Let’s talk about the color yellow

We all know color has an influence on how we experience the world around us.

Just have a look around you and look at the logos companies use. Or notice how color is being used to let us buy things. Color can be a powerful tool to direct people in a certain direction or feeling.  Using certain colors in our work is going to elicit a certain emotional response from the viewer.

We can use color to make better and more visual stories, keeping in mind different cultures may have other meaning to a certain color. For instance in the western world white is seen as a depiction of faith and purity and is associated with safety and cleanliness. But in some Asian cultures white represents death, mourning and bad luck. So our traditional white wedding dress that stands for purity, elegance and peace gets a whole different meaning in China or India as it is traditionally worn at funerals.

So lets get started.

Yellow is the most stimulating color.
The color of sunlight. Being the color of light it is often associated with intellect, knowledge and wisdom.  Yellow is the most visible color from a distance, so it can be used to grab the attention of the viewer.
Yellow is also the color go hit energy, happiness, and madness. It can be overstimulating and overwhelming if used in large quantities so it could’ve a disturbing effect.  Studies have shown babies cry more in a yellow room.
Van Gogh’s paintings became increasingly more yellow towards the end off his life as his mental state deteriorated.

In Asian culture yellow is corresponding with earth. It is considered the most beautiful and prestigious color. Yellow also represents freedom of worldly cares thats why buddhist monks are dressed in yellow.

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Positive

optimism
warmth
happiness
creativity
intellect
extraversion

Negative

irrational
cowardness
irrational
fear
caution
anxiety
frustration

 Famous yellow art.

Probably the two most famous pieces of yellow art are the warm and positive “The Kiss” from Gustav Klimt and the kinda depressing “Sunflowers” by Vincent Van Gogh.

Where did I use the color yellow?

I was browsing my own artwork to see where I used the color yellow and to my surprise I have never used it in a piece. Perhaps some curve adjustments to make the light a bit more yellow but never as a color main color. So I guess we can safely say yellow is not my cup of tea.

What’s your favourite hue of yellow?

Here are 24 shades of yellow. If I do have to make a choice as the color of a dress or prop in one of my works I would go for “Royal” but it would take some convincing to get me so far.

What would your choice of yellow be and how does it make you feel? Tell me and the world about it. This could be very interesting.

24 shades of … by graf1x.com

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Example how the feeling of an image changes.

Photo by Joe Robles on Unsplash

To be continued – next week the color blue.

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