The Palette of Life

Think about the emotions you would like to express with your portrait. A portrait conveys a mood which is the culmination of the setting, the emotion of the subjects, the type of pose, the lighting, and, finally, the colors used in the portrait. Color is a powerful psychological tool.

In nature, light creates the color. In the picture, color creates the light. - Hans Hofmann

Color psychology will help you plan your location and clothing, to set the emotional tone you desire in your portrait. Also, incorporating a color into your portrait design that is taken from the room décor where you plan to display your portrait ties the two together and creates a stronger image. The wall portrait, in turn, will set the tone and help create the atmosphere of the room it is hanging in.

Color does not add a pleasant quality to design - it reinforces it. - Pierre Bonnard

The time of year, time of day and outdoor scenery also play a big role in your color scheme. Similar hues bring about harmony. This is just one of the many differences between a planned portrait and a snapshot. What colors do you feel comfortable in?

The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. – Hans Hofmann

The Language of Color, by Koos Ellis

White can represent purity and innocence. It also conveys safety as well as sterile cleanliness and perfection. White spaces appear larger and any white area on a portrait demands instant attention from the viewer.

White...is not a mere absence of colour; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black...God paints in many colours; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white. - G. K. Chesterton

Although it is also a neutral color, taupe is a warm, inviting alternative to gray. You can find a taupe hue, also known as cream or beige, to coordinate with almost any other color. Care must be taken with using taupe in portraits since it can be very similar to skin color. I don’t recommend wearing a taupe top because the neckline will not be apparent. Being a light color, the taupe areas of a dark portrait will demand the viewers attention. Ideally, the taupe areas of a dark (“low-key”) portrait should be the face.

Brown, an earthy color, invokes a sense of natural warmth and friendship. It is considered a masculine color that conveys feelings of stability, reliability and strength. Dark brown, just like beautiful dark wood furnishings, symbolizes home. Brown is solid, secure, wholesome and organic. Chocolate brown can be rich and sensuous.

Energetic and fun, orange is a cheerful color. That being said, people generally either love or hate vibrant orange tones. And on the other hand, nearly everyone is partial to earthy orange tones like terra cotta. Orange has a newness and warmth to it. In portraits, orange can be used beautifully for either sexes.

Orange is the happiest color. – Frank Sinatra

Yellow is optimistic, joyful, and intellectual. The color yellow stimulates brains to start working and is associated with creativity and laughter. Yellow invokes feelings of happiness and youthfulness. Like taupe, yellow can be very similar to skin color, so care must be taken with portraiture. Sometimes just a splash of yellow in the portrait, flowers, for example, is enough to add the wonderful feelings of yellow without being too distractive.

I just want to be a warm yellow light that pours all over everyone I love. – Conor Oberst

Romantic and feminine, soft pink is a soothing color representing beauty, grace and goodness. Pink invokes feelings of joy and freshness. Brilliant pink is passionate and sensual like red, but without the negative emotions commonly associated with red. Like some yellows and creams, pink can be very similar to skin tones. Care must be taken when wearing a pink top to make sure the transition from skin to clothing is obvious.

" in the pink" noun: in the best of health or condition – Merriam-Webster

Nothing screams “look at me” more than red. Red’s diverse meanings range from intense anger to passionate love – but both full of energy. Red means danger and red means life. It means spontaneous, bold confidence and vigor. Do you love red? Let’s incorporate some of this wonderfully brilliant color into your portrait.

“So much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens.” William Carlos Williams

An organic color, green is all around us. It represents growth and harmony. This color is also associated with good luck and generosity. Greens can represent fertility, nurturing, supporting and calming. Most people enjoy green. Depending on the season, outdoor portraits may have a ton of green. Moss or olive green, a somewhat neutral color, is warmer than grey. Being less saturated than bright green, it is even more calming and peaceful. This restful color makes a wonderful choice for portraits. Care must be taken not to choose yellow-green, which can appear sickly. Dark green has the same qualities as green except it is more rich and luxurious. In furniture, clothing, web design, artwork and portraits, you will commonly find dark green used where other royalty colors are used, like black, gold and dark red.

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises. – Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Nestled between light green and light blue, aqua symbolizes healing. Commonly used by massage therapists and medical centers, this soft form of turquoise is associated with protection and peace. Turquoise is a friendly, tranquil color. Turquoise also has a strong emotional charge that inspires clear, organized thinking and creativity. Turquoise was the Pantone color of the year for 2010.

Like aqua, light blue symbolizes health, tranquility and rest. Light blue is the most common color in nature (sky, ocean) and surrounds us with calmness and familiarity. Blue is a steadfast, dependable, masculine color that invokes feelings of wisdom, loyalty and truth. Blue wins the color popularity contest for America’s favorite colors. Blue is a safe color that doesn’t demand attention and is flattering to most skin types. Dark blue indicates power and importance. Like dark purple and dark green, dark blue is a luxurious color that also symbolizes integrity.

Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the deity to be a source of delight. – John Ruskin

Lavender, or light purple, invokes feelings of nostalgia. Lavender is also a tender, delicate color that is associated with spirituality. Purple is the color of royalty and symbolizes wealth, power, sophistication and prosperity. Being a spiritual color, purple is also associated with wisdom and creativity.

I never saw a purple cow; I never hope to see one; but I can tell you, anyhow, I'd rather see than be one – Frank Gelett Burgess

Known as the color of sophistication, black radiates authority. Like red, black has an enormous range of emotions from the little black dress to the color of death. Black represents power, intelligence and authority. Black also conveys mystery and elegance. Black is also a formal and a royal color, adding richness and sophistication to portraits. Black spaces retreat so the important part of the portrait will stand out.

Black is real sensation, even if it is produced by entire absence of light. The sensation of black is distinctly different from the lack of all sensations. – Hermann Von Helmhoz

Gold is the ultimate status color, symbolizing wealth and success. The nature of gold allows the viewer to experience the happiness of yellow and the elegance of black. Gold is said to be a masculine color, and represents wisdom and knowledge. Being a warm color, gold also invokes feelings of love and passion. Gold is a generous, charismatic color that is also associated with spirituality. Gold is inspiring, elegant, sophisticated and adds perceived value.

“As every thread of gold is valuable, so is every moment of time.”

Let's talk about color, emotion and also the clothing cuts and patterns that will express you, and photograph best, when we meet in person.