Medication Color

Medicines used to be plain and bland when it came to color. Through the years color has been introduced to soft gel tablets, liquid medicine, and even regular pills. This experimentation started in the 1960’s, and then boomed again in 1975 (Morton). A big question that people ask is why it is necessary or beneficial to color medication?

By changing the color of pills, it is easier for people to distinguish between different medications. It has also been observed during a study that certain colorings on certain types of medication make it more appealing to the consumer. Blues tend to symbolize sleep and restfulness, when a person is in pain they gravitate towards red pills to relieve the pain (Morton).

Companies also use color on their medical products to entice the consumer to buy it. Now that many drugs are available over the counter consumers need help deciding which product to choose (Morton). Since “80% of visual information is related to color (Morton)” companies try to use colors that will make their clients want to take the medicine and let them know what the medicine is for.

Works Cited:

Morton, Jill. "Taking the Color of Medications Seriously: Pharmaceutical Color – A New Frontier!." Color Matters. 2006. 11 Apr 2008 .

Synaesthesia

Experiencing flashes of color while looking at numbers or letters may seem strange to you, but it is actually the most common form of synaesthesia. Synaesthesia is a nuerological condition that occurs when the senses intertwine in the brain (Morton). If you are one of the people who sees colors or shapes when you eat a certain food, or see letters, or hear musice, then you are what is known as a synesthete. Due to the lack of reporting, it is unkown how many synesthetes there are in the world.

Many artists that experience synesthesia incorporate it into their artwork. Some, who see whole scenes instead of simple color and shapes, draw from what they saw in their mind. Ocassionally artists will depict what they believe synesthetes see and experience because they temselves are not synesthetes.

Synesthetes do not necessarily see the colors that most people would think. Angry music does not evoke a red color in the mind off all synesthetes; however, red is often a color associated with anger. The colors that they do see do stay the same throughout their lifetime though. For instance, if someone sees the letter S as yellow, they will almost always see S as yellow, it is not common for the S to change to red or green.

Camouflage

Many animals protect themselves through camouflage. Their colorings blend into their natural habitat. This helps them to either hide from their predator or prey. Lions hide in the dried grass in order to sneak up on their anticipated meal. The coat of lions matches the color of the dead grass; the grass is also high enough to cover the lions.

Each environment causes camouflage to appear differently. Where most of the land is covered in snow and ice, the animals tend to be white or gray. Deserts have animals with a more sandy color, light brown. Grasslands and trees that are home to species lend their green color to the camouflage of the animals. Some animals make themselves look like other objects instead of blending in with the surrounding color. There are animals that look like leafs, sticks, even rocks.

The changing of seasons usually means that animals are no longer camouflaged. If an animal lives in a green grassland, there is a good chance that the animal will have a green or brown coloring. During the winter it may snow and cover all of the green. The animal would then stick out from the snow if he was still brown. The only way to really blend in with the changing scenery is to grow a new coat of fur since animals fur is composed of dead cells. This new coat would camouflage them in the snow, but when spring comes along, they lose their white, winter fur and grow back the brown fur.

It has often been debated as to whether black and white are colors. Depending on which color theory you explore, the answer changes. The additive color theory states that light is used to create colors. In this case white is a color because by mixing all the colors of light, you get white light. The absence of light, and color, results in black.



The opposite is true with the subtractive color theory. This theory uses three primary pigments to generate all other colors. You cannot get white by mixing any of the three colors together in any varying amounts. Mixing all three colors together, however, can make black.
People have always debated over whether white and black are colors are not. Each side has evidence to support their theory. You will just have to decide for yourself who you agree with. Your choice will depend on the medium you choose to refer to and many other decisions.

Works Consulted:
Morton, J.L.. "Is Black a Color? Is White a Color?." Color Matters. 2007. 8 Feb 2008 .

Image Citations:
Morton, J.L.. "Is Black a Color? Is White a Color?." Color Matters. 2007. 8 Feb 2008 .

Color

All the colors that our eyes detect are made up of three primary colors, red, blue, and yellow. By mixing these three colors a whole new range of colors appear. Then by adding black or white, the entire color can change its meaning. Red is a common color to have numerous feelings associated with it. Starting with just the hue, red can mean anger, caution, or passion. By adding white you get a pink color, usually having a more romantic feeling to go along with it. However, adding black to red at different degrees can convey different emotions. Adding just a little bit of black can make it look more like blood, causing people to relive some horrid experience of their past. An even darker red makes me think of royalty and respect. For every person the meanings of colors might differ depending on our previous experiences.
Seeing different colors next to one another also changes the emotion felt. When I see plaid, of any kind, I think of sailboats and the ocean. Red and green, brings to mind Christmas, orange and black signify Halloween in my mind. I cannot help but think of these holidays when I see those combinations of colors. Pastel colors remind me of springtime. Stores change what they sell each year as well based on the trends. The public can even change their minds about colors depending on what it is on.

Do objects have the right color?

People perceive colors differently; however, it cannot be denied that colors influence your mood and thoughts. When painting a house, the color chosen for specific rooms helps to set the mood and function of the room. Living rooms, where most families entertain their guests, are usually painted in more neutral colors. Beige, pastel colors, and lighter earthy tones are all common color choices in this type of room. These colors make me feel relaxed and do not bring forth emotions that brighter colors do. Kitchens on the other hand depend on colors to set the style and time frame of the kitchen. A more modern kitchen tends to be a simple white, letting the silver of the stainless steel appliances provide the atmosphere. The image of the coffee maker shows the luminosity of the stainless steel. In my mind, the silver color reminds me of more modern times and cleanliness; therefore I feel that the silver goes well with the appliance it adorns.



The colors red and pink are often thought to symbolize love, passion, and admiration. Red and pink roses are given to loved one to show the above emotions. Tis is another object that the color and object share the same meaning.

Iconography

People see icons every day; as they walk down the street, driving, even just looking at other people's clothing they are seeing logos. I feel that one of the most recognizable logos was created for the pharmacy. Everyone knows that the symbol Rx means that the store itself is a pharmacy, or it contains a pharmacy. This symbol has been reduced to two simple letters, R and X. These are just letters separately, but when seen together they become something entirely different. Without having to see a picture or a complete word, people know what it means. That is what makes this a successful logo.

Image Citation:
http://toyvax.glendale.ca.us/~tts/ (7 December 2007)

A sign conveys a message through objects, actions, events, or patterns. Prominent signs are traffic signs, warning us to slow down or stop. Another type of sign that some people acknowledge is an action that makes a person believe that certain things happen to certain people at certain times. A symbol is usually a tangible object that is meant to represent something that cannot be seen. A heart or a Cupid’s arrows have become symbols for love, a smiley face for happiness, etc. A logo is a symbol that has been made specifically for a company, or organization. Logos try to describe the business in the simplest way. An icon uses only images, no words, to represent objects and feelings. All of these words, sign, symbol, logo, and icon, all work with one another to be successful.

Works Consulted:
"icon." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07 Dec. 2007. .

"logo." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07 Dec. 2007. .

"symbol." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07 Dec. 2007. .

"sign." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07 Dec. 2007. .