Tag Archives: red

Fun Facts About Familiar Colors

Color. It defines our reality, evokes emotion, can affect our choices, and makes a difference in the way we look. All of us are familiar with the primary colors, but this post reveals some little-known facts that may surprise you.

Red:

Red is usually associated with power and passion. It is vibrant, daring, and attracts attention. For instance, think about the responses drawn by red cars and crimson lipstick.

Fun facts about red:

  • Although it’s widely believed that red capes make bulls angry, the reality is that bulls are colorblind. In this instance, the red lining is meant to conceal any bloodstains.
  • Seeing a red object can make your heart beat faster.
  • In China, brides wear red wedding dresses for good luck.
  • There are approximately 23 different shades of red crayons.

Orange:

The artist Wassily Kandinsky once said, “Orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow.” It’s one of those colors people love or hate. Vibrant and engaging, it is the only color of the spectrum that gets its name from an object- in this case the orange fruit.

Fun facts about orange:

  • In France, the middle traffic light is orange.
  • In Hindu tradition, orange is an auspicious and sacred color.
  • Orange is both the name and emblematic color of the British royal family.
  • The ‘black boxes’ on aircraft are really bright orange so they can be located more easily.

Yellow:

German writer and statesman Johann von Goethe said in 1840, “With yellow the eye rejoices, the heart expands, the spirit is cheered and we immediately feel warmed.’ The same holds true today: yellow is associated with optimism and enlightenment.

Fun facts about yellow:

  • Although yellow is considered a peaceful color, people lose their tempers more frequently in yellow rooms.
  • Legal pads are yellow because it improves concentration ability.
  • 75% of the pencils sold in the U.S. are yellow.
  • A yellow flag indicates a medical quarantine.

Green:

Green is not just a color anymore; it is a symbol of environmentally friendly products, buildings, and lifestyles. Green has represented growth, regeneration, and fertility since the beginning of time.

Fun facts about green:

  • People waiting to appear on TV wait in ‘green rooms’ because the color can soothe a bad case of the nerves.
  • Hospital decor is usually green because it calms patients.
  • Seamstresses won’t use green thread before a fashion show, fearing it can cause bad luck.
  • Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to represent fertility.

Blue:

Blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the human body to produce calming chemicals, which is why it’s often used in bedrooms. Blue is also gender-neutral, appealing to both men and women equally.

Fun facts about blue:

  • Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it represents loyalty.
  • Weightlifters can lift heavier weights in blue-walled gyms.
  • Workers are more productive in blue rooms.
  • Blue plates make food appear less appealing: a note to dieters!

Indigo:

We have Isaac Newton to thank for adding indigo to the color spectrum. He wanted the number of colors to match the seven-tone musical scale of Rene Descartes, so indigo was chosen to bring the color spectrum count to seven.

Fun facts about blue:

  • Black light turns ripe bananas a bright indigo color.
  • During the Elizabethan era, only royalty, nobility, and members of the Council could legally wear indigo.
  • Indigo is often called ‘royal’ blue.
  • The Virgin Mary is frequently depicted wearing indigo clothing.

Purple:

Because it appears so rarely in nature and is expensive to create, purple has a powerful history that has evolved with the centuries. It is the most powerful wavelength of the rainbow and denotes wealth and sophistication.

Fun facts about purple:

  • The Romans used to extract an essence for making purple by boiling thousands of marine snails.
  • In some cultures, purple is the color of mourning.
  • Only two of the world’s flags contain purple.
  • In Italy, performers refuse to go on stage wearing purple.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Colorful Jewelry Inspired by Classic Art

Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

The Reason Why Barns Are Red

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Color helps Human’s Heal with SMART Bandages

Red means stop and green means go. This has been true for some time and is widely accepted, probably because traffic signals reinforce this behavior on a daily basis. Now these colors are being used to determine if a human wound is healing or not. SMART bandages turn green when oxygen is flowing to wounds and red if oxygen is low.

This is important technology because wounds need sufficient amounts of oxygen to fully heal. However, until now, most bandages actually restrict oxygen flow and hide the healing process, leaving wounds susceptible to unseen complications. With this new “paint-on” translucent bandage, an individual and his or her physician can easily monitor the wound’s healing process.

The creator of the bandage, Conor L. Evans, an assistance professor at Massachusetts General Hospital (at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine) and Harvard Medical School, considers the color changing technology to be a sort of mapping system. For right now, the SMART bandage maps “a wound’s tissue oxygenation concentration.” But this is only part of the bandage’s purpose.

