The Beginning – Building Blocks

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Harold R. Mc Alindon

We are surrounded by exquisite, and beautiful colour combinations in the natural world. A master class in colour. When we look at colour, how many colours can we see? Is it hundreds, thousands or millions? It is millions, and each with its own meaning, dual personality and associations. Confusing, complex, potent and erotic, colour is awesome. As Julie Andrews sang ... "Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start ..."

The basic building blocks of colour are divided into just three sections: the primaries, the secondaries, and the tertiary. The primary colours are red, blue and yellow, and they are the basis of all other shades. When all three are mixed together in equal parts they will make black. The secondary colours are orange, green and violet; by mixing two of the primary colours together we get a secondary colour. Mixing red and yellow in equal parts results in orange. Mixing yellow and blue in equal parts results in green. Mixing equal parts of red and blue results in violet. There are six tertiary colours, and mixing equal parts of one primary and one secondary colour results in a tertiary colour. So what are the six colours? They are amber, lime, turquoise, lavender, purple, yellow. Mixing red and orange together gives yellow. Yellow with green gives lime. Yellow with orange creates amber.

Colour is a powerful and engaging medium, a visual element unsurpassed. Colour will impact customers' decisions long before they have rationalised the purchase. Global business cannot rest on their laurels in mediocrity; the focus on excellence must start with colour. Correct colour choice is imperative and will perfect business advantage in global markets.

In all aspects of our life, history confirms the extremely important role colour plays in affecting our evolution. It is the bedrock of our lives. It guides how we rest, work and play, interact, engage, communicate, network, purchase and sell. Empires are built on colour savvy business. Millions are spent perfecting, launching and marketing new products and brands. I know the fundamental and most important aspect of every product success or launch is colour, and must be the number one reason behind decision making.

Conversely, the use of colour, with no understanding of colour properties, dual personality or associations is akin to failing before you have started. Colour is an area that demands perfection. One shade out leaves the project lacking and it shows; people will feel something isn't right, even if they are unable to place their finger on what's wrong, voice their opinion, they will know, leaving business leaders wondering why colour isn't working for them. Yet colour does work.

Unfortunately, success depends upon the ability and expertise of the person or team allocated the task of the colour scheme, as colour can only be as good as the person choosing the colour. It continually surprises me, as there appears to be a naivety in some quarters, of the profound impact and transformational ability colour has; a fuller understanding is needed as colour is pivotal, the vital visual element that attracts the required emotive response while being aesthetically pleasing and unsurpassed and comfortable holding a multifaceted role. Colour is the peak; everything else, design, marketing, branding etc., must follow the leader.

Throughout history, the way colour is used has evolved internationally. The country, culture and religion all play a part in colour acceptance, meaning and understanding. Shades of colour must be tweaked and changed, dependent upon the audience, product type, culture and design. A one-colour-suits-all cannot work with international business, and the associations we make with every colour is dependent upon where we have been raised in the world. Colour provides nonverbal effective communication, the most powerful and underused business tool available.

Colour choice can magnetise and attract a target audience or alienate them. It is that simple. With the best marketing and advertising in the world if the colour choice is not spot on and exact, expect sales not to reach sustained targets, or worse, offend the target market. Colour, with its own unique set of variants and meanings, when even a tweak to one colour has far-reaching implications, the task may appear daunting and enormous.

When immersed in international trading, it is vital to be colour savvy to survive. A cursory glance at the history of colour will reveal the historical and economic impact colour provides. Pre-war we see mainly dull bland colour, post-war, colour becomes a guiding light to brighten and to uplift. During austerity, fashion is ablaze with colour and pattern to reignite our senses, to lift mood and to brighten outlook. The most recent crash saw a blaze of colour and pattern on the catwalk spilling out on to the high street.

A Glance at Ancient & Modern History

All truth passes through three stages. First it is ridiculed, second it is opposed and third it is accepted as self-evident.

Arthur Schopenhauer, 1788–1860

The study of colour is as old as the hills. Colour affects us all far more deeply and profoundly than might first be imagined. Colour has played a vital part in human lives, health, survival and culture since ancient times. Long before the many theories of the effects of different colours on the human body were established and shared through writings and passed down through word of mouth. Our primitive ancestors used the healing properties of colour before language was established, proven by cave drawings and artefacts found. Certain attributes were linked to certain colours; some are still in use and appropriate today.

From living close to nature, observing changes in plants, trees, animal behaviour, weather and seasons they built a strong and workable proven colour catalogue to help themselves and each other eat, live and survive. Coming forward and closer to modern times, the history and scientific background can be interesting, I shall share a potted version then cover interesting aspects of this extraordinarily deep and expansive subject.

It all began with 'Let there be light' and thus began the great explosion and process of colour into the world. Colour is the manifestation of different wavelengths of light and pervades every part of our being, the earth and the universe. It is a vital and important part of our lives. Discoveries of ancient cave paintings show man's use of colour...