Introduction

How visual perception of color aids the effectiveness of design.

Background/Review of the Sources

Examining how the visual perception of color offers a more effective visual communication in design through the use of color. And the psychological effects it has on the public. With the use of visual perception principles and color theories, designers can gain background knowledge and insight into how the public perceives specific types of color and the associations they make with their emotions. The effect a certain color may have on a person or group of people is not only controlled by the psychological associated with their emotions. But also the inside structure of our eyes and the environment where we stand. Things like light sensitivity, genetic structure, cone reception, and brain manipulation showcase just how impactful color perception is in design.

Rationale

My research topic is socially significant because it explains how color perception is used in real-world situations to accommodate and provide inclusivity for people, pets, and others. I hope to explore this topic in detail because I want to understand the reasoning behind why certain colors express more power and success in comparison to others. This includes exploring perception principles, theories, the science behind it, color psychology, cultural impacts, and how color absorption differs. The reason why this topic is meaningful to me is because of how color paints a picture to tell a story. I can’t imagine living in a black-and-white world where color is just non-existent. Or how we would look at one another if we were all just blue, a bunch of blue people walking the earth. Things would be different, perspectives would have shifted, and history would have rewritten itself. It’s just crazy to me how much effect it has, and that’s the reason why I want to explore it.

Method and Design

  1. Background info, introducing the topic.
  2. Explaining Visual Perception (Science)
  3. Historical context of color in design
  4. Social & cultural importance
  5. Color provides accessibility
  6. Psychological impact
  7. Examples
  8. Future of color

References/Resources

  1. O’Connor, Z. (2015), Colour, contrast and gestalt theories of perception: The impact in contemporary visual communications design. Color Res. Appl., 40: 85-92. https://doi.org/10.1002/col.21858. 
  2. Europe PMC. Europe PMC. europepmc.org/article/nbk/nbk11538#free-full-text. 
  3. The Science of Color. Netherlands, Elsevier Science, 2003. 
  4. Crone, Robert A. A history of color: the evolution of theories of light and color. Springer Science & Business Media, 2012. (Link)
  5. Elliot, Andrew J. “Color and psychological functioning: a review of theoretical and empirical work.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 6 368. 2 Apr. 2015, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00368, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4383146/. 
  6. Singh, Satyendra. “Impact of Color on Marketing.” Management Decision, vol. 44, no. 6, 2006, pp. 783–89, https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740610673332.
    1. (Link) 
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