The eye can see 7,000,000 colors. Certain colors and relationships can be eye irritants, cause headaches, and wreak havoc with human vision. Other colors and color combinations are soothing. Consequently, the appropriate use of color can maximize productivity, minimize visual fatigue, and relax the whole body (Morton “Color and Vision” Yahoo) . Colors can affect a person’s mood or behavior.

The color of kings was purple. For people of power red carpets were rolled out. Some cultures believed that certain colors were thought to have specific healing or energizing powers (Koncius 25). For example, a painting by Jan Van Eyeck (1434) shows a bride in the Renaissance Period wearing a gown of green to show her willingness and fertility to bear children. The Green Man was the god of fertility in Celtic myths. In the present, American culture has changed th

• Blue is an appetite suppressant. Suggestions are to put food on a blue plate, and put a blue light in the refrigerator.

e signification of green to “heightened sexuality.” Green was a sacred color to the Egyptians representing the hope and joy of spring. It is also a sacred color to the Muslims. Japanese Emperor Hirohito’s birthday is celebrated as “Green Day” because he loved to garden (Morton “Color and Culture” Yahoo). A million years ago, when our earliest ancestors were searching for food, blue, purple, and black were “color warning signs” of potentially lethal food. Yellow is a symbol of deity in many global religions. In China brides may not wear white to their weddings. It is thought that this color shows mourning. Similarly in India a bride wearing white shows that they are inviting widowhood (Jarmen 46).

• Green is the most restful color for the human eyes.

Testings show colors can affect a person’s mood or behavior. For example, blue can suppress an appetite, yellow can irritate eyes, and red acts as a stimulant. By studying how colors affect our morals and behavior we can use colors to achieve desired behavior. This is a powerful tool for advertising, restuarants, hospitals, prisons, schools, and home decorating. It is incredible that something seen everyday by the majority of people could affect a person in such an enormous way.

Research has tended to show that colors do evoke certain responses. This information is valuable in many different areas. For instance, businesses can choose colors to appropriate certain responses from their customers. For example, Sir Speedy Printing recently changed its look, including the colors in the store and on the logo. They chose a red logo that would make customers feel excited about using Sir Speedy. K-Mart, on the other hand, using blue, makes the customer feel comfortable in the store. In other examples, hospitals use colors such as blue and purple in their waiting rooms to help calm patients. One would rarely walk into a mental hospital that has bright red walls that might excite the patients (“Science of Light” Yahoo).

Some topics in this essay:
Encyclopedia Britannica, Feng Shui, Yahoo Densmore, Culture” Yahoo, Color” Yahoo, Yahoo Testings, Testing Densmore, Renaissance Period, Appetite” Yahoo, Zealand” Yahoo, feng shui, morton “color, colors affect, morton “color vision”, “color vision” yahoo, mood behavior, “color vision”, blue purple, vision” yahoo, colors affect person’s, person’s mood, person’s mood behavior, affect person’s, affect person’s mood, color human,