Application of Aesthetic Psychology in the Colour Matching of Art Design

Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica 2020, Vol. XXIX, N°2, 622-627 622 DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.287

APPLICATION OF AESTHETIC PSYCHOLOGY IN THE COLOUR MATCHING OF ART DESIGN

Shenghe Cheng

Abstract Colour matching is an important step of art design. Good colour matching makes the audience relaxed and happy. This paper mainly studies the application of aesthetic psychology in the colour matching of art design for interior decoration. First, the author analysed the influencing factors of aesthetic psychology. Then, the colour matching of interior decoration was investigated for audiences with different aesthetic psychologies. The audiences were of different ages, genders and occupations. Finally, several suggestions were proposed for colour matching of interior decoration based on aesthetic psychology. The results show that the colour matching of interior decoration should unify subjective and objective feelings, use abstract and dynamic colours, and coordinate the colour composition. The research findings greatly promote the colour matching for the design of art works. Key words: Art Design, Colour Matching, Aesthetic Psychology, Interior Decoration. Received: 07-03-19 | Accepted: 25-10-19

INTRODUCTION Jing studied the colour matching of indoor home Colour is a powerful artistic expression tool decoration art (Davis, 2007); Yan Chao pointed out in his Indoor Colour Design that colour is the and one of the important artistic languages for most effective means to influence people's emotional expression (Granger, 1955). Colour emotions and create a space atmosphere matching art is a main part of art design. Since ancient times, aesthetic colour has been a (Thomas & Schlutsmeyer, 2004); Jeanne Kopacz conducted research on colour in various aspects common element constantly pursued by people. such as colour psychology, colour theory and Colour itself has no emotions, and observers attach emotions to colour through their own experiment (Haines & Davies, 1904); Sun Xiaohua believes that colour can improve aesthetic consciousness, psychological people's mental health and change their living association and other factors (Deng, Hui, & environment, and reasonable colour matching Hutchinson, 2010). Different colour combinations can bring different emotional feelings to people, can promote positive emotions (Seckler, Opwis, & Tuch, 2015); Jiang Shubin analysed the and make the space environment produces application of colour emotion in commercial different visual effects, thereby creating a diverse atmosphere. space design (Graf & Landwehr, 2017); Zhang Through reading relevant references at home Yongmei studied the formation and characteristics of Chinese colour aesthetic and abroad, it’s found that there have been psychology (Irwin, 2011). abundant research results on colour, colour matching and colour aesthetic psychology. Fu In view of the above, taking the interior decoration art as the research object, this paper

aims to study the application of aesthetic Nanjing University, Nanjing 210000, China. psychology in the colour matching of art design. E-Mail: [email protected] It first introduces the concept of aesthetic psychology, and briefly analyses its influencing

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SHENGHE CHENG 623 factors and the emotional expression of colour. females are generally gentle and biased towards Then, a case analysis was conducted for the image thinking, while males are rigid and prone colour matching of interior decoration, by taking to abstract thinking. Therefore, females focus the aesthetic psychology of different ages, more on appearance, males on performance and genders and occupations as examples. Finally, it value. Figure 1 shows the results of survey on the proposed some suggestions about the colour differences in colour aesthetic preferences matching of interior decoration from the between different genders. perspective of aesthetic psychology. It can be seen from the figure that there is a big difference in colour aesthetic between males RELEVANT THEORETICAL BASIS and females, and the largest differences are Aesthetic psychology reflected in the colours of red, pink and black.

The science of aesthetic psychology is the Age interdisciplinary subject of psychology, aesthetics and other related disciplines. It People's cognitive ability to the surrounding things grows with age, and similarly, their studies the subjective reflection of human aesthetic psychology also varies. This is beings on the beauty of objective things (Gear, especially true for colour aesthetics, e.g., 1986). Aesthetic psychology is a pleasant psychological experience and psychological children and teenagers like the radiant colours such as red, orange, green, etc.; the young change process, but not a single “stimulus- people mostly like green, yellow and pink, which response” process. It’s a collection of perception, imagination, understanding, and represent youth, vitality, and sunshine; the older tend to the colours of black, blue, and purple emotion which interact with each other to form representing modesty, courtesy, and elegance . a pleasant aesthetic experience (Feldman, 1987).