SMART is an acronym for Sensing, Monitoring and Release of Therapeutics. Right now, sensing and monitoring are available thanks to easy-to-follow color changing technology; in the future, the bandage may be capable of “automatically [delivering] drugs at the wound site.”

The transparent liquid bandage displays a quantitative, oxygenation-sensitive colormap that can be easily acquired using a simple camera or smartphone. Image: Li/Wellman Center for Photomedicine

The transparent liquid bandage displays a quantitative, oxygenation-sensitive colormap that can be easily acquired using a simple camera or smartphone. Image: Li/Wellman Center for Photomedicine

For now, the bandage uses a viscous liquid that includes phosphors. Phosphors are in many glow-in-the-dark products because they “absorb light and then emit it via a process known as phosphorescence,” explains rdmag.com. This liquid is painted on the first wound. In conjunction with a different top coat, it creates an air-tight sealant that protects the wound while monitoring airflow. Then, a camera is used to activate the phosphor and capture a reading of current oxygen levels (i.e. a map of reds and greens) throughout the wound. Any camera can trigger this process—even a smartphone.

There is no telling when or if color changing bandages will be sold over-the-counter. The research for SMART bandages has been driven by an admirable goal: to help wounded soldiers. SMART bandages may soon go into field testing in efforts to “significantly improve the success of surgeries to restore limbs and physical functions.”

On a large scale, the sensing and monitoring bandage may be the start of precise wound healing. On a small scale, it is pretty cool that a translucent bandage may change color, and in effect, help humans heal.

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

Cutting Edge Art Blog Inspired by Current Events

The Color Red and its Many Meanings

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Crisp Imagery through Color Enhancing Technology

3a Crisp Imagery through Color Enhancing TechnologyWhen you look at an image, it is safe to assume that you are seeing it through three color sensors: green, blue, and red. Can you imagine seeing an image through 12 times the amount of sensors?

The University of Granada in Spain and Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy, recently unveiled design plans for a “multispectral imaging system capable of obtaining information from a total of 36 colour channels.”

The Polytechnic University of Milan is responsible for creating the sensors, known as Transverse Field Detectors (TFD). These sensors “…are capable of extracting the full colour information from each pixel in the image without the need for a layer of colour filter on them.” The Color Imaging Lab at the University of Granada has created a system that enhances these sensors and puts all 36 color channels to good use.

While this technology will be available to medical and government industries at first, there is a good chance it will someday transform the images we see on our mobile devices and personal computers.

The digital devices we use every day currently have color image sensors limited to the basic three color channels. As you can imagine, this impacts how we perceive color and lessens the quality of the images we see. If our handheld devices and personal computers offer 36 color channels someday, the colors we see onscreen will appear true to life.

Before this technology makes it into our homes it will be used for important activities that depend on poignant but stubborn details, like medical imaging and detecting counterfeit currency.

3b Crisp Imagery through Color Enhancing TechnologyFor now the technology is making it easy to facilitate the “capture of multispectral images in real time.” According to Wikipedia, “A multispectral image is one that captures image data at specific frequencies across the electromagnetic spectrum. The wavelengths may be separated by filters or by the use of instruments that are sensitive to particular wavelengths, including light from frequencies beyond the visible light range, such as infrared.”

The Principal Investigator on this project is thrilled about the potential TFD technology has to “…turn the light they receive into electric signals.” He believes that this technology will aid and advance a variety of industries and research fields.

Even though the technology is young, trials of the Transverse Field Detectors are taking place in locations like the USA.

Learn more about the research that is leading the way to crisper imagery through color enhancing technology:

Imaging Resource

University of Granada

Read more Segmation blog posts about art and color:

Hues, Tints, Tones and Shades – What’s the Difference?

Basic Color Theory – Color Matters

Pantone’s World of Color

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American Flag Trivia – Happy Fourth of July!

 
Test Your Knowledge of America’s FlagIn the United States, the Fourth of July holiday is upon us. This holiday is special in many ways. On a surface level, it marks a day without work; a time reserved for family and friends to come together and partake in traditions like parades, barbeques and fireworks displays.

Beyond the celebration lies the true reason why people gather. The Fourth of July is a time to remember the sacrifices that were made to ensure America’s independence and honor the men and women who keep the country free.  To symbolize this reality, the vast majority of Americans fly the American flag for all to see. But what exactly does the American flag mean?

The Fourth of July is a holiday most people understand, but when it comes to the American flag, a larger number of people misinterpret its meaning.

