Colour, Art, and Well-Being for Urban Environments: Developing Colourful Cities

Colour is far more than a mere visual experience; it profoundly impacts how we perceive and interact with the world. From the scientific principles underlying the spectrum of light to the deep cultural and emotional associations that colours evoke, colour plays a pivotal role in shaping our environment and influencing our emotions. 

In art and design, colour serves as a powerful tool for expression, creativity, and communication. It enhances the aesthetic appeal of our surroundings and contributes to our overall well-being. 

This article explores the multifaceted nature of colour, delving into its scientific basis, cultural significance, and psychological effects. We will also examine the pioneering work of Goethe in colour theory and discuss the importance of colour in urban environments. By understanding the profound impact of colour, we can better appreciate its role in art, marketing, and urban design.

Colour is a fundamental aspect of our perception of the world, playing a crucial role in art, design, and everyday life. It is the result of the way our eyes and brain interpret the light that is reflected off objects. When light hits an object, some wavelengths are absorbed while others are reflected. 
The reflected light enters our eyes and is processed by the retina, which contains photoreceptor cells known as rods and cones. Rods are sensitive to light and dark, while cones are responsible for detecting colour. The brain then interprets these signals, allowing us to perceive a vast spectrum of colours.

The nature of colour can be scientifically explained through the study of wavelengths. Visible light, a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum, comprises different wavelengths, each corresponding to a different colour.
For example, shorter wavelengths correspond to blue and violet hues, while longer wavelengths appear as red and orange. This scientific understanding of colour is essential in various fields such as painting, where artists blend pigments to achieve the desired hues, and digital design, where precise colour codes are used to create consistent visual experiences.

In addition to its scientific basis, colour carries significant cultural and emotional connotations. Different cultures attach varying meanings to colours, influencing art, fashion, and social practices. For instance, white is often associated with purity and peace in many Western cultures, while in some Eastern traditions, it is linked to mourning and loss. 
Moreover, colours can evoke specific emotions; blue might induce calmness and serenity, while red can evoke excitement or urgency. We'll expand on this when we get to colour psychology. These emotional and cultural dimensions of colour are harnessed in urban beautification and public installations to enhance the aesthetic appeal and social impact of urban spaces.

Understanding colour is thus a blend of scientific principles and cultural awareness. It influences our visual experiences, artistic expressions, and emotional responses. Whether through the vibrancy of a fresco in urban art or the subtle hues in a public installation, colour enriches our environment and connects us to the world around us. By appreciating the complexity and significance of colour, we can better utilise its power in various forms of artistic and social endeavours. 
Now that we have defined colour, let's focus on a great German author who set about theorising it. 

In 1810, John Wolfgang von Goethe publish Zur Farbenlehre, the Theory of Colours. The writer, who a few years later would declare World Literature, share his views on the nature of colours and how humans perceive them. 
He had already written a few essays on optics. In his work, which originated in the arts and especially in Goethe’s interest in painting, the author includes his own version of Isaac Newton’s colour wheel.

Let’s have a particular interest in the Part VI of the Theory of Colours. This chapter focus on the perception of the mind, while the earlier ones are more technical, studying optical concepts like reflection and refraction.
Who better than the author himself to express this correlation between spirit and colour :
“Since colour occupies so important a place in the series of elementary phenomena, filling as it does the limited circle assigned to it with fullest variety, we shall not be surprised to find that its effects are at all times decided and significant, and that they are immediately associated with the emotions of the mind.” (Goethe, Theory of Colours, 758.)

Goethe also tells us that colours, despite of any other characteristic of the object we are looking at, will act on our mind. He therefore considers colours to be an element of art that must serve high aesthetic ends. 

Goethe classified colours into two groups, plus and minus, opposing what he considered to be the two elementary colours: yellow and blue. He also recognised the importance of the colour red, but did not yet classify it as an elementary colour. From this organisation, he defined specific attributes for colours, which is very close to the concept of colour psychology that we will see in the next section of this article.

Yellow “carries with it the nature of brightness, and has a serene, gay, softly exciting character.” (Ibid., 766.) Whereas blue is related to cold impression.
Goethe follows his analysis: “Yellow excites a warm and agreeable impression. Hence in painting it belongs to the illumined and emphatic side.” (Ibid., 768.) Blue, and by extension the colours on the minus side “produce a restless, susceptible, anxious impression.” (Ibid., 777.) To conclude, Goethe states: “As yellow is always accompanied with light, so it may be said that blue still brings a principle of darkness with it.” (Ibid., 778.)
In his further development, Goethe says that colours can have allegorical, symbolic, and mystical applications.

Goethe continues his theories on colours and shares his views on certain applications to art, mainly painting. He mentions the concept of chiaroscuro, first brought to its full potential by Da Vinci, later magnified by Caravaggio.
According to the author, the chiaroscuro is the general condition of pictorial representation. The appearance of colour and its moral associations are immediately connected to it, and the artist should take this into account in his aesthetic quest. Yet the artist must understand light and dark independently of colour in order to master his art, using both chiaroscuro and characteristic colouring.

Let the words of Goethe himself conclude on the art subject: “It is only by means of harmonious relations in light and shade, in keeping, in true and characteristic colouring, that a picture can be considered complete.” (Ibid., 901.)

To conclude on Goethe’s work, and before moving on to colour psychology, we will simply record paragraph 759. from the Theory of Colours, as we could not find better words to describe the effect on colour in our daily lives :
“People experience a great delight in colour, generally. The eye requires it as much as it requires light. We have only to remember the refreshing sensation we experience, if on a cloudy day the sun illumines a single portion of the scene before us and displays its colours. That healing powers were ascribed to coloured gems, may have arisen from the experience of this indefinable pleasure.”

Let’s look at some statistics about colours and what they mean. This will show you why colour psychology is key for marketing purposes:

• 93% of people will decide to buy a product because of its colour
• Colour makes up about 80% of brand recognition
• 90% of first impressions are made with colour
• Colourful ads get more views than black and white ones
• 26% of people think yellow symbolises happiness and fun. This could be the modern reading of Goethe’s warm and agreeable impression of yellow.

In our minds, colours have meaning. Each colour subconsciously symbolises something and evokes feelings. The symbol associated with each colour can vary depending on the culture, and it's important to know what it means in the geographical area where you happen to be. The entire world does not marry in white or mourn in black...

Narrowing the concept to the Western culture, here are some common meanings of colours :

• Red : Passion, Love, Anger
• Blue : Calm, Strength, Trust
• Yellow : Happiness, Hope, Deceit
• Green : New Beginnings, Abundance, Peace
• Orange : Energy, Happiness, Vitality
• Purple : Creativity, Royalty, Wealth
• Black : Mystery, Elegance, Power
• White : Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue
• Brown : Warmth, Wholesomeness, Dependability

We have succeeded in defining colour, theorising about it, establishing its psychology, and using it in fields as diverse as art and marketing. And yet we still lack studies on its influence in people's everyday lives. We gave an idea of this in our article on sports fields and urban art. Since we have difficulty quantifying happiness, we have difficulty assessing the real impact of colours on our lives.

In the following section, we will attempt to provide more answers on the subject, by considering the urban environment, which concerns more than half the global population.

On a scholar article from ten years ago, Environmental Colour and Well-Being, McLellan and Guaralda are saying that colours enhance health, identity, and well-being. A lack of colour in the urban space can lead to excessive emotional response, bad concentration, and irritation.

Other studies also show the influence of colour on people's mood and health. Colours are becoming a necessity in our European cities, where winter can be a long time coming. Depression is a growing phenomenon, and we have part of the solution at our hand.

On a thesis presented at the Columbia University, Jiabao Sun gives some suggestions for future colourful cities. We couldn't agree more, which is why we're presenting them here and adding our comments:

1. Add sculptures, scenic elements, floral designs, and graffiti to enhance the vibrancy of our overly dull cities. We could summarise by saying that any kind of street art or installation (not just painting) will greatly contribute to making people feel more alive, safer, and fostering a citizen-friendly environment. Basic urban infrastructure should also be considered for a more colourful approach and could be executed in an artistic manner.
2. Plan colours based on the context, culture, and historical background of each neighbourhood or city. When it comes to murals, some artists gather information from the local community to create an artwork that holds meaning for them. After all, the mural is intended for the people living in the neighbourhood.
3. Colour is not given enough importance, particularly by our city planners and politicians. As mentioned earlier, the benefits of art and colour are difficult to quantify. What cannot be quantified in our society is always difficult to defend in projects, as it is often the first thing to be eliminated due to the inability to directly justify its profit.
4. It is necessary to implement legislative tools to preserve culture and enhance the liveliness of our cities. Certain regulations can also facilitate artistic creation by offering tax reductions to commissioners or providing incentives for supporting art initiatives.

Have a look at the world’s most colourful neighbourhoods. Be it painted facades or mural art; they have one thing in common that make them so vibrant: they use colour. 

Colour is an integral element that enriches our lives in numerous ways, from enhancing artistic expression to influencing our psychological well-being. Goethe's insights into the nature of colour and its effects on the mind have laid a foundation for contemporary colour psychology, revealing the deep connection between hues and human emotions. 

As we continue to explore the impact of colour on our daily lives, it becomes clear that incorporating colour thoughtfully into urban environments can significantly enhance our quality of life. By embracing colour in public spaces, we can foster a more vibrant, engaging, and emotionally supportive environment. As research progresses and our understanding deepens, it is essential to advocate for the integration of colour in urban planning and policy to create spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also beneficial to our overall well-being.