Colour Brief

Introduction of Colour

Over reading week I collected a range of images that obtained rich and subtle colour combinations to represent the following words:

• Verdant Definition:"Green or rich with vegetation" Considerations- springlike colours, neutral and energetic colour combinations, such as yellow, green and browns. But also lighter colours.
• Calm Definition: "Tranquil and quiet, soothing, without presence of anger etc." Considerations- Cool tonal combinations, purples, blues, pinks and pastel colours overall. Relaxing colours usually include lighter shades of existing colours. (Pastel inclusion of white tonal elements)
• Sombre Definition: "Dark or dull in colour or tone, representations of seriousness or sadness" Considerations- Neutral or dull colours, sombre means dull or shadowy, therefore dullest tones needed throughout.
• Jubilant Definition: "feeling of great happiness or triumph" Considerations- Bright colours, possibly tones of primary colours, bright reds, purples, blues etc. Perhaps contrasts of purple and yellows.
• Autumnal Definition: "A characteristic of the season Autumn" Considerations- Warm tones of colours, for example reds, yellows and oranges. 

Colour Symbolisation

Specific colours alternatively represent and symbolise a range of emotions and events. Here's some examples that were suggested to me that I have studied further.

Red (Warm Tones)

 Red is a colour that is most vibrant, and is said to be first to catch your eye. Red is a colour of danger, passion, love and lust. It is often used to represent good and bad, the colour of the devil, the colour of 'stop' signs or traffic lights, the colour of passion that emotions like love represent. 

Oriental culture such as in China, use red as their primary marriage colour, with brides wearing the colour as an act of harmony and to represent love.
Whilst red can be used for love, such as red roses for romance, and red for passion, there can also be such thing as red representing danger, such as warning signs, and within nature red is used as a natural danger colour such as poisoned predators such as frogs with red dots.

Blue (Cool Tones)

Blue is a colour that is a cool tonal composition, it often is represented through the cool tones, and the  idea of "feeling blue" meaning miserable, an idea introduced by Picasso, who when feeling upset used to paint using tonal blue palettes.

Specific representations of colour are used in a range of cinematic as well as design compositions, using colours to represent certain information. 

The 'blue' period of Picasso's paintings were supposed to reflect his mourning over a fellow artist, and influencing the inclusion of further blue aspects. Blue also symbolises aristocracy, with a lot of royalty wearing deep 'royal blue' which was a colour that used to only be able to be purchased by the richest of people. As well as this, there is an aspect of referencing royal as 'blue blooded'. A lot of natural elements such as vegetables do not include blue, and also the fact that the sky and sea remain blue through nature, and also making it seem like a cold sense of colour. Blue also represents faith, with the Virgin Mary often painted in blue, as well as loyalty and trust.

Green (Neutral Tones)

Green is a colour that is often representing growth, life and nature, with a lot of nature being represented with green overall. There is alternatively the aspect of sayings such as "Green with Envy" which represents the idea of jealousy, a strong emotion often represented in such a way. 

Whereas in religion, green is used in Catholic society for Sunday services, with the alter decorated in green garments. In addition, celtic myths are given the idea of fertility with green being symbolised. As well as such inclusions, green is used for a lot of corrections as well as connotations of being right (for example green ticks for correct answers to questions etc.) In addition to this, green is a go sign for traffic lights, with the cars meaning that green allows cars to go. 

 Yellow (Warm Tones)
Yellow as well as red, is a warm tonal composition, yellow, is a sunshine sort of colour, also known as happiness, and joy. Sunshine and happiness are the connotations involved in the overall effect of yellow, with it being India's wedding colour, the bride wearing yellow mostly.


However, in nature, wasps and bees represent their own warning signs with yellow, with yellow and black stripes warning other predators of their sting. Whereas yellow on the roads forbids drivers from parking in particular areas.
 Yellow is also meant to attract bees, and other insects to flowers, with many being bright yellows for pollination. Yellow is also used in other ways of attraction, such as fluorescent yellow mostly used in highlighter pens (attracts eyes to key information) as well as high vis jackets which are mostly fluorescent yellow to ensure traffic can see pedestrians/workers etc.

Colour in Cinematography
Cinematography is something that uses aspects of colour, colour that produces certain effects. For example, if a shot is taken and the colours are too vibrant, but they need perhaps a subtle effect, they may filter down the amounts of colour, or alternatively saturate specific colours to highlight certain points.

When considering the aspect of cinematography with colours, the first film that sprung to mind was the original 'The Wizard of Oz' 1939- which involves the main character Dorothy beginning in a black and white, rather dull looking Kansas that was made to look unwelcoming through lack of colour, who then later on enters the world of 'Oz' which is then inclusive of bright colours- showing how Oz in comparison is a much better place to be.

Whereas, 'Matrix' 1999, is a film that I have come across in my own time, which shows a green tint throughout that is supposed to represent the futuristic feel that is the theme of the entire film, this effectively means the director used colour as a main tool for the effect they wanted to create.

Additionally when further looking into the colour specifications, I noticed that red was a colour that was inhabited in a broad range of films, it being a strong and passionate colour means it is clearly a strong choice for cinematographers to use. Such examples I have come across when discussing with friends and family, is such films that include colour to enhance specific things, like 'Sin City' and its sequel involve black and white film but then with some colour elements added briefly, as accents of colour, such as the surrounding character and background being in black and white whilst the blood is bright red, further adding contrast as well as showing the importance of what the red represents.
So within this surreal action film 'Sin City', the aspect of colour highlights certain areas and points, there's also an additional Film Noir scheme throughout.


In addition to this, I came across the film 'Schlinder's List' which involves an idea of an inclusion of red within black and white further. The film is set in the Second World War, where the world was being impacted by Nazi Germany, and the impact of the war on all generations, specifically young families and children.For this film, with the aspect of red, it symbolises the aspect of war and innocence in contrast to it, with the young girl being the only one in colour, with her red coat and shoes representing blood, and showing that there is always innocent people, and the youth of the war suffers. The red coat is symbolised throughout the whole film, where the coat finishes on the floor at the ending, showing how it has been a symbol all along, of the innocence in comparison to the tragedy of death and violence that war presents to an innocent child. In addition to this, some believe that the bright red also links with the idea of Nazi colours, with Nazi logos including red and black, colours with dangerous and violent connotations.

 The Corpse Bride - Tim Burton (2005)
'The Corpse Bride' by Tim Burton is another of his gothic tales, where there are two worlds presented, the land of the living and the land of the dead. Both of which are used with contrasting colour palettes, as the colourful palette is oddly used for the land of the dead, suggesting relaxation and more of a fun atmosphere, whilst the land of the dead was more sombre tones. Therefore, the land of the living in contrast ironically seemed to be the best place to be.

The way in which the characters were designed to represent this was discussed in this documentary I have found about the making of the film and the colour palette involved.