How much do you know about the American flag? Test your knowledge with these trivia questions.

1. How many colors are on the American flag?

a. 2        b. 3        c. 4         d. trick question

2. How many stripes are on the American flag?

a. 13      b. 26      d. 50      d. trick question

3. The colors of the American flag were originally taken from England’s flag, the Union Jack.

a. True                b. False                c. trick question

4. In what year was a committee formed to develop the country’s Great Seal?

a. 1782                 b. 1777                 c. 1776                 d. trick question

5. In what year was the Great Seal adopted?

a. 1782                 b. 1777                 c. 1776                 d. trick question

6. What national figurehead claimed the color red in the American flag signified courage?

a. Charles Thomson         b. Ronald Reagan             c. Mike Buss        d. trick question

7. The flag can be flown in any kind of weather.

a. True                 b. False                c. trick question

8. Wearing a t-shirt with the American flag printed on it is okay.

a. True                 b. False                c. trick question

Answer Key:

1. c | 2. a | 3. a | 4. c | 5. a | 6. b |7. a (if the flag is designed for stormy weather) | 8. b (“The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.”)

How did you fair in Segmation’s American flag trivia?

Learn more about America’s flag, the Fourth of July, and good ol’ fashion patriotism.

Also, take time to enjoy fun activities like Segmation’s digital paint-by-number Fourth of July pattern set: http://www.segmation.com/products_online_choosepattern.asp?order=alph&cat=fju.

And here are some additional red, white and blue craft ideas: https://segmation.wordpress.com/2013/06/26/color-the-fourth-of-july-with-red-white-and-blue-crafts/.

 Happy Fourth of July from Segmation!

Fourth of July BBQ Mr. Firecracker Watching Fireworks Statue of Liberty Fireworks Striped Stars Patriotic Teddy Bear Fireworks

 

Read more Segmation blog posts about the Fourth of July:

Happy President’s Day!

United States Presidents Were Skilled Musicians

Do you have a Memorial Day Quote?

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The Reason Why Barns Are Red

The sky is blue, grass is green and barns are red – right? We often associate red with the color of barns but today, a barn can be painted any color. However, years ago farmers could not choose the color of their barns.

Why is the Barn Red?

red-painted-woodAt first, the red barn was not fashionable. It was the consequence of using a sealant to coat the barn’s wood. Centuries back, farmers could not go to their local hardware store to purchase sealant. Instead, they often used a linseed-oil mixture to protect the wood. It created a paint that dried quick and protected the barn for years to come. Linseed-oil has been described as having a “tawny” color, which creates a brownish orange hue when dry. The oil alone would not produce the flaming red shade we see on barns today, but additional ingredients mixed into the lacquer intensified the red undertones.

Sealant Mixture Created Red

In the linseed-oil mixture, farmers often added milk and lime. In addition, they added a rust (or ferrous oxide). Rust was useful to farmers who wanted to strangle fungi, mold and moss before it could grow on their barns and decay the wood. Other than rust, some farmers added animal blood to oil mixtures. The wet paint would go on brilliant red but dry and remain brownish-red.

red-barn-in-autumn-fieldThe red barn was not intentional, at first. But once farmers started to see the effects of this linseed oil mixture, they seemed to like how the red barn contrasted the traditional white farmhouse. By the time paint made its way onto the scene in the middle to late 1800s, red was a popular shade. It was also the most expensive but farmers didn’t seem to care. Red had become the mark of the barn and many were willing to pay for it. It wasn’t until whitewash became cheaper than red paint that white barns began to appear.

Today, farmers have the option to seal and paint their barns almost any shade. Some stick with the traditional red. Others use colors to identify the purpose of the barn.

While farming has come a long way, the red barn seems to be frozen in time.

Read more Segmation blog posts about the color red:

Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

The Color Red and its Many Meanings

All About the Color Red – Sensational Color!

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Gender/Color Divide

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How many colors can you see? It’s easy to start rattling them off, but after a couple dozen, you may find yourself struggling to keep the list going. In reality, most of us are trichromats, which means we have three standard cones in our retinas to detect blue, green, and red. From there, our brains can discern about 1 million different shades made up of those three primary colors.

 

While you’re still reeling from that number, consider this: studies have shown that a small percentage of women are tetrachromats — in addition to the standard three cones in their retinas, they have an extra fourth cone that allows them to pick up a total of 100 million shades! That’s a whole lot of Crayolas.

Interestingly, men don’t have the potential for this color-detecting superpower. That’s because the extra gene is found on the X chromosome, and men have only one of those. Since women have two X chromosomes, there’s a rare possibility (2-3%) that they’ll have two types of red cones on each one.

In many cases, tetrachromats may not even realize their heightened sensitivity to color variations — until someone else points it out.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Gender artwork:

Blue is for Boys, Pink is for Girls

Do Men and Women See Colors Differently?

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Red Artwork is Worth Fortunes

 

The color red is loud. It makes statements and sends signals. But the impact it has on the world of contemporary art goes beyond trendsetting. People are trading their fortunes for predominately red artwork.

At a recent auction, Sotheby’s in London recognized a shocking trend: five of the six highest-selling masterpieces were mostly red.

Forbes contributor Danielle Rahm points out that this sale took place right before Valentine’s Day. However, it is hard to believe the romantic holiday could drum up the prices of red artwork to nearly 30 million dollars.

Alex Brancik head of Contemporary Art for Sotheby’s in London sheds light on this expensive trend. “Red is a color that incites passion. It’s the color of the sunset, it’s the color of blood,” he says. “When we’re pricing things we’re aware of the power of red.”

Putting feelings of romance and passion aside, what encouraged the buyer of Sotheby’s recent high seller (Wand by Gerhard Richter) to spend 28.7 million dollars on the piece? New sales numbers show that increased value of contemporary artwork infused with the color red may depend less on Valentine’s Day or emotional influences and more on the buyer’s cultural heritage.

Affluent Cultures Embrace the Color Red

To be more specific, affluent cultures may be the reason why certain pieces of contemporary art are selling high.

Countries all over the world embrace the color red. A number of these nations are located in Asia. In China, for instance, red is synonymous with luck and joy. In addition, on special occasions, Chinese nationals extend their cultural roots by offering a monetary gift known as a “red envelope.”

Considering the positive message red sends, it is understandable why red artwork may be appealing to people who live in China. In fact, Christie’s auction house reported that “…one in three of its customers were new in 2013, many of whom came from emerging markets such as China,” and “Sotheby’s estimates that China now accounts for $14 billion of the $58 billion global art market.” Sales reports go onto claim that there was a 36 percent increase of art sales in Asia and the Middle East. Another interesting fact shows the rate at which European’s purchase art dropped by 12 percent while the Americas, Hong Kong and Dubai all increased their fine art spending.

Nevertheless, China is viewed as playing a prominent role in the current health of the contemporary art market. An Associated Press article claims that China is “one reason the art market has rebounded from the global financial crisis of 2008.” People with new affluence in China are collecting contemporary artwork and may be encouraging art trends more than any color could alone.

While red has proven emotional draws and psychological intrigue, some wonder if growing affluence in China is the reason why red artwork is worth a fortune.

Read more Segmation blog posts about red artwork:

The Color Red and its Many Meanings

A Closer Look at the Color Red

Red and Green are an Unlikely Pair

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The Color Red and its Many Meanings

Stop and think about the color red.

… Get it? Stop and think. The color red conveys different meanings throughout the world. In North America, the color red is used for stop lights and stop signs. It also serves this purpose in other nations in addition to representing personal emotions.

According to incredibleart.org red also represents “Excitement, energy, passion, love, desire, speed, strength, power, heat, aggression, danger, fire, blood, war, violence, and all things intense and passionate.” In Eastern cultures, red indicates happiness.

Red comes in all shapes and sizes, but these meanings are rather consistent. Lately, however, red is a color of contradiction.

Red, a Color of Contradiction

The journal Appetite recently issued a new study that arrived at a simple conclusion: “the color red reduces consumption.” But don’t be quick to add “appetite suppressant” to its list of traits. For years, branding experts have been saying that red stimulates hunger. Karen Haller is a color and branding expert who confirms this by saying, “red triggers stimulation, appetite, hunger, and it attracts attention.”

It is no secret that people are drawn to the color red, after all, red lipstick, cocktail dresses, and roses are thought to be very alluring. How can it encourage one’s appetite while decreasing consumption?

Cognitive psychology researcher and author of the new study Nicola Bruno seeks to answer this question. She evaluates the consumption of 240 volunteers given popcorn, chocolate, or hand cream on different colored plates.

The CNN article covering this topic states, “On average, people ate less popcorn and chocolate when they were served on red plates compared to blue or white plates.” But this is not exclusive to food. “Moisturizing cream followed a similar trend. When testing hand cream on red plates, people used about half as much, on average, compared to cream on blue or white plates.”

