Color Theory and Its Application in Art and Design
By Frank H. Mahnke
Color is an integral element of our earth, not just in the natural environs simply also in the man-made architectural environment. Color e'er played a function in the man evolutionary procedure. The environment and its colors are perceived, and the encephalon processes and judges what it perceives on an objective and subjective basis. Psychological influence, communication, data, and effects on the psyche are aspects of our perceptual judgment processes. Hence, the goals of colour design in an architectural space are not relegated to decoration alone.
Specially in the last eleven decades, empirical observations and scientific studies take proven that human-environment-reaction in the architectural environment is to a large percentage based on the sensory perception of color. These studies include the disciplines of psychology, architectural psychology, color psychology, neuropsychology, visual ergonomics, psychosomatics, and so forth. In short, it confirms that human response to color is total – it influences the states psychologically and physiologically.
The American Faber Birren, considered the father of applied color psychology (originator of the OSHA colors) and the get-go to establish the profession of color consultant in 1936, proclaimed: "The study of color is essentially a mental and psychological science, for the term color itself refers to sensation."
Color is a sensory perception, and equally whatsoever sensory perception, information technology has furnishings that are symbolic, associative, synesthetic, and emotional. This self-evident logic has been proven past scientific investigation. Because the body and mind are one entity, neuropsychological aspects, psychosomatic effects, visual ergonomics, and color'southward psychological furnishings are the components of color ergonomics. These being design goal considerations that demand adherence to protect human psychological and physiological well-beingness within their human-made environs. The color specifier/designer has the job of knowing how the reception of visual stimulation, its processing and evoked responses in conjunction with the hormonal system, produces the best possibilities for the welfare of homo beings. This is of utmost importance in varied environments, such as medical and psychiatric facilities, offices, industrial and production plants, educational facilities, homes for the elderly, correctional facilities, and then forth. Each within themselves having dissimilar task and role areas.
Color Psychology
I of the most striking results apropos color connotations and colour mood associations is its consistency cross-culturally from one individual to another and group to group. The neat number of studies comparing human being subjects worldwide, such equally men to women, children to adults, laymen to architects, and even monkeys to humans show that color is an international visual language understood by all.
The impression of a colour and the bulletin it conveys is of utmost importance in creating the psychological mood or ambiance that supports the function of a space. A classroom has a different role than a hospital patient room; an office infinite is not a production line, etc.
To mention a few examples concerning colors and what they convey:
Pastel yellow gives the impression of sunny, friendly, soft. The message in the interior space is stimulating, effulgence, coziness.
Ruby-red is arousing, passionate, provocative, peppery, aggressive. The message in the interior is aggressive, advancing, dominant.
Green is balancing, natural, calm with the message of simplicity, security, residue.
White expresses open, vast, neutral, sterile. The message being purity, sterile, emptiness, indecisiveness.
Obviously this is a very small example since all colors alter their character when modified in their lightness gene (lite to dark) and saturation.
Neuropsychological Aspects
A part of neuropsychological investigation is to discover how the brain processes and reacts to sensory information coming from the external globe and how this affects humans.
Particularly of import for the color specifier is the enquiry apropos the presentation of two perceptual extremes inside the environs known equally sensory deprivation and sensory overload, also termed monotony (or understimulation) and overstimulation. Involved is the reticular formation which ever seeks to maintain a level of normalcy, but it tin (and volition) malfunction. Stress research has shown that states of sensory monotony or overstimulation tin trigger dysfunction in the organism.
Monotony sends weak environmental signals and overstimulation confusing signals. Studies take shown that people subjected to an understimulated surroundings show signs of restlessness, irritability, excessive emotional response, difficulties in concentration, perception disorders, and in some cases, a diversity of more than extreme reactions.
The bones signs of an understimulated surround are weak intensities of colors, monochromatic harmonies, achromatic colors, weak or monotonous color contrasts.
Overstimulation results in changes in the rate of breathing, increase of pulse rate and blood force per unit area; increase in muscle tension; psychiatric reactions of varying types; and probably compounded medical consequences, such every bit increased susceptibility to infection, coronary disease and ulcers. Stress research has shown these symptoms equally typical effects on persons who have been subjected to overstimulation.
The bones signs of an overstimulated environment is strong color intensity (highly saturated), colour harmonies that are as well complex or incongruous, contrasts that present themselves besides strong, too many complex visual color patterns.
In a research paper past Dr. R. Küller (Architectural Psychology Department at the Academy of Lund), entitled An Emotional Model of Human-Environs Interaction, it states: "Actually recent research in the field of neuropsychology indicates that affective responses are faster and more basic than cognitive processes."
