The Science of Color Perception

1. Color and its emotions on people goes back to the evolutionary past of humans. The single-celled organism had to harvest their energy from the longer wavelengths, the reds, but avoid lethal ultraviolet waves. Blue and yellow were the first colors to matter. Primates were the first ones to be sensitive to red and green. Today, squirrel monkeys are tested on and if the monkeys began to like red fruit, they would learn to associate red with pleasure, just like humans. Cool colors and warm colors tend to hold the opposite meanings. Blues are meant to be calming, greens being the color of pastures evoke a feeling associated with being refreshed. Yellow is associated with a more warming effect.

2. A theoretical concept that fascinates me about color is the theory that certain colors can speed up time. In the science museum clip, this was tested by three different color pods of white, blue and red. White is the control, people are asked to stand in the different pods and give a sign when they think a minute has passed, I find it interesting that the people in the red pod had quick times in there revealing that a sense of anxiety caused them to want to be in there for less time.

1. From watching the video I now know why artists paint with certain colors, they want to evoke feelings in viewers. Color is way more than a surface concept, it runs deep within us and can allow us to feel certain things. This is important to me to learn about because it can affect the way I paint and draw in the future.