Module 3- Color theory

Szenina Russo 
1. Describe Color and it's effects on emotions. Use the appropriate vocabulary of color in your posting.

Artists are able to manipulate and use color in a way that affects us as humans on an emotional level. Color can be used to express a certain feeling that the artists is experiencing through color, such as the plein air painting in Venice in the video. It is interesting as a viewer to see her impression of the colors that is describing and encapsulating the environment. The use of red in The Assumption encapsulates the viewer due to the color hue variation. The way that the colors are used is a tedious process that has to be done in a way that reflects what the artist wants to convey to the viewer. Plein air expressionist paintings before a more detailed rendition, it provides multiple layers and approaches to a painting. The use of cool and warm colors is essential in emotions, it directly affects how we view a picture plane. Value as well as intensity have an effect on what stands out or blends in with the composition. 

The intensity of the hues also has an effect on the mood of the painting. The more intense colors could translate to happy, bright, excitement where dull could mean drowsy, sad or depressing moods. Colors translate into everything that we do, and are symbols to our brains so that we understand objects in life. Thinking of color in a manner of fear, dominance when they were playing soccer is an interesting point of view. I have never thought about how color has an immediate effect on activity on humans. Color is also connected to the brain, so memories, moments and people are immediately connected. Everything in life, especially emotion, is connected to colors. Not only memories but language have an impact on how you view color. Color vision develops over the first three months of your life and language structures how they see color. That one's vocabulary connects to what color they see or their definition of color. 

2. What is a theoretical aspect of color that most intrigues/fascinates you? Why?

Color is a very complex idea and concept to understand. I really appreciate people who are able to show and represent color in away that that makes sense to the human eye. The color reflections, especially in a place like Venice, is very intensive work. The pigments that were found, used and effectively applied to frescos is fascinating to wrap one's head around. Exotic colors were imported from all around the world using bugs, fruit, plants etc. The colors reflecting on to each other, and the way that the artist uses them is an interesting concept. The use of different colors in a certain area changes the entire look and mood of the painting. 

The illusion of color makes us understand reality. The concept of not everyone seeing color the same is interesting when referring to their age, gender or environment. The development of color as a species and how color means differently by culture, language or gender. I loved the discussion of how different cultures see colors and how they describe it. The Himba have only a few words to describe colors contrasted with the western world. They clump up certain parts of the visual world into words that mean multiple things. They view color differently, the experiment of them to pick out different shades of colors, shows that they pick out different squares than westerners. I thought it was so interesting that it takes them awhile to spot completely different colors, to westerners this was quite obvious which one is a completely different color. The amount of words that we have for colors is based on what we need. 

3. In the Color videos, what made the biggest impact on you in regards to color and it's effects on emotions?

I think that having an eye for reflections of color and the different hues to mix for a particular mood or tone is fascinating. A lot of practice and understanding of color changes and mixing has to go into that process. Painting is not only about the correct proportions or atmospheric perspective, it is centered around color prominently. Illusions through the use of color is very interesting, one has to know how to render objects and use color that makes sense to the human eye. 

I think it is also fascinating that color is all based on light reflections, and artist are able to translate and manipulate solid color to make them come alive. The idea that colors don't actually exist is a borderline unfathomable concept to understand. I really enjoyed and was intrigued the most with BBC video on experiments that challenged color. Single cells avoiding certain ultraviolet damaging color wavelengths had the most impact on me. Blue and yellow were the fundamentals of colors. Primaries developed red and green dimensions, so an addition to variation of color for food and avoiding predators. Color has sensations according to animals, this was practices on squirrel monkeys. Color to humans, had to be taught color. 

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