Architectural Environments – Emotions and Psychosomatics
Professor for Architecture Sune Lindstrom remarked in 1987: "With every particular architectural product, it is the spontaneous emotional reaction that is of importance to us." The environment produces emotions which in plow is linked to psychsomatics. Psychosomatic medicine emphasizes that physical disorders may originate through psychological factors, exist aggravated by them and vice versa. It is mutual knowledge that stress may cause headaches, anxiety makes the center beat faster, and anger and distress may affect the stomach, to proper noun the well-nigh common occurrences. Of class the listing includes high blood pressure, heart palpitations, migraine headaches, eczema, impotence, and so forth.
Scientific research has also established the link to PNI – Psycho-Neuro-Immunology which clearly shows that networks of nerve fibers and molecular bridges connect the psyche and the body with each other and that emotions penetrate completely into the cells of the organism. Henceforth, inquiry indicates that a positive emotional mood strengthens the body'south defensive system against illness, whereas a negative emotional frame of mind has a weakening effect.
Relative to designers is the respond given by David Felten (Professor for Neurobiology and Anatomy for the School of Medicine at the University of Rochester, New York) to the question: "When does the interaction between the mind and the torso connect?" Felten answered: "The moment we begin to perceive sensory stimulation."
Visual Ergonomics and Colour
Probably ane of the to the lowest degree known factors of advisable color specification is its function in safeguarding visual efficiency and comfort. The eye'south accommodation process involves the immediate reaction of the middle to changes in the caste of illumination. Lower light reflectance causes the pupil to amplify, and the contrary is true for higher reflectance. The heart sees luminous density and not the intensity of illuminance. Luminous density is what the eyes receive when light is reflected from a surface (floors, walls, furniture). If the differences between the luminous densities within view are too keen, the iris muscle is strained due to constant aligning, thus causing centre fatigue. Studies take shown that appropriate differences in luminous density tin can prevent eye fatigue and raise visual acuity, and thus also productivity.
The colors of surfaces absorb and reflect a certain amount of calorie-free. These measurements are referred to as low-cal reflection values. Practically all paint companies show them on their colour fan decks under LR or LRV.
The international norms are the 3-ane calorie-free reflection ratio within a space. This suggests that floors should reflect about 20%, furniture 25-40%, walls 40-threescore%. The 3-1 designation means the lightest color (sixty%) divided by the darkest (twenty%) is a ratio of 3-ane. However, visual ergonomists are not color designers. A yellow wall at 60% is not a yellow anymore but a tan. The merely solution is if the walls are raised to 75% light reflection for instance, so must then be the per centum of floor and effects besides be raised to insure that at that place still exists control of extreme contrasts in night and light. Interesting fact is that if these rules were known by the blueprint community, white walls would not exist – just ceilings are where fourscore-90% is accepted.
The Application Gap
In his document D15:81 on the effects of light and colour for the Swedish Council for Building Research, Dr. R. Küller wrote: "During the form of this piece of work, it has go evident there is an enormous amount of facts and results that is nigh never considered in practice and education. Thus, one finds a gap betwixt research on ane hand and practice on the other; the INFAMOUS Awarding GAP."
His statement echoes the concerns of the IACC-International Association of Color Consultants/Designers that was founded in 1957 with the participation of approximately 50 architects, designers, artists, educators, psychologists, and scientists from 12 countries. The motivating force being an absence of competent training in the professions that demand the utilize of color. With the collaboration of recognized national and international experts, an interdisciplinary pedagogy/accreditation plan was established in Salzburg, Austria nether the guidance of Dr. Heinrich Frieling, founder of the Institute of Color Psychology of Germany. It is now known as the IACC Academy for Color and Environs. As to this present mean solar day, this program is conducted besides in the United States for all international English language speaking participants; Milan, Italy, and the IACC Schools of Japan for Color and Interior Design, Nagoya, Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Sapporo.
Without doubt, the assumption that color is no more than decoration and color specifications can be satisfied or solved by personal interpretations or the post-obit of colour trends and blueprint idioms in current fashion is admittedly simulated and counterproductive. Humane design places the homo in the eye of its business and purpose. Therefore, it should show involvement in human welfare and dignity.
For further Information
Please read Colour, Surroundings, & Man Response by Frank H. Mahnke or/and Color-Communication in Architectural Space by Meerwein, Rodeck, Mahnke. For the IACC education/accreditation program, run into www.iaccna.org.
Source: https://archinect.com/features/article/53292622/color-in-architecture-more-than-just-decoration
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