Examples of Color Schemes and Color Combinations Within Designs

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The Color Pink

When the passion and highly energized aggressiveness of red is diluted with the purity and innocence of white, the resulting pink becomes the color of tender love and romance. It also represents friendship, particularly among women and girls. Although other countries may have additional and different meanings, generally speaking, pink is known as the universal color of love. The softening of powerful red with the fullness of white has a way of neutralizing disorder and dissipating violence. For this reason, some prisons deliberately paint their holding rooms a gentle shade of pink. Studies have shown that this color tends to have a calming effect on riled emotions and promotes relaxation and contentment. Some research has suggested that, in large quantities, pink may actually cause physical weakness or loss of touch with reality. This psychology explains the occasional re-painting of a visiting team’s locker rooms in a soft shade of pink. Male weight-lifters do seem to be weakened in a pink environment; however, women weight-lifters say they feel energized by those same pink walls.

In the United States, pink has always been associated with the feminine gender. It is perceived as the sweeter, less violent side of red. In fact, the playful side of this color is seen in American traditions such as pink flamingoes, bubble gum and cotton candy. Sugary pastries are more popular when packaged in pink boxes or decorated with pink icing. On a more serious note, a recognizable pink ribbon is also the internationally known symbol of the fight against breast cancer and the hope of a cure. Each year, on Mother’s Day, Major League Baseball teams use pink baseball bats to show their support. Delta Air Lines has painted one of its Boeing 767-400ER aircraft pink for the same reason.

Several well known companies have chosen pink as their brand color. Mary Kay Cosmetics bought its first pink Cadillac in 1968. Victoria’s Secret, a women’s lingerie store, uses both soft pink and shocking pink in its displays. Owens Corning Insulation is pink, as is the T-Mobile “Magenta T.” Even Pepto-Bismol, with its characteristic pink coloring, is clearly identifiable on the store shelf.