Significance of Colors

Next, consider green :

-In China, green hats signify adultery. It is not a preferred color for packaging

-In France too, this color is not favored for packaging

-In India, green is the color of Islam

-In Ireland, it has Catholic significance

-In certain tropical countries, it is associated with danger.

Colors signify certain emotions and states of mind. Let us look at some of these:

•  Red is usually the color of passion, celebration and romance

•  Purple is associated with royalty, mystery and mysticism

•  Blue denotes security, tranquility and reliability

•  Green is the color of fertility, growth and envy

•  Yellow is generally related to illumination, brightness and illness

•  Black is the color of power, evil, sophistication

•  White means purity, truth, coldness and sterility

As is apparent, colors can have contradictory meanings; both negative and positive. It is therefore important that the significance of colors be understood not in isolation, but in the context of their usage.

Color in Painting

When an artist paints, not only does he choose what colors he will use, he also chooses how he will use those colors. That is, in what form he will use them, how much of them he will use, and what the intensity or saturation of a certain color will be. It is possible to say that a concentrated and saturated application of a certain color will signify something quite different from a sparse and light use of it.

If one compares the paintings of two Impressionist painters, Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet, we will notice a marked difference in the choice and application of color. While Van Gogh uses strong colors applied in determined powerful strokes, Monet's colors are usually more delicate and carefully applied. Van Gogh's pronounced blues, reds and greens denote the passion of the artist.

The Indian Phad paintings, Patachitra paintings and Thangka paintings also employ bold colors to impart a certain vivacity and brilliance. The colors used in Warli paintings on the other hand, are restricted to whites against an earthen background.