This document discusses color symbolism and the psychological effects of different colors. It provides examples of how the meaning of colors varies across cultures and time periods for things like mourning, marriage, and royalty. It then explains how warm colors can create feelings of warmth and happiness while cold colors are associated with melancholy and depression. The document also includes several biblical passages where colors like white and scarlet are referenced. It concludes by outlining an assignment to design a flag for a hometown city based on researched history and symbolism.

1. Color Symbolism &
Color Psychology

2. Color Symbolism
Color meaning varies between countries and
between times:
• Mourning:
US-black
India-white
Turkey-Violet
Ethiopia-Brown
Burma-Yellow
• Marriage (female):
US-White
Hindu India-Yellow
China-Red
• Royalty:
European & Egyptians-purple
China-Yellow
Rome-Red
Jusepe de Ribera. The Holy Family with Saints Anne and
Catherine of Alexandria. 1648. Oil on canvas, 6 10 1/2 x 5
3/4 (209.6 x 154.3 cm).The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1934 (34.73).

3. Emotional Color
Emotional Color - The use of
color to create a reaction
or get a response.
Warm colors = Warm,
happy
Cold Colors = Melancholy
and depression
Pablo Picasso. Crouching Woman. 1902. Oil on
canvas, 2 11 x 2 4 (90 x 71 cm). Staatsgalerie,
Stuttgart.

5. “Yet you have a few people in Sardis who
have not soiled their clothes.They will walk
with me, dressed in white, for they are
worthy. The one who is victorious will, like
them, be dressed in white. I will never blot
out the name of that person from the book
of life, but will acknowledge that name
before my Father and his angels.”
Revelation 3: 4-5

6. “These people are springs without water
and mists driven by a storm. Blackest
darkness is reserved for them. For they
mouth empty, boastful words and, by
appealing to the lustful desires of the
flesh, they entice people who are just
escaping from those who live in error.”
2 Peter 2:17-18

7. “The Lord said to Moses,‘Speak to the
Israelites and say to them:‘Throughout the
generations to come you are to make tassels
on the corners of your garments, with a blue
cord on each tassel.You will have these tassels
to look at and so you will remember all the
commands of the Lord, that you may obey
them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing
after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes.
Then you will remember to obey all my
commands and will be consecrated to your
God.”
Numbers 15: 37-40

8. “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.”
Isaiah1:18

16. Assignment:
• Design a visually engaging, 10” x 15” flag for your home
city.
Pay particular attention to the 5 basic principles of flag
design:

17. Due next class:
• 1-page research about this history, economy, interesting
facts, etc. about your home city.
• Current city flag and/or city seal or logo.
• 20, 1” x 1.5” different, color flag sketches that represent
your research about the city.
YOU WILL PRESENT YOUR RESEARCH SKETCHES TO
THE CLASS. BE PREPARED TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS YOUR
REASONING BEHIND YOUR DESIGNS!