Red

Red is a very popular color and has been treasured throughout the ages. Some might even say that RED is ON Target!!!

Red has Physical properties, psychological effects, and elicits emotional responses.

With Valentines Day part of this months celebrations, this is your chance to get better acquainted with Red! From the color of blood to those delicate pink roses my mom loves, red shows up around us regularly in nature. In white light (the most correct light to view colors) Red is a powerful color. Called a Primary color, Red has the longest wave length. For example, viewed in blue light (which has no red waves) red will appear black.

Although not technically the most visible color, Red has properties that make it appear nearer than it is. It stimulates activity and can raise ones pulse rate.

It can even give the impression that time is passing more quickly. Red can activate the “fight or flight” instinct. One study showed that Olympic athletic teams dressed in Red won contests 60% more often than those dressed in blue.This was attributed to the sense of dominance Red subconsciously gives to the person wearing it.

When architects and designers compared the affects of wall colors in a commercial space, for instance a bar: they found more patrons chose spaces with Red or Yellow walls, as opposed to the numbers that chose a blue room. Those in the Red space reported that they were hungrier and thirstier than the others reported. Those in the Yellow room actually ate more. But those in the blue room, though fewer, stayed longer.

Other studies have shown that a red background for white lettered information actually enhanced memory of the information. Chromo therapy is a very ancient practice of utilizing color to effect health and behavior. The science of color is called Chromatics and identifies the perceptions of color by the human eye and brain, origins of color in materials, color theory in Art, and the physics of color and light. Master painters have been known to add dots of red into shadow areas to give the shadows vibrancy and life. Many golden frames have a red undercoat to give the gold-leaf depth and warmth.

Our emotional response to Red also has to do with our cultural experience. Go to a dictionary and you can find that Red is an adjective attached to a myriad of words in the English language accepted by Webster! Definitely showing that some of the Webster phrases using the acceptance of Red to define emotion include Red neck, red Carpet, Red cent, Red coat, Red cross, red-eye, red flag, red handed (a reference, I think to blood!) Red hat, Red herring, Red hot, Red ink, Red light STOP! The list goes on! Consistently our own color preferences are important to us!

Even though Red can be demanding, and aggressive and angry, it can also be hungry, angry, sizzling, romantic and passionate! It can be serious, and playful, and friendly all at once! Here’s to Primary Red. Enjoy!

Photo: Gallery Wrap art “Insight” by Valerie Wilson. Wendy Kosloski owns and operates Teague’s Interiors in Longview with her mom, Shirley. Stop by the store and talk about your favorite color anytime! Call 636-0712