What is Colour?
A research-driven exploration of the relationship between colours and emotions,
expanding across cultures, industries, and design practices.
What is Colour?
A research-driven exploration of the relationship between colours and emotions, expanding across cultures, industries, and design practices.
What is Colour?
A research-driven exploration of the relationship between colours and emotions,
expanding across cultures, industries, and design practices.
We often assume colours evoke universal emotions—red for passion, blue for calmness—but is it truly that simple?
This research began with a hypothesis: Colour perception is deeply personal yet influenced by cultural and environmental factors. Through experiments and cross-industry collaborations, I set out to understand how colours shape human emotions beyond predefined meanings.
We often assume colours evoke universal emotions—red for passion, blue for calmness—but is it truly that simple?
This research began with a hypothesis: Colour perception is deeply personal yet influenced by cultural and environmental factors. Through experiments and cross-industry collaborations, I set out to understand how colours shape human emotions beyond predefined meanings.
The Experiment
The study involved designers and non-designers, comparing their emotional responses to abstract color compositions. The goal was to analyze whether specific colors triggered consistent emotional reactions or if interpretations varied based on background, profession, or personal experiences.
The Experiment
The study involved designers and non-designers, comparing their emotional responses to abstract color compositions. The goal was to analyze whether specific colors triggered consistent emotional reactions or if interpretations varied based on background, profession, or personal experiences.
🔍 Key Focus Areas:
🔍 Key Focus Areas:
How colors are perceived differently across disciplines.
How colors are perceived differently across disciplines.
How colors are perceived differently across disciplines.
Emotional reactions to abstract color compositions.
Emotional reactions to abstract color compositions.
Emotional reactions to abstract color compositions.
The role of cultural and environmental context in colour perception.
The role of cultural and environmental context in colour perception.
The role of cultural and environmental context in colour perception.
A Turning Point – The Maruti Suzuki Experiment
During a presentation of my research, an unexpected opportunity arose: Maruti Suzuki's Japanese conglomerate took an interest. Intrigued by the findings, they participated in the experiment, allowing us to expand the research scope globally. This led to fascinating insights into how cultural and geographical differences affect color perception.
🌍 Key Discovery:
Colours don’t carry absolute meanings. They shift across regions, industries, and personal experiences. A shade evoking warmth in one culture might signify caution in another. This reinforced the idea that —
Colour psychology is not universal but fluid and contextual.
A Turning Point – The Maruti Suzuki Experiment
During a presentation of my research, an unexpected opportunity arose: Maruti Suzuki's Japanese conglomerate took an interest. Intrigued by the findings, they participated in the experiment, allowing us to expand the research scope globally. This led to fascinating insights into how cultural and geographical differences affect color perception.
🌍 Key Discovery:
Colours don’t carry absolute meanings. They shift across regions, industries, and personal experiences. A shade evoking warmth in one culture might signify caution in another. This reinforced the idea that —
Colour psychology is not universal but fluid and contextual.
The Findings
The results challenged common assumptions about colour and emotion. While some patterns emerged—warmer tones generally evoking energy, cooler tones inducing calm, there were significant variations based on profession, personal history and cultural background.
📌 Takeaways:
The Findings
The results challenged common assumptions about colour and emotion. While some patterns emerged—warmer tones generally evoking energy, cooler tones inducing calm, there were significant variations based on profession, personal history and cultural background.
📌 Takeaways:
Designers vs. Non-Designers: Designers had more analytical responses, while non-designers reacted more intuitively.
Designers vs. Non-Designers: Designers had more analytical responses, while non-designers reacted more intuitively.
Designers vs. Non-Designers: Designers had more analytical responses, while non-designers reacted more intuitively.
Cultural Impact: Emotional associations with colors differed across regions.
Cultural Impact: Emotional associations with colors differed across regions.
Cultural Impact: Emotional associations with colors differed across regions.
Beyond Aesthetics: Colours are silent communicators, shaping perception in ways we don’t always realize.
Beyond Aesthetics: Colours are silent communicators, shaping perception in ways we don’t always realize.
Beyond Aesthetics: Colours are silent communicators, shaping perception in ways we don’t always realize.
Beyond the Research – The Design Newspaper
To make the research accessible and engaging, I created QUESTION: Make a Mark, a design newspaper featuring experiments, insights, and colour explorations. This first edition focuses on understanding colours and their emotional impact, with future editions covering typography, shape psychology, and more.
Beyond the Research – The Design Newspaper
To make the research accessible and engaging, I created QUESTION: Make a Mark, a design newspaper featuring experiments, insights, and colour explorations. This first edition focuses on understanding colours and their emotional impact, with future editions covering typography, shape psychology, and more.
Conclusion
This project goes beyond research—it’s a conversation starter. It invites designers, businesses, and researchers to rethink colour as more than a visual element, but as a powerful emotional trigger shaped by culture, geography, and industry.
📄 Want to dive deeper? Read the full research paper.
Conclusion
This project goes beyond research—it’s a conversation starter. It invites designers, businesses, and researchers to rethink colour as more than a visual element, but as a powerful emotional trigger shaped by culture, geography, and industry.
📄 Want to dive deeper? Read the full research paper.
© Chirpydoodler 2024
© Chirpydoodler 2024
© Chirpydoodler 2024
