The power of colour

This morning at sunrise, while London was submerged in an unfamiliar lull, Billingsgate fish market brimmed with a kaleidoscope of colour. Fish of all form, texture, and hue coalesed into an ornamented chaos. This chromatic spectrum and diversity of pattern provokes the question as to why this has come to be? What purpose does colour have, and what are its effects?

From the Ancient Egyptians to the millennials — mankind has always been fascinated by colour. Innumerable studies have been conducted on its physiological implications; the way in which it simulates emotional responses, through to theories of visual perception. Traditionally it is thought that colour is read through two primary channels — both natural and psychological / cultural associations. The latter is a concept that is partly subjective, but for design to be truly successful it needs to account for the psychological power of colours and the associative meanings they communicate. The concept of colour as a tool of communication is not the sole preserve of mankind, all natural aspects of our living world have evolved to utilize it in one manner or another.

The reasons for variation of colour and pattern in different species are as varied as the colours themselves. It is believed that colours act as an identifier of mate / clan, as a form of protection, as well as being related to feeding patterns, climate, mood changes, warnings and reproductive cycles. Darwin touched on this colour sense in animals in his theory of sexual selection, speaking of the relationship between colour and survival.

Although we cannot be sure of the reason for each colour, nor the way in which they are perceived by each organism, we can be sure that colour is one of the strongest communicative tools that is available to us. It transcends all aspects of life; natural and man-made, social and economical — to inform, emote and engage.