Oliver Genschow, who studies consumer psychology at the University of Mannheim, agrees that “the study supports the idea that red reduces consumption.” However, the research only goes so far as to say this is a “subconscious” phenomenon. Should people know red decreases consumption, eating from red plates may not help them. Considering branding experts are convinced red triggers hunger, it is probably best to stop… and think about what’s on the plate.

Image made available by  luizfilipe on Flickr through Creative Common Licenses.

Read more Segmation blog posts about Color Psychology:

The Psychology of Color

Vehicle Safety and Car Color

Red and Green are an Unlikely Pair

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All About the Color Red – Sensational Color!

www.segmation.comHow do you feel when you gaze at a large red Rothko painting, spend time in a room with regal red wallpaper, or see a stop sign? While the color red carries different meanings depending on its context, the body’s biological response is the same: red can raise both your pulse and your blood pressure. Additionally, red can even make you feel hungry by increasing your body’s metabolism – which is why many restaurants use the color red in their logos and decor!

Red is the longest visible light wave, ranging from light pinks to deep crimsons that have a wavelength between 610 and 780 nm. Our modern word “red” comes from the Old English word rēad. This warm, eye-catching color has strong meanings that tap into the heart of various human emotions and experiences, depending on the specific context in which it is found.

www.segmation.comFor instance, in Western culture, red can signify anger and aggression (as in “blood red” or “a face that turns red with anger”), but it can also denote love, lust and passion (from red roses to the red-light district). It also functions as a strong warning color that represents danger or emergencies.

On the other hand, the color red in China is related to happiness and good fortune. In both China and India, red is the traditional color for wedding dresses. In Africa however, red is associated with death and mourning.

Red is one of the earliest pigments used by our prehistoric ancestors, who made red ochre pigment from clay to paint the walls of caves. Red pigments have been created from several surprising sources, such as crushed cochineal insects used to make carmine red. Madder lake derives from the roots of the madder plant, while vermilion was made from powdered mineral cinnabar, which is a red mercury ore. These days, most red artists’ pigments are created synthetically in factories, including hues such as poppy red, cadmium red, rose, alizarin crimson, and quinacridrone magenta.

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Light Creates Space, Color, and Perception

Red and Green are an Unlikely Pair

Green Represents Saint Patrick’s Day

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Office Paint Colors and Effective Employees

Office Paint Colors and Effective EmployeesMuch thought goes into choosing the right interior wall color for a home. Often times, the paint color reflects individual preferences, décor choices, and whatever mood the homeowner wants to incite. This is an important decision; after all, a person spends a lot of time at his or her home.

However, in one week, the same person may spend an equal amount of time at an office – and sometimes more. Therefore, shouldn’t office paint colors be chosen with the same consideration?

Rather than simply going with drab gray or off white, office paint colors ought to be chosen to compliment company culture, office décor, and the business brand. When trying to create a productive ambiance, picking the right wall color is of high importance.

Wall color not only compliments the company identity, it has an effect on employees. Office paint colors have been known to raise energy levels, encourage positive attitudes, lift moods, and influence work behavior.

Below are three color options and combinations that are known to have a positive effect on a workplace.

Green and Blue

What do you think of when you walk into an office or home that is painted with green and blue colors? Often, people respond that this color combination helps them feel peaceful. Shades of green and blue are often seen as tranquil and can rid an environment of excess stress. Also, green is known to be easy on the eyes, and may even lessen the amount of eyestrain employees are exposed to from working on computers.

Yellow and Orange

When working in a high energy environment, yellow and orange wall paint colors are known to “stimulate and energize employees.” For obvious reasons, these boisterous colors promote a unique zest for life and business. A greater benefit of painting an office yellow could be its effect on memory; yellow is said to help employees remain mentally sharp with memory recall.

Red and Pink

Similar to yellow, walls painted with the color red may also stimulate memories, as well as “increase brain wave activities, heart rates, and respiration.” While these characteristics may not be conducive in all company cultures, it can have a significant impact of high energy firms. Pink, on the other hand, is a unique office wall paint color to consider because it has an opposite effect in evoking feelings of relaxation.

Is your office (or home away from home) painted with colors that affect you and your coworkers in positive ways? Have you walked into an office and immediately felt “at home”? What wall colors do you think work well in office environments?

Coming Soon: 

Choosing the color for your brand is a very big decision for all small business owners. The right color can lead to business success. The wrong color can cause headaches.

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https://segmation.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/what-are-your-summer-colors/

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