Communicating with Colors Through Your Photographs
by Cody Johnson | May 31, 2012 | Art & Decor
Do you know about Feng Shui? Most people think of it as a way of arranging the furnishings in the home in order to balance "chi" or life energy. It is also, however, a way of using colors to control energies in a space too. So, it is a theory to consider where interior design is concerned, but also a wise theory to apply to almost any instances of using color.
Now, we are not saying that all of your decorating ideas have to be connected to Feng Shui, but we are saying that if you are seeking to somehow communicate with color you give value to theories in which colors have very defined energies. For example, at the
Spiritual Feng Shui website the color spectrum is divided into "yin" and "yang" colors and then each is given an explanation about value. For instance, they explain that:
- Blue = calm and soothing
- Black = power
- Purple = physical healing
- White = purity
- Yellow = warmth
- Orange = concentration
The list goes on, but it gives you a good idea about the ways in which colors have emotional or physical values in this system. Does this apply to general color theory too? Is blue often viewed as a soothing hue? Yes, and white is a sign of purity just as much as yellow translate to sunlight and warmth.
So, if you are creating a design scheme in your home and are intending to set the mood for a room by painting walls a certain color or using different hues in the decor in order to create an emotion, don't overlook any DIY opportunities. What does that mean? Well, have you considered doing a lot of digital photography and making canvas prints to communicate the theme.
Here is what we mean: you could spend days or weeks seeking just the right framed artworks for the walls of your home. You may want a pale green hue in the image to coordinate with the warm honey yellow of the walls. This is not a simple task, and you spend so much free time trying to find things that you like that you find yourself annoyed each time you glance at the works.
Why not avoid all of that by simply getting your camera and heading out to take images of the things you like and in the hues that you need for the design in the room. For example, it might be the middle of winter and you want to find plants with lime or pale green foliage to photograph for a shot. Why not head to a greenhouse or conservatory to spend a day among the plants and to also get detail shots of all the living and growing things in that palette you need to communicate the theme of the room.
You can also consider just examining your existing images for color references. For example, you made a trip to the Caribbean and discovered that one of the shots has all of the sea green and brilliant hues you are using to convey energy in the living space. Why not send a few of these files to a printing firm that can make you large canvas prints of the shots to hang on your walls.
Can you really use just a few areas of a photograph or artwork to communicate a color scheme? Absolutely! Think about the way that a kitchen with a black and white floor and white cabinets can serve as a great setting for a few bright red accessories. This is just the spot for that photograph or art print that has those three shades as well. here are some other examples of photos highlighting nature's color scheme and I hope this gives you some ideas on how you can use your photography to help decorate and communicate with colors.
