Colour is important to us all for many reasons. One of the most amazing things about colour is how It triggers an emotional response in us- it can soothe, it can uplift, it can warn, it can transform and even repulse us at times.
As an artist, my world is all about colour and yet I’m always amazed at how many different tones can be created and the energy each one brings to a painting.
And so, I think it’s time to dig deep into the magical world of colour!
Colour and our mental health and well-being
Sometimes, I ponder a world without colour.
About four years ago, my mum died and I then suffered some traumatic events one on top of the other.
Quite literally, it felt that my world had drained of colour. Everything seemed so grey and dark and dull – like I was living in a grey smog.
That is the closest I’ve been to a world without colour and I can tell you it was not a happy place.
Colour has the power to affect our moods and behaviours and so it is important for our overall mental health and well-being.
Through art, I was able to start surrounding myself with colour and this in turn changed my outlook on life.
As I started to see the colours around me again, I was able to walk with a lightness of step and begin to see the magic that had always been there for me to enjoy. This in turn led to a deep practice of gratitude and a move towards an abundant frame of mind.
Now fully recovered, I can safely say that colour paved my way back to a healthy and positive mindset.
Colour is important for our health and well being. As David Hockney said: ‘I prefer living in colour’. That’s my aim.
So when I feel the colours start to dull, I immediately bring some colour into my life. I consider the clothes I wear, the books I read, the places I visit. And of course, the colours I choose to paint with.,
Perhaps you can relate. Do you instantly feel transformed when wearing a certain colour? How do you feel when surrounded by the colours of nature?
The effects of colours
We will always have our own subjective views on colours – which are our favourites, which make us feel confident and which colours we wish to surround ourselves with.
There are some specific effects that certain colours will have on us all. For example, red calls for our attention and says look at me! It is not a mistake that warning signs are painted red. It is not a surprise that our eyes are drawn to lips painted in red.
Blue on the other hand has the effect of trust and reliability. That’s probably why suits and many uniforms are often blue. The colour helps us feel protected.
If I could pick a colour I couldn’t live without, it would be green. Green soothes and calms. I feel most confident when wearing shades and tones of green. This is probably due to the abundance of this colour in nature.
How can colour help you?
Feeling vulnerable? Wrap yourself in a baby pink blanket and feel comforted.
Feeling low? Wear something orange and be instantly uplifted.
Feeling angry? Get out in nature and look at the greens all around you.
There are many ways we can be helped by colour. The most effective way is through art. Working directly with colour helps us feel the magical energy of it in a powerful way.
And that is why I’ve created a wonderful mini art course to help you become more confident when working with colour so that you can make more of the art that you love.
It is called Colour Confidence because I will take you on a journey to get you feeling more confident with colour and for colour to bring you more confidence in life.
Creating colourful art has the power to heal and transform us in unimaginable ways.
You can take a look at the course here: Colour Confidence! And become the true creative colourist you were born to be!