Whether we realize it or not, colors have an impact on us physically as well as psychologically.

Color psychology is an entire science (in and of itself), which studies the effects colors have upon our mind and body. Some colors are soothing, others energizing, while some can provoke irritability or even sadness. Choosing colors and color combinations should be done carefully to maximize the effect we wish to achieve.

Let’s start with the color black.

Think Darth Vader. He’s intelligent, skillful, powerful, commanding, and mysterious. Okay, so he’s also evil, but that’s a topic for another day.

Or think: Little black dress…. sophisticated, sexy, and elegant. Or for the guys: Black suit. Sophisticated, powerful, authoritative. Now let’s put on a red tie. Or perhaps a blue tie. What about a yellow tie? Or even a white tie. Notice the subtle shift when we visualize different colored ties?

The color black is often associated with: Intelligence, authority, power, sophistication, boldness, formality, mystery, strength, luxuriousness, seriousness, sexiness, simplicity, uncompromising, wealth, and excellence. Some examples of logos using black are Blackberry, Tiffany & Co., Apple, Disney, Nike, Gillette, Adidas, Sony, Ralph Lauren, and MTV.

An advantage of black is that it can be combined with any color making it quite versatile. It’s useful to enhance other colors and can be used as a contrast (like ebony and ivory). Contrasting your colors can definitely create the “Wow Factor” you may be looking for.

What are your thoughts?

Please be sure to subscribe so you’ll be notified when new blogs are posted.