colour symbolism

chinese new year the significance of red.

Chinese New Year… the significance of red

It’s Chinese New Year and red is all around us! Also known as the Spring Festival, it’s one of the largest celebratory events for the Chinese community. Red (紅 hóng) is not only the cultural colour of the Chinese people, it’s also their primary celebratory colour. In China, red culturally relates to fire and energy, and…

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diwali festival of lights and colour 1

Diwali… festival of lights and colour

Diwali is one of India’s most important cultural festivals, celebrated across the nation and worldwide by the Indian community. It’s where they light oil lamps or candles to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. It has also become known as the Festival of Lights. The name “Diwali” is a actually…

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colour symbolism red poppy for remembrance day

Why red poppies are used to symbolise remembrance day

On the  eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month 1918 marked the signing of the Armistice, signalling the end of World War One. The first sign of life that rose from the barren battlefields was the red poppy and they has come to symbolise the memory of those who sacrificed their lives. Remembrance Day is  a special…

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colour symbolism halloween. this opens a new browser window.

Colour & design surgery… why are Halloween colours orange and black?

This is part of the colour & design surgery series, answering questions from clients and readers. Question: “Why are Halloween colours orange and black?”– reader, Tamsin Fox-Davies.

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happy friday the 13th vector illustration

The Colour of Superstition – Black Friday

If you are superstitious, then today is the day you’ll be watching your every move from keeping your fingers crossed, knocking on wood to avoiding crossing paths with a black cat. And there’s even a name for those with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th – it’s friggatriskaidekaphobics. No, I don’t know how to…

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why you cant learn colour psychology off the internet karen haller

Why you can’t learn colour psychology off the internet 

I was recently interviewed on a podcast aimed at interior designers and the host said that she uses colour psychology in her design business. I was curious where she got her information from. And when I asked, she said, “I just google colour psychology”. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this and it’s a…

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st patricks day four leaf clover

St Patrick’s Day – Why Green…?

If I asked you what’s the first colour that comes to mind when you think of Ireland, it’s likely to be green. On March 17th, the Irish the world over celebrate their patron saint. But how did the colour green become associated with St Patrick and become their good luck colour? There are many thoughts…

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holi festival

Holi – a glorious festival of colour

The festival of Holi became internationally famous for throwing of colour. It’s a glorious festival of colour, which is celebrated at the end of the winter season on the last full moon day of the lunar month, which this year fell on 17th March. Holi is part of the Hindu religious festival lasting up to…

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wimbledon tennis 2018 serena williams image karen haller

Why Wimbledon Wears White

Every summer the best players from around the world descend on SW19 for two thrilling, nail biting weeks of tennis. I’ve been fortunate on many occasions to just chance it and turn up to see if there are any return tickets. I clearly had lady luck on my side as not only did I managed…

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escentric molecules 1

Have you ever had an experience smelling colour?

As an industry colour specialist, I’m often asked to share my thoughts on business branding, product colours and the multi-sensory experience. Recently, I was approached by fragrance company, Escentric Molecules, to comment on their recently updated brand packaging and to explore the idea – can we smell colour?  If you’re not familiar with Escentric Molecules,…

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