The Power of Color
Color plays a major role when conveying a message on film or in a still, and can exude ominous emotions or be vibrant and inviting.
Choosing the best colors for your project has a lot to do with the content of your creation. Whether you’re touching on serious topics or you’re giving reviews on your favorite shoes – color can sway how the message is received and perceived.
Like the canvas of a painting, your set or background paints a picture of you and your products for the audience.
In this article, I will be discussing the meaning of colors, the emotions they convey and the message you give when using these them.
RED
Action Color : inspires a sense or urgency or is a call for action.
Red is the color of fire and blood and is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination. It also represents passion, desire, and love.
In the retail world, red is used to represent urgency in pricing ; "Clearance", "Buy now". It calls the customer to take action immediately.
Though this color is an effective method of getting customers to take action, it can also cause a sense of uneasiness, and may cause your customer to leave your site quickly if your background is red.
It would be suggested to use this color sparingly in the retail world.
Color Variation
Pink: romance, love, and friendship. It denotes feminine qualities and passiveness.
YELLOW
Feel Good Color : Associated with Joy and Happiness. It also represents intellect and energy.
Yellow has a warming, at home effect. Yellow promotes cheerfulness, stimulates the mind and encourages muscle activity.
Though this color is effective in promoting a cheerful, happy mood, it can also promote a sense of instability as it is also the color of "warning".
This color can be tricky to use as a background, too bright can be hard on the eyes and too dark can have a dingy look. Pops of this color can bring cheerfulness to your background or photo - too much of it can actually be depressing.
Color variation
Light Yellow : Intellect, freshness and Joy
ORANGE
A Warming Color : Conveys A Feeling of Warmth or Heat
Orange is the combination of red and yellow and blends the effects of both colors. Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement and stimulation.
Orange as a background feels youthful and energized and is an effective color when you want to convey high energy. This color causes an invigoration effect and stimulates the mind. Customers and/or viewers will stay engaged with this color as a background. Just stay mindful of the color of your wardrobe if you choose to use this color.
Color Variation
Gold : Illumination, Wisdom and Wealth.
This color represents high quality and creates a feeling of prestige.
GREEN
The Color of Tranquility & Nature
Green represents growth, harmony, organic, freshness and fertility. It suggests stability and endurance - darker shades are associated with safety and money.
Green as a background can give a healing effect. It is a restful color and is easy on the eyes and can actually improve vision.
Using nature as your backdrop will give a refreshing experience to your audience. The simple act of adding a green plant in your photo or background will give your viewer a feeling of something real or organic.
Color Variations
Dark Green : Commonly used to convey money or finances. Associated with Ambition, Greed and Jealousy
Blue Green / Aqua : Associated with emotional healing or protection
Olive green : The traditional color of peace.
BLUE
The Color of Sky & Sea : Associated with Depth and Stability
Blue symbolizes trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith and heaven.
Blue as a background feels airy and open. It is beneficial to the mind & body. It slows metabolism and creates a calming effect. Use this color to convey trust in your products and honest business practices. Blue is a masculine color and is highly accepted among males. Avoid this color if you're selling or promoting food, as it suppresses the appetite - on the other hand, this color can be effective when promoting products for weight-loss,
Color Variations :
Dark blue - associated with depth, expertise, and stability. This color represents knowledge, power, integrity and seriousness.
Light blue - associated with health, healing, tranquility, understanding, and softness.
PURPLE
A Feeling of Prestige : Associated with nobility, luxury, ambition, wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, magic and royalty.
Purple symbolizes royalty, prestige and grandiosity.
Use this color when wanting to make your products appear luxurious and royal.
Color Variations
Light purple - a feminine color, it gives a feeling of romance and nostalgia
Dark purple - gives a feeling of gloom and sadness. It can cause frustration if overused
WHITE
A Feeling Simplicity : Associated with innocence, purity, safety, cleanliness and perfection
White as a background is widely used and suggested. A plain white background puts focus on your product as it causes the eye to be drawn away from it.
Color Variation
Gray/Grey : A neutral or balanced color. Devoid of emotion, using this color gives the representation of being straightforward and unbiased
This color can sometimes be associated with dull or dirty, but it also represents sophistication. A perfect mix of the qualities of black and white.
BLACK
A Feeling of Elegance and Power : Associated with mystery, intrigue, death, evil, formality and strength
Black as a background can be a little tricky, depending on your products. A black background will make jewelry and bright colors pop, but be careful when using this color. If you are taking photos of products or if you are recording a video, be sure that you are wearing colors that will contrast as wearing black while using a black background will make you disappear (unless that's the look you're going for).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the colors you choose for your backgrounds are all about the products you're selling, the message you want to convey and the nature of the content you're presenting. Have fun with your projects, but remember to keep in mind the purpose of your photo or video.
Thank You for Reading and Feel Free to Leave a Comment!
