The second type of color symbolism appears to depend not on direct connection but on association of ideas. For instance, black has often been connected in men’s minds with despair and death.

Finally, in a third type of symbolism the relation between the color and the idea is difficult to discover. Here the symbolism seems to be established by arbitrary convention only. An example of this is the use of white in China for mourning.

Among the early astrologers the sun was yellow; the moon was white; Mars, red; Mercury, neutral; Jupiter, blue; Venus, green; and Saturn, black. Each sign of the zodiac was also assigned its particular color.

Emotional Effect

Besides aesthetic purpose, the functional use of color may also have an emotional effect. It has been found from experience that shops and restaurants can increase their sales by adopting color schemes that give their interiors a pleasant atmosphere and show their wares to the best advantage. However, emotional reactions may be either positive or negative.

The Pioneers who make emotional effect in color are=

Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727). Perhaps the greatest scientist of all time. Through his work in optics, discovered that white light contains all the hues of the spectrum. Also invented the hue circle.

Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519). Artist, scientist, engineer. One of the great figures of the Renaissance. Developed ideas on color harmony that are still considered valid.

Thomas Young (1773-1829). Founder of physiological optics. Developed the three-color theory of vision.

Michael Eugene Chevreul (1786-1889). Director of Dyes for the Royal Manufactures at Gobelins. Laid down modern principles of color harmony and of simultaneous contrast of colors.

G. T. Fechner (1801-1887). Founder of psychophysics. Formulated the Weber-Fechner Law which expresses the relationship of stimulus and sensation.

From the book Architecture and Color, Waldron Faulkner, F.A.I.A. (John Wiley & Sons Inc 1972)

• It creates an atmosphere. A bright color scheme for a building tends express gaiety and excitement; a quiet scheme may express dignity and repose.

• It suggests either unity or diversity. A uniform color scheme contributes a sense of unity, while a varied color scheme gives a feeling of diversity.

• It expresses the character of materials. If a building has a red tile roof, gray stone walls, and brown wood trim, the essential character of each material is clearly stated. If these have the same color, the building looks like a clay model.

• It defines form. A line, a two-dimensional surface, or a three-dimensional volume is defined if its color contrasts with its surroundings.

• It affects proportions. Materials with contrasting colors laid in horizontal lines tend to emphasize a feeling of breadth. If laid in vertical lines, they promote the sense of height.

also, color can describe as:

• It brings out scale. A building made up of elements of uniform color looks like a monolith. Its scale is difficult to judge at a distance. If, however, its elements (including openings) are of contrasting colors, the scale of the building is more easily conveyed.

• It gives a sense of weight. Elements in dark colors look heavy; those in light colors look light in weight. For this reason the color of tall structures is sometimes graduated from dark at the bottom to light at the top.

From the book Architecture and Color, Waldron Faulkner, F.A.I.A. (John Wiley & Sons Inc 1972)