What Color is Fear
By Dr. Ann
@drannhh (15219)
United States
December 29, 2007 2:10am CST
The colors that fill our lives with delight have many connotations. Red can be regarded as good fortune or danger, blue is cool, yellow is happy, white represents purity. But what color is fear?
There is a wordsthat means fear of colors and it is Chromophobia. Leukophobia is fear of the color white. Melanophobia is fear of the color black. I love the color purple, but some do not. If they fear purple, though, they are Porphyrophobic. Xanthophobia is the fear of yellow!
Please note that I am speaking as an artist and not looking for sociological answers here, even though you may be aware that there is a movie called "The Color of Fear" which deals color in the sense of race relationships. This is not what I have in mind.
So without having to go into any deep psychological baggage, please feel free to talk about the impact colors in a painting or a flower garden or on the walls of a room or in fabrics, for example, have upon you.
Is there any color you fear? Even if you do not paint, please imagine that you have been hired to paint a portrait of fear. What color would you make it?
5 people like this
16 responses
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
29 Dec 07
Hello Drannhh,
I just pulled out my "Crayola Big Box - 96" to try to find a color that matches what's in my mind's eye as representing fear. The closest are copper & cerise -- not even close to what I am envisioning. Which is probably a good thing, since we don't really want kiddies coloring up a storm of fear.
I see fear as a brownish, burgundyish, purplish, blend -- with a hint of dark gray. A blend of passion, regret, longing for what might have been, all blended with the feeling of abandonment (real or imagined). I hope this makes even a bit of sense.
As I've been pondering this question, one of my favorite old sayings comes to mind: "No two people see any one color exactly the same way".
Very interesting topic, by the way!
2 people like this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
30 Dec 07
You always post such interesting responses ladyluna!
I'm laughing over "our kiddies coloring up a storm of fear", and it reminds me of a story...
When my son was about 7 or 8, he and his sister and I were out in the yard painting pictures. I was painting the apple blossoms and the violets under the apple tree, my swing hanging from a branch, my daughter was painting rainbows and flowers and girls in extravagantly colorful dresses, and my son was painting a dark and stormy sea on a dark and stormy night crashing up against dark and jagged rocks. There were a lot of stars in the sky though, and the deep blues he used were beautiful, almost intoxicating.
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@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Dec 07
Can't imagine why my response to ladyluna got eaten, but maybe the Cosmic Color Coordinator didn't like my reply. Maybe "it" wanted me to think it over a bit longer, lol. Zigzag, that sounds like a lovely day with the children and proves what lady said about different ways of looking at color. You both remind me that although there really are no colors I can presently call to mind that I dislike, in some combinations they do bring back memories, not all of which are good. It is not the color's fault, though, I think.
1 person likes this
@ladyluna (7004)
• United States
30 Dec 07
Well, thank you Zigzagbuddha. That's very sweet of you to say.
Thanks for sharing your recollections of you and your children painting together on that Spring day. What a lovely image you've shared with us. I do wonder though, is your son a Pisces?
2 people like this
@laurika (4532)
• United States
30 Dec 07
Hmm, very interesting topic. I would never ever thing about topic like this, but i read your husband came with this idea and it is probably because he is an artist , so this topic is close to his thinking. I don't know if I can choose only one color, but I know when I was kid I was fear when orange and green was together. but I don't know the reason. I just get sick when i seen those two color very close to each other. And now i think grey is my fear. I feel like there is nothing else behind this color , like it is end of something.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Dec 07
I am a bit afraid of grey cars because they are so very hard to see on the grey pavement. Grey kittens are my favorites, though. Orange and green together indoors seem sort of like high school colors from some "rah rah" gymnasium to me, so I agree that you have a good point there. On the other hand, fresh oranges look pretty cute hanging on their green leafy trees just before harvest.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (162244)
• United States
29 Dec 07
I love color, almost every color, except orange-yellow, the color of a school bus, and mustard yellow.They put my teeth on edge. Almost any other color is good. Do they represent fear, I am not sure. I just know that they are the colors that do not soothe me in anyway. I like yellow in general, I love buttery pale yellow. I love green yellow, but just not those two.
2 people like this
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
30 Dec 07
Interesting discussion drannhh!
I think I would make my portrait of fear either black or dark brown. Don't ask me why - that is just how I feel. Never even thought about it before! Hmmm. . .
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
30 Dec 07
Don't know if I'd call it fear or not, but black and dark red - make me think hate, crime, evil, etc.
2 people like this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
18 Jun 09
I am in no way depressed but I like to look at a depressed painting, the more complex the better. I like to see the way the colors flow, what it's like and all that. The way the colors meet, blend and how the dark echoes the feelings and emotions of what the painter is depicting.
If you ask me the color of fear, I'd say for me it'll be red. I feel that the color red symbolizes anger and those whom succumb to anger easily are not brave. So not brave equates to fear for me. As for the color of victory, I'd say it is white, blue and green. These colors calm me very much and yellow is vibrant. It is filled with such cheerfulness that is sometimes non-aware of deep emotions being experimented. Black is the color of war for me. Like a deep war, war of emotions or the literal meaning. These are what I think in my head.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
16 Jul 09
I thought that would get you off and running with ideas. :-) Here is one you might like, too, very different:
http://caravaggio.com/preview/database/enlarged.php?id=001171
It is a genre painting called The Fruit Seller painted by CAMPI Vincenzo, done somewhat in the style of Caravaggio.