Influencing factors of aesthetic psychology Education level Education can change people's concept, The aesthetic psychology process of humans thinking and temperament. So, with different is very complicated. Influenced by various education levels, the individual's aesthetic internal and external factors, the aesthetic psychology of different people also varies. This ability and aesthetic psychology are also very different. For instance, individuals with low paper mainly analyses the influencing factors of education level often aesthetically evaluate the aesthetic psychology from three aspects: gender, age and education level. surface of things, but not deeply understand and appreciate its connotation, while the individuals

with high education level have deeper and more Figure 1. Differences in colour aesthetic diversified aesthetic requirements, and enjoy preferences between different genders more abundant aesthetic psychological experience. 30 % Male Female Emotional expressions of colours 25 Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and 20 purple are the seven coloured rays of white light that are produced by the triple prisms after two 15 refractions. According to the seven basic colours, 10 a hue circle is then created, as shown in Figure 2. There are no changes of temperatures in colour 5 itself, but the colour is divided into cool and 0 warm colours through human psychological Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Purple Pink Black White Others illusion. The warm colours look protruded, bringing a feeling of close distance, and easily Gender catching the eye; the cool colour gives a sense of Because of the different physiological far-distance and unnoticeableness, so that it can structures, males and females have certain make the space more spacious indoors. differences in aesthetic psychology and personality traits. In terms of personality traits,

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APPLICATION OF AESTHETIC PSYCHOLOGY IN THE COLOUR MATCHING OF ART DESIGN 624

Figure 2. Hue circle Figure 3. The colour matching effect in the interior decoration of children's room

Colour is a physical phenomenon of nature. It has no emotions in itself, but can change people's emotions through the visual stimulation. When seeing the colour, the observer will produce different psychological Unlike children, the elderly is less interested emotions through subjective psychological in new things, and prefer a relatively calm, association, e.g., yellow is recognized as a colour atmospheric decoration effect, so the interior reflecting friendliness, kindness, happiness, and decoration mainly use the soft colours, and warmness, but if used improperly, it will be too doesn’t need excessive trivial ornaments, as dazzling. shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 shows the picture of the colour matching design in the interior decoration of the elderly’s room. APPLICATION OF AESTHETIC PSYCHOLOGY IN COLOUR MATCHING OF ART DESIGN Figure 4. The colour matching design in the interior decoration of the elderly’s room Colour matching of interior decoration under different aesthetic psychology Colour matching of interior decoration for different ages Colour can stimulate people's first vision. Under different ages, the aesthetic psychology and colour preference also vary. Therefore, during the colour matching of interior decoration, the colour preference at different ages should be considered. In the decoration of Children's rooms, the colour matching should consider children's characters of innocence and fantasy. Thus, the pure and contrasting colours such as blue and green should be used to highlight children's joy Colour matching of interior decoration for and innocence, while apple colour and pink etc. different genders are the girls’ favourite. In addition, in order to Females usually like to dress up the bedroom not affect children's sleep and future aesthetic in light pink or other warm colours; the floor appreciation, the disorganized colour matching mats are usually fresh and elegant blue, and the should be avoided when designing. Also, the chandelier is more colourful. Figure 5 shows the colours of bright red and purple should be colour matching effect of interior decoration for blended with yellow and green to better females. Males prefer the bed room decorated highlight the joyful atmosphere of the whole with light blue; the colour of the mat is mainly hue. Figure 3 shows the picture of the colour black, white, grey or other plain stripes, and the matching effect in the interior decoration of chandeliers mostly use the fresh, elegant and children's room. simple colours. Figure 6 shows the colour matching effect of interior decoration for males.

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Figure 5. The colour matching effect of colour is mainly gold, which is full of luxury and interior decoration for females elegance.

Figure 7. The colour matching effect of the living room for public servants

Figure 6. The colour matching effect of interior decoration for males

Figure 8. The colour matching effect of the living room for one businessman

Colour matching of interior decoration for different professional Public servants enjoy a sense of order and awe. Black and white colour matching can give people strong visual conflicts and emotional Suggestions on the colour matching of conflicts, creating a strong visual world. Grey is interior decoration from the perspective of the intermediate colour between black and aesthetic psychology white, full of the space sense. Black, white and Subjective-objective unity grey convey the sense of rationality, The design of interior colour matching must professionalism and concentration to the first consider the aesthetic needs, family style, people. Therefore, the public servants prefer the life rules and other factors of different colour matching of black, white and grey. Figure occupants, trying to make them feel relaxed and 7 shows the colour matching effect of the living comfortable and realize the spiritual enjoyment room for public servants. of colour aesthetics. According to the survey, The businessmen have different aesthetic different people have different aesthetic needs psