Color affects us physically, psychologically and spiritually. It protects us from the sun’s harmful rays, it creates sensations in us when we experience it and it can be used to harmonize and align the chakra points in our bodies.
But, do you know how color affects you in how you view the world? Here’s 3 startling ways color affects you:
As an artist and teacher of art and color (most famously at the Bauhaus), Johannes Itten was loved by his students for his ‘quirky’ yet effective ways of teaching. In 1928, he “realized with astonishment that each [student] had his own private conception of color harmony.”
He even went on to state that “Subjective color combinations are one key to identification of the individuals natural mode of thinking, feeling and doing. To help a student discover his subjective forms and colors is to help him discover himself.”
Itten’s initial observations of personal color preferences and personality get to the heart of who you are. Color is an international language and if you understand how to speak it, you’ll discover some beautiful truths about yourself.
Wow, right? So, not only do your preferences unveil the real you, your own coloring informs those preferences.
Itten illustrated this point very clearly with these examples of his students on the left. Not only did their predilections (subjective preferences) inform their tastes, they mirrored their own coloring and texture!
And you’ll notice that their subjective harmonies do not fit a certain ‘seasonal’ palette. For example, the gal featured on top has a combination of washed & sharp, deep (shaded), dull and animated (bright) colors. Itten mentions of her that her “strong, obscure chord displays a multitude of distinguishable shades, suggesting a lively and concentrated personality with intense feeling.”
This realization will make it easier for you to understand your preferences and the preferences of those you come in contact with. It’s most obvious when you work with an artist or designer who uses color as part of their language.
Actually, another way to put it is that your personal coloring maps to your energy and personality.
Here’s how: color is energy – made up of wavelengths & photons – each color has it’s own frequency and vibration and it affects all species of life. What makes human coloring fascinating (and complicated) is that there’s also absorption and reflection of light (aka color.)
The art & science of color tells us that of the three attributes of color (hue, value and chroma), the most apt to convey emotion and meaning is chroma. Chroma creates a feeling and mood, whether it’s animated, clear, subdued, dynamic and/or deep. Our own ways of being – whether introverted, ambiverted or extroverted – carry an energy that align with our own color frequency. It’s this influence of color on an individual that has become the basis for my thesis with the IACC.
And, if you haven’t already, you can learn more by taking the Color Vibe course to discover where you are in the spectrum.
What happens when you express yourself with YOUR Colors?
- You Look & Feel Confident. Your true colors align with your personal energy and vibrations, making you naturally beautiful.
- You Feel Supported by YOUR Colors. Your colors are unique to you and help others to recognize you for who you are.
- You Discover Finding Clothes Is a Snap. When you have your color palette in your arsenal, you'll discover how easy it is to find your colors in crowded stores.
