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Color Symbolism: Yellow

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If orange is the colour of optimism, yellow is the colour of pure joy.

Mellow Yellow
Being on the warm side of the colour spectrum along with red and orange, yellow is a stimulating colour that can entice appetite and lighter moods. Popularised, in fact, by smiley faces everywhere, yellow has become a symbol for the carefree and the mellow.

It has been long desputed what yellow's complimentary colour is, but research seems to mount behind the controversial violet a few posts back.

What I'm Trying to Say ...
In English, yellow has been associated cowardice or the physical illness of Jaundice, but in Hindu Mythology, yellow has the power to bestow intellect and change minds. In South Korea, yellow is associated with jealousy, opposed to our association with green. In China, yellow is associated with royalty and until modern times, common people were not allowed to don the colour. In Arab culture, a "yellow smile" is a smile that is disingenuous, and in France, "yellow laughter" is laughter that results in something not being found amusing or laughing off a joke made about you.

Yellow is also used in traffic signage to slow drivers, but it can also be used to signify a quaratined area. In money, it symbolises gold and coins. In Italian Literature, "yellow books" are mysteries.

Connotations of yellow from Design Meltdown: Nature, earthy, warmth, fun, sun, summer, illumination, inspiration, energy, hazard, warning, emergency, sunshine, happiness, joy, cowardice, deceit, cheerful, excitement, healthy, hope, support, laid back, spring, and relaxed.

What do you like that's yellow? Is it your favourite food or favourite shirt? Do you even like yellow? Make a palette and share whatever it is that's yellow.

18 April, 2007
Comments 8
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Comments

Showing 1 - 8 of 8 Comments

brianjhon…
brianjhong wrote:
18 Apr, 2007
Yellow is also the color of pee. But I really like fresh banana yellow.

ruecian
ruecian wrote:
18 Apr, 2007
To the first part of your comment: Only if you're not properly hydrated. And to the second: It is a nice yellow, isn't it?

klip
klip wrote:
19 Apr, 2007
a "yellow newspaper" is a tabloid. I tend to have bad associations with yellow as I was once in a school where you had to wear a mustard yellow uniform. The shade just dd not suit me! And it was a terrible school. And I also find it quite difficult to mix a yellow that is not too greenish, or too orange. Its hard to get a pure sunny yellow.

ruecian
ruecian wrote:
19 Apr, 2007
A mustard yellow uniform? That's just awful. ;x

Didn't know the bit about the tabloid. That's interesting. It sort of goes with the disingenuous laughter or smile from France and Arab nations. Yellow is kind of hard to match, and good yellows are hard to find. I actually have a yellow shirt, but I'm always afraid to wear it.

superflip…
19 Apr, 2007
In Bangkok, people wear yellow every Monday in honor of the king's birthday: http://elysesewell.livejournal.com/61104.html

ruecian
ruecian wrote:
19 Apr, 2007
Oh, that's so neat about the colours for the days of the week. And the food looks amazing. Thanks for sharing that.

artsykerl…
19 Apr, 2007
Yellow is my favorite colour right now. I really seem to gravitate to it. Probably because it combats the pessimistic tendencies I have.

retsof
retsof wrote:
28 May, 2007
So it is!



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