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This is the third (3d) part of the four-part series on Color in Nature and Meaning of Colors, featuring Orange, Purple, Lavender, and Black. Part I, II, and IV can be found here:
Colors in Nature I (featuring Blue, Green, Turquoise, and Silver)
Colors in Nature II (featuring Red, Pink, Yellow, and Gold)
Colors in Nature IV (featuring Gray, White, Ivory, Brown, and Beige)
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“Butterflies” by CasheeFoo
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ORANGE
Orange is vibrant. It denotes energy, warmth, and the sun. But orange has a bit less intensity or aggression than red, calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow.
As a warm color orange is a stimulant — stimulating the emotions and even the appetite. Orange can be found in nature in the changing leaves of fall, the setting sun, and the skin and meat of citrus fruit.
Orange brings up images of autumn leaves, pumpkins, and (in combination with Black) Halloween. It represents the changing seasons so in that sense it is a color on the edge, the color of change between the heat of summer and the cool of winter. Because orange is also a citrus color, it can conjure up thoughts of vitamin C and good health.
If you want to get noticed without screaming, consider the color orange — it demands attention.
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“9 orange mushrooms” by littleredelf
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PURPLE
“Blinded by the purple darkness” by snikkio
Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.
Pantone has selected the color Blue Iris (PANTONE 18-3943) as the 2008 Color of the Year telling us: “Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement.”
Purple has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious. Because purple is derived from the mixing of a strong warm and strong cool color it has both warm and cool properties. A purple room can boost a child’s imagination or an artist’s creativity. Too much purple, like blue, could result in moodiness.
The color of mourning for widows in Thailand, purple was the favorite color of Egypt’s Cleopatra. It has been traditionally associated with royalty in many cultures. Purple robes were worn by royalty and people of authority or high rank. The Purple Heart is a U.S. Military decoration given to soldiers wounded in battle.
Deep or bright purples suggest riches while lighter purples are more romantic and delicate. Use redder purples for a warmer color scheme or the bluer purples to cool down.
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LAVANDER
“A lavander field” by LorenaStraffi
Lavender has long been a favorite flower and color of genteel ladies. This shade of purple suggests refinement along with grace, elegance, and something special.
Purple and its lighter lavender shades has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious. And while purple is the color of royalty, lavender is the color of femininity. It’s a grown up pink.
Use the color lavender to suggest something unique or extremely special, but without the deeper mystery of purple. Lavender may be a good choice when you are targeting women and want to invoke feelings of nostalgia or romance. Pink with lavender is extremely feminine. A minty green with lavender is a cheerful, Springtime look. Blues with lavender are cool and sophisticated combination, or warm it up with reds.
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BLACK
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Considered the negation of color, black is conservative, goes well with almost any color except the very dark. It also has conflicting connotations. It can be serious and conventional. The color black can also be mysterious, sexy, and sophisticated.
In most Western countries black is the color of mourning. Among young people, black is often seen as a color of rebellion. Black is both positive and negative. It is the color for little boys in China. Black, especially combined with orange is the color of Halloween. In early Westerns the good guy wore white while the bad guy wore black. But later on good guys wore black to lend an air of mystery to themselves.
Use the color black to convey elegance, sophistication, or perhaps a touch of mystery. Dark charcoal gray and very dark brown can sometimes stand in for black. Be careful using black with very dark colors. It can work, but if the colors are too similar they blend together. Black works well with bright, jewel-toned shades of red, blue, and green. Black is the ultimate dark color and makes lighter colors such as yellow really pop out. Photographs often look brighter against a black background. Black and gray is a conservative combo as is medium or light blue and black..
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I love this black swan. Soooo cool. See all the colors in black? Thank you for doing these color posts. When I started out to learn about art I was told that once I learned to paint and draw, I would never look at anything the same. It is true. I now see color that I never new existed before and everything I look at I am always thinking about how to paint it, he, or she. Sometimes it gets annoying but I can’t help it now. Always wondering the color combination and what shapes.
Do you know how many ways there are to mix the color black? Some artist like to use the color black from a tube. I respect that, however, I like to mix my own. It is so vibrant in a painting and I can control the Black against black. Red and green make black as does blue and brown. There is a huge list that I could come up with. I am sure the artists on this web site know them all so I won’t list them. Black, is to me, one of the most interesting colors to paint.
This is a very cool post.
I have found all of these color posts to be very interesting and quite helpful. Some of the combinations gave me ideas for my work, and I loved the part about emotions. As artists, we want to elicit emotions, and it is important to project those we intend. Thank you for sharing this fascinating and helpful information
Thanks for featuring my photograph! This is an interesting, well thought-out article!
You’re welcome! And thank you!
Never thought I’d like a black photo… >< Haha. Great work.