Color

Color is the element of light that is refl ected back from an

object to our eyes. The color of the light refl ected back to us is

dependent on the color of the pigment inherent in the object

itself. No other element of design gives us as much pleasure

or is more symbolic of mood and emotion than color. Color is

a very evocative component in art and design and it can have

a profound effect upon the viewer. Our reactions to it are

more than biological; they are both very personal and often

culturally infl uenced. For example, in the West, black clothing is

traditionally worn at a funeral and the color itself is associated

with somber occasions, unpleasant emotions, even evil. In

contrast, brides in the West wear white, a color associated with

innocence in most Western cultures. However, in Japan, black

is worn by grooms at weddings and is considered an auspicious

color, and white is reserved for funerals where it is perceived as

the color of mourning and of rebirth.