Module 3 - Part 3: The Color Green

Physical Perception

According to Color Matters, "there are more shades of green than that of any other color." Colour Affects points out that green is "in the centre of the spectrum," which, according to Sensational Color, means that on either side it has cooler blue tones and warmer yellow tones.

However, some individuals (mostly men) are colorblind to the colors red and green. This poses a problem worldwide because red and green traffic lights are universal. As Color Matters states, "some European countries have outlined certain traffic light colors so that it is clear which is green and which is red, by the color that has a rectangle around it. Some states in the U.S. have placed diagonal lines through green traffic lights as an aid for the colorblind."

Psychological Perception

• Colour Affects: "Green strikes the eye in such a way as to require no adjustment whatever and is, therefore, restful. Being in the centre of the spectrum, it is the colour of balance - a more important concept than many people realise. When the world about us contains plenty of green, this indicates the presence of water, and little danger of famine, so we are reassured by green, on a primitive level. Negatively, it can indicate stagnation and, incorrectly used, will be perceived as being too bland."
• Sensational Color: "The natural greens, from forest to lime, are seen as tranquil and refreshing, with a natural balance of cool and warm (blue and yellow) undertones. Green is considered the color of peace and ecology.
  
  How The Color Green Affects Us Physically
  • Soothes
  • Relaxes mentally, as well as physically
  • Helps alleviate depression, nervousness, and anxiety
  • Offers a sense of renewal, self-control, and harmony"

Cultural Perception

• Color Matters:
  • "Green is no longer just a color. It's now the symbol of ecology and a verb."
  • "Since the beginning of time, green has signified growth, rebirth, and fertility. In pagan times, there was the "Green Man" - a symbol of fertility."
  • "In Muslim countries, it is a holy color and in Ireland, a lucky color."
  • "It was the color of the heavens in the Ming Dynasty."
  • "The English language reflects some strange attributes: Would you rather be green with envy, green behind the ears, or green around the gills?"
  • "In China, Green may symbolize infidelity. A green hat symbolizes that a man's wife is cheating on him."
  • "In Israel, green may symbolize bad news."
  • "In Spain, racy jokes are "green.""
  • "Green is a lucky culture in most Western cultures. A green shamrock symbolizes this. [However,] you won't find many green cars at racetracks because they are considered unlucky."
• Colour Affects:
  • "Positive: Harmony, balance, refreshment, universal love, rest, restoration, reassurance, environmental awareness, equilibrium, peace."
  • "Negative: Boredom, stagnation, blandness, enervation."
• Sensational Color:
  • In the United States, "there is an "institutional" side to green, associated with illness and government-issued green cards, that conjures up negative emotions, as do the "slimy" or "bilious" greens."
  • "Green, blue-green, and blue are sacred colors in Iran, where they symbolize paradise."
  • "In Japan, green is regarded as the color of eternal life."
  • "In Aztec culture, green was considered to be royal because it was the colour of the quetzal plumes used by the Aztec chieftains."
  • "In China, jade stones represent virtue and beauty."
  • "In Portugal, green is the color of hope because of its associations with spring."
  • "In the highlands of Scotland, people used to wear green as a mark of honor."
  • "There is a superstition that sewing with green thread on the eve of a fashion show brings bad luck to the design house."
  • "Green is the color of love associated with both Venus, the Roman goddess and Aphrodite, the Greek goddess."
  • "Green is the color associated with Sunday in the Catholic church and the altar cloth is usually green for Sunday services."
  • "Political Associations Of The Color Green Ecological supporters adopted green as the color to represent their movement."

Websites That Utilize Green

Works Consulted

• Color Matters
  Last Accessed February 23^rd, 2015
• Colour Affects
  Last Accessed February 23^rd, 2015
• Sensational Color
  Last Accessed February 23^rd, 2015