universal, showing that our responses to color are influenced by personal experiences, culture, and environment.
While it may be difficult to establish an absolute language of color, what about an environmental or relative language of color?
Consider the color red. To some, it might represent blood, danger, anger, or even a communist flag. But place red next to white and blue, and suddenly you have the colors of the American or French flag, possibly communicating patriotism, freedom, or national identity. The meaning changes depending on the relationship between the colors and the context in which they appear.
Nature and the environment also have their own influence on our perception of color. When pop artist David Hockney moved from the foggy, gray atmosphere of London to sunny Southern California, he was fascinated by the brilliant colors of the landscape. The blue skies, bright sunlight, swimming pools, and colorful architecture became important elements in his paintings. His environment helped shape his artistic language.
In my own work, I often associate blue with a clear sky, peace, and tranquility. Yet that same blue can represent sadness, loneliness, or emotional depression. Red, on the other hand, strikes me as something darker and more intense. I associate it with blood, fire, passion, and anger. These associations influence the colors I choose when creating expressive artwork.
This is where color becomes particularly interesting to the artist. We don't necessarily have to paint the sky blue or the grass green. We can choose colors according to our emotions, experiences, and the statements we want to make. A red sky might suggest danger or anger, while a blue portrait might communicate sadness rather than the actual appearance of the person being painted.
In this sense, color is both personal and environmental. It can communicate through cultural symbols, natural surroundings, emotional associations, and relationships with other colors. Its meaning is not always fixed, and that is precisely what makes it such a powerful artistic tool.
If you can see where I'm going with this, get out your paints, experiment with the color wheel, and discover what different colors mean to you. Try combining them, changing their surroundings, and observing how their meanings change.
Learn the lingo. Develop your own vocabulary. Whether personal, cultural, environmental, or relative, color is a language every artist can explore.
And the wonderful thing about this language is that you don't always need words to express yourself.
by Dan and Bonkers
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