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Which Colors Are the Most Controversial?

March 20, 2019 By Carol McIntyre

Are some colors more controversial than others? What do I mean by controversial colors?

I am referring to the colors that cause different, if not opposing, emotional and intellectual responses. Controversial colors evoke both positive and negative reactions either separately or simultaneously.

Which color is the one that comes to mind first when considering its positive and negative impact on viewers?

Most likely the first controversial color to come up is the color red.

Psychologically, red can symbolize love, sensuality, passion, energy and romance, whereas it can also convey hate, war, danger and fear.  For some of us, it is a color of agitation and for others is is more calming and not scary at all. The shape of the color can also have an impact. Hence, a color cannot be isolated when analyzing your perception of it, but needs to be considered within a context. Our life experiences also add to our different perceptions of color.

Fore example, in my painting Crimson Fusion, some viewers would perceive the red as drips of blood, whereas others, like myself, see it as energy breaking through to the next level — as if it is being set free. (I think I need to change the title of this painting, don’t you?)

color theory, controversial colors

The interpretations of this painting have been quite varied and I believe it is because of my use of red. Feel free to look within my portfolio of paintings to see my diverse colors schemes and explore your reactions to them based on the colors used.

The other color I believe is highly controversial is yellow. This may surprise some of you. Yellow is often considered the color of happiness, fun, warmth, the sun and child-like activities. Yet, it is also the color of caution — think of road signs — as well as illness. We love seeing yellow out in nature, but it is the least liked color within our homes and fashion. It can be a jarring color and is not considered calming. (I am referring to the more saturated yellows.) I have been told be gallery owners, that paintings with a lot of yellow in them do not sell as well as paintings with a small amount of yellow or no yellow at all.

What are your thoughts and reactions to the color yellow? What other color do you think is controversial? Orange perhaps? What are the possible positive and negative reactions to orange?

On the flip side of this discussion, which colors are the least controversial? I my opinion these would be blue, green and most purples. I would love to hear your thoughts. Please write them in the comment box below.

If you found this post interesting, please share it with others.

Colorfully and gratefully yours,

Carol

color mixing guide, color theory, color expert

 

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Filed Under: Color Theory Made Easy, Inner Artistic Journeys Tagged With: an artist's musings, artistic process, Color Theory

Comments

  1. Sharon says

    March 21, 2019 at 11:46 am

    As soon as you asked the question the first time, I was saying “red!” In Chinese medicine, red signifies good health. It’s always a color of positive strength for me, but I have to remember, in my paintings, that others feel differently. I find yellow (if there’s a lot of it) to be a bit hard on the eyes, so I tend to use it sparingly – but again, others feel entirely differently! Your blog posts are always food for thought, Carol. 🙂

  2. Carol McIntyre says

    March 21, 2019 at 1:27 pm

    Thanks Sharon. I should have put something in the post about cultural differences. Usually I remember that. I appreciate the reminder. Glad I provide some food for thought. 🙂

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