How colors make you feel

Designers and brand owners need to understand the basics of color theory, color symbolism and the psychology of color to communicate effectively to their audience. Up to 90% of people base their first impressions of a product on color alone. And the wrong colors could send the wrong message—like using white to convey freshness in a culture where it represents death.

Basically, color matters!

So, let’s look at how different groups of colors make us feel, then see how individual colors can be used to evoke specific emotions.

How different colors make us feel

Let’s dive into the colors and emotions.

Red

Red—passionate, energetic, angry, dangerous, lucky

Red makes you feel passionate and energized. It’s often associated with passion and love, as well as anger and danger (there’s a thin line between love and hate, after all). In China and other East Asian cultures, red is associated with joy and good luck, which is why it’s the color of the Lunar New Year.

Yellow

Yellow—happy, spontaneous, cheerful, optimistic

Yellow is reminiscent of sunshine and smiley faces and is often used to make people feel positive. It’s dazzling and joyful.

Green

Green—fresh, balanced, calm

Green can make you feel optimistic, refreshed, or relaxed, probably because of its association with nature. Green is easy on the eyes and can be used to create balance in a design.

Blue

Blue—secure, relaxed, spiritual, calm, cold

It evokes feelings of calm and trustworthiness,

Dark blue is popular with corporations because it feels so safe and professional. But using too much blue can feel cold and disengaged. Light blues are considered more relaxing and friendly.

Pink

Pink—playful, romantic, tender, cute, fun

Traditionally, pink evokes romance, sweetness and tenderness. It can often make us feel playful or romantic. But pink can also be modern, like millennial pink, or outrageous, showy and even rebellious, like hot pink.

Black

Black—sophisticated, classic, serious

Black evokes power, luxury and elegance, but can also stand for professionalism, neutrality and simplicity.

White

White—simple, peaceful, elegant, cold

Using a lot of white in design creates a minimalist aesthetic—fresh and comforting in its simplicity. white can feel cold, impersonal and overly sanitized, like a blindingly white hospital ward.

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In the end

Colors and emotions are inextricably linked

Whether designing a logo, building a brand, or putting together the perfect revenge outfit for your school reunion, remember that colors can change how you feel and how others perceive you. Colors can be subjective, too: a neon yellow logo that makes one person happy might give another person a headache. So choose carefully, and always ask for help from an expert if you need it!

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