The Emotional Impact of Colors: Why Green is the Colour of Evil
Colours have a direct emotional impact on us, often unnoticed but deeply felt. This phenomenon is used in visuals to evoke specific emotions and psychological states.
Everybody has ever known or at least heard of it. But not everyone understands that the different shades of the same colour may bring different Emotion.
Green, often associated with nature, brings us peace and tranquillity. It reminds us of forests or parks, the sound of birds, dewy grass underfoot, and fresh, warm air, instilling a sense of harmony. BUT.
However, like other colours, green comes in many shades, each capable of altering the viewer's emotions—the character of green changes with its tonality, shifting towards yellow or blue. Combined with yellow, it evokes lighter feelings, but blue tones reflect coldness, indifference, and fear.
Examples of this can be found in popular culture. The "Avada Kedavra" curse in "Harry Potter" is depicted in an acid-salad green, signifying fear. In "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," the ghosts are portrayed in green instead of grey, as in the books, to associate them with evil.
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Indeed, in Peter Jackson's film "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," the use of colour plays a key role in creating atmosphere and conveying emotions. One of the most striking examples is the depiction of the tower of Minas Morgul, which is shown in shades of green, creating an ominous and dark sensation. This differs from the description in Tolkien's books, where such colour emphasis is not made.
This change was made to strengthen the association with evil and create a more vivid and memorable visual picture. The green colour of the ghosts in the movie emphasizes their supernatural and sinister nature, further deepening the emotional impact on the viewer.
In animation or cinema, an unpleasant smell is often visually represented by an acid-green colour, demonstrating the versatile and powerful impact of this colour.
This exploration of green illustrates the diverse and multifaceted ways a single colour can influence associative psychology. In today's world of abundant content, these nuances offer vast creative possibilities, allowing for greater surprise and impact. Creatives, in essence, are psychologists, and their ability to effectively use these "tricks" enhances the effectiveness of their creations.
This article was created by MEXMAN. team for the Mexman Community.