Sex, blood, lust, death, bonds, free, calm, warmth, life, lipstick, lace, comfy, love, thick, autumn, fire, jewels, ruby, grey, vibrance, black, antique, loud, spoken, ripped, torn, couture, lavish, nightmares, war, meat.

 

When asked to choose a colour to create a worksheet, my mind instantly went to crimson. It has many layers of meaning or ambience when thought of, this dichotomy of emotion is what makes it stand out as a colour. It is clear that the purple undertones provide the darker side to emotion conjured by the colour, such as lust and its close association with things such as sex.

Winsor and Newton’s spotlight on Alizarin Crimson, a deep red pigment with blue undertones, states that this particular colour is around 5000 years old where if first began as a dye from the Asian and Southern European madder plant. Traces of this pigment have been found in Ancient Egyptian, Persian and Roman remnants. This pigment was also the first natural pigment to be synthesised, carried out by two german chemists. Its blue undertones provide a good contrast to the yellow undertones of Cadmium Reds. Personally, I prefer using Cadmium Red when painting due to how it brightens the colour palette and in my opinion provides more life to the skin tone. Whereas Alizarin Crimson provides darker undertones and a purple tone to the skin of a subject which creates and overall darker aspect to a piece.

In addition to its technical use in a piece, crimson also conjures emotion within a viewer as demonstrated in colour psychology. Thinking about it is the colour of cupid but also the devil, reading further into the subject it is clear that humans are closely associated with the colour (blush of embarrassment, anger or flirtation). It is also a universally recognised colour to stop traffic or as warnings and is commonly associated with eroticism. Throughout history, leaders have worn red robes, such as cardinals, judges and kings, thus is has a close link to male power and virility. In 2010 at the University of Rochester, a study was carried out which demonstrated that women were more attracted to a photo of a male set against a red background. A further study carried out by Andrew Elliot and Daniela Niesta provides evidence that men are more attracted to young women wearing red ( http://www.rochester.edu/news/show.php?id=3268 ). Therefore it is clear from these briefly mentioned studies and many others that for both sexes red is a subconscious signal of sexual prowess. Therefore it is able to be concluded that this association is conditioned into our subconscious throughout our lives and the timeline of human evolution. Such as how the rear end of a female baboon will swell and go red in order to demonstrate her fertility, this may be a far-fetched idea however there is a plausible link that clearly makes sense. In different cultures hues of red have gained their own meanings. In Chinese culture it has taken a more comforting meaning of good fortune and joy, such as the Red envelopes given on special occasions and red bridal-wear. Additionally in certain African tribes the colour is seen to symbolise health so warriors and the sick are painted in it however in other parts of Africa it is associated with death and thus has a very deep meaning to many considering the violence which has taken place.

Altogether, it is clear that Crimson and other hues of red are deeply emotive colours which have a place in history and the present as something which is able to dramatically affect an individual. Crimson has been conditioned in to our subconscious through natural processes as well as humanity’s own suspicions and violence, whether it promotes feelings of sexuality, death or fortune.