Emotional Response to Color

Different colors evoke different reactions in viewers. Be aware that some of these reactions will be culturally specific. For example, in the U.S., brides often wear white as a symbol of purity and widows wear black as a symbol of mourning. However, in many asian cultures, brides wear black. The following is a guide as to the possible meaning of colors.

Red - danger, stop, negative, excitement, hot
Dark Blue - stable, calming, trustworthy, mature
Light Blue - youthful, masculine, cool
Green - growth, positive, organic, go, comforting
White - pure, clean, honest
Black - serious, heavy, death
Gray - integrity, neutral, cool, mature
Brown - wholesome, organic, unpretentious
Yellow - emotional, positive, caution
Gold - conservative, stable, elegant
Orange - emotional, positive, organic
Purple - youthful, contemporary, royal
Pink - youthful, feminine, warm
Pastels - youthful, soft, feminine, sensitive
Metallic - elegant, lasting, wealthy

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Date this article was posted to GameDev.net: 7/16/1999
(Note that this date does not necessarily correspond to the date the article was written)

See Also:
Psychology