BLUE: Color Communication Often a quiet or passive color, blue in some contexts
can lean towards coldness or melancholy.
How Do Colors Affect Us?
Colors are powerful! As designers, we can communicate Cultural meanings:
better through knowledge of color meanings. Many believe that blue is the
best color for positive cultural
Blue is often heralded as the popular favorite of colors, associations across the various
perhaps because, as claimed at Desktoppublishing. cultures.2 In several cultures,
com: “Almost everyone likes some shade of the color blue has been believed to ward
blue.” Blue and red are the colors frequently selected off bad spirits, and/or worn as
for logos. Many believe that blue is universally the best charms to protect against evil.
color, having the most positive and fewest negative “Power” Suit & Tie
In iconography, blue is the
cultural associations.2 Only in the area of food—is color associated with the Virgin Mary. Blue is used as
blue generally found to be lacking in appeal. Let’s a patriotic national color in many nations, often along
explore the color blue: in the Physical, Emotional, with red or yellow. Blue uniforms for the military, police
Psychological, Cultural, Phrases and clichés, Design officers, and even in corporate “power suits” can convey
communication, and Other names for blue. confidence and dependability. Some eastern cultures do
not distinguish between blue and green.
Although colors can convey different meanings in
different eras, cultures, and for different individuals, in Phrases and clichés are fun to ponder and to relate
general, the following prevails for the color blue. back to basic blue substances and their associations:
“true blue” (loyal, faithful, trustworthy), “feeling blue”
Blue—in the (sad or depressed), “the blues” (music originally from
Concrete, Physical A few of many
African Americans, expresses troubles
namesand hardship),
for BLUE
Violet-blue
Ultramarine
Cobalt
Color meanings arise from “blue ribbon” (top prize), “boys in blue” (policemen or Winsor/Royal
Cerulean
associations with the color military), “between the devil and Magenta
the deep blue sea (to Prussian
Indigo
300º “out of the
select between two unappealing choices), French blue
in the physical realm. There Cyan
blue” (unexpected, as dropped fromBlue the sky), wild blue
Turquoise
are two major substances of 240º Cyan
universal experience from the yonder” (vast far away place), “blue Monday” 180º (first This is a guide:
colors appear
Blues, in the concrete blue area of the color sphere. workday after the weekend), “blue laws” (severe or overly- differently on
each monitor.
strict laws), “once in a blue moon” (rarely happens).
The Sky—offers imagery of vast heavenly realms.
Cool, fresh, light, airy, and ethereal; depending on the Design communication A few of many names for BLUE
shade, it can range from a positive image of sunny blue Blue is a well-liked color with Violet-blue
Ultramarine blue
skies, to darker stormy scenarios. a wide range—from light, Magenta
Cobalt
dark, vibrant, or subdued, and
Winsor/Royal blue
300º Cerulean
Water—brings to mind peaceful and relaxing visions from purplish to greenish—on
Prussian
Blue Indigo
240º Cyan
of blue seas, lakes, and streams, yet can go to the might the color sphere. Imagery 180º
French blue
Cyan
and power of an energetic ocean, or the cold grandeur hints at vast depths of seas and Turquoise
of glaciers and snowfields. heavens. Used heavily, blue Note: colors appear differently on each monitor.
can feel cold or somber. Blues Color sphere—blue side
Blue—in Communication work well with most colors.
Emotional impacts: the color blue is cool and serene; Add silver or gray for a sophisticated understated look.
causing viewers to feel more relaxed, calm, and secure. Brown tones and greens create a nature-oriented feel. If
Blue hues can set a somewhat sedate or serious mood. your blues seem too cool or conservative, add a touch
Large doses of darker blues can imply somber feelings of fiery red, or orange (blue’s complement the color
or sadness, as expressed in “the blues.” sphere), to liven things up.
Psychological associations: blue can convey To sum it up: cool and calm, a bit sedate and serious,
conservatism, dependability, faithfulness, intelligence, sometimes sad, exuding dependability and trust.
and trust. Blue suggests freshness, cleanliness, or purity. That’s it, the color BLUE! –Boni