1 person likes this
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
16 Jul 09
Another great and cool one as well. Such picturesque moment!
The lady seems contented with the array of fruits and she looked healthy too. The background has such a serene setting, I would so want to touch it almost..
Thanks so much, I would tweet this url to bookmark it as my favorite today or tomorrow..
@diansinta (7544)
• Indonesia
15 May 09
hi there drannhh,
may be like the color of nightmare? black 80% gradation light 5% purple 15%,..the nick name of fear of purple 'Porphyrophobic' sounds interesting!, but if an artist have fear of one color, its sound not a good artist when she or he don't accept one color..because the world she /he got inspired all totally ful of colors.somany color to choose and filling. :D
Happy posting always,
oxox'dian from bali island
oxox'dian from bali island1 person likes this
@aries_0325 (3060)
• Philippines
5 Jan 08
I like the way you interpret the colors. Like you, i have also my favorite color. My favorite color is read and green. I like green because it is calm to my eyes and it is a color of environment. I like color red because it is a brave color and a color of true love for me.
1 person likes this
@aries_0325 (3060)
• Philippines
5 Jan 08
I like the way you interpret the colors. Like you, i have also my favorite color. My favorite color is read and green. I like green because it is calm to my eyes and it is a color of environment. I like color red because it is a brave color and a color of true love for me.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
5 Jan 08
Although red roses are typically bought as a gift expressing love, some people are sad to see the fresh cut flowers die and prefer a longer-lasting gift. I adore the miniature live rose plants, especially on discount. With green leaves this plant has both of your favorite colors.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
30 Dec 07
This topic is a first for me... i never heard of people fearing a particular color... i always thought that the love for colors is a universal thing... i don't in anyway fear any color... i love seeing them but i don't know how to do color combinations...
In the art sense... i am more on the appreciation side rather than the maker... but i love it when portaits are done with black or gray background...i think that type is more difficult to do...
Nice topic...
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Dec 07
I told hubby that a black or gray background might look nice for a portrait of a woman in a white dress and he said there are probably many men who fear the color white, as they might associate it with a wedding. Can't you just hear him mischievously giggling in the background?
1 person likes this
@vera5d (4005)
• United States
31 Dec 07
i would paint fear a black canvas with bits of all the colors...black being the unknown or unseen, and the little bits of color just some sort of symbolism of everything else.
you just taught me a lot of new big words i will probably never use in everyday language...lol :)
1 person likes this
@sweets57 (94)
• United States
2 Jan 08
I think that if I had to draw fear it would be with a very dull deep red and a dull black, maybe all swirled together, useing more of the red than the black, then I would add a small bright white area some where on the painting. To me the white area gives me hope that I can escape the fear. Great discussion, I have also enjoyed reading all the comments.
@bstinson1989 (588)
• United States
4 Jan 08
The color, in any societies that symbolizes fear would have to be that of red. If you truely look at any movie, or read any book, if red happens or red occurs- then you know that someone is going to die soon. Red is a color that can be the equivalent of blood.
A color that does no symbolize fear would have to be blue. The reason why blue does not do this is for the simple fact that when people think of blue- no matter how dark or light, they will think of the sky. And with the sky, comes the thought of god- which thus brings a sense of peace.
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
4 Jan 08
Red representing the blood of warfare does show up in the flags of several nations, but I am wondering if fear equating red is not particular to the Western World as in my limited experience it seems that in Asian countries red is lucky.
What an interesting idea. I wonder if anyone has started a discussion called What Color is God? I guess that would be similar to What Color is Love?
@andreassp (122)
• Indonesia
27 May 09
I hate black colour, its mean devil and darkness, you know if human in the darkness like in under earth, so fear and devil very like with darkness. And I hate Red Colour, its mean blood and fire. Devil made from fire and will burn us if we dont have protection from god. I really dont want in hell. I hate 2 colour, red and black, what about you?
1 person likes this
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
29 May 09
I used to dislike chartreuse (yellow/green) but now I don't object to it as much. Interesting about the red fire, as I think of fire more as orange, but the embers are red. I like fire, but not if it burns down a house. Thank you for visiting my discussion and welcome to MyLot :-)
@mimpi1911 (25464)
• India
4 Jan 08
Fear is always obvious, it shows blatant on face, eyes, expression and gestures. So, I would color fear as transparent. Its kind of fluid watery, gliding to the onlooker so effortlessly.
Thanks for beautiful post.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
30 Dec 07
I read this book by Dr Seuss to my daughter. It's called "The colors of My Day" It teaches children to identify the feelings they are having with colors. In the book, purple is the color for anxiety and fear. This doesn't really work for us as purple is her favorite color. I think black or the absence of color would be a good choice for fear. Why? Because as children many of us are afraid of the dark. How many of us remember having a night light? How many of our children have one. Fear is dark for us in the beginning.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
30 Dec 07
Yes, it is interesting that they have a name for fear of purple but not for fear of some of the other colors. I also LOVE purple and always have, even dark purple night. Having grown up in the forest, for a time with no electricity, I was never afraid of the dark. I do not sleep well with a night light of any kind and if a light goes on automatically, it will awaken me right away. So I am different, but for many people what you and Dr. Seuss say is probably true. Thanks for your interesting input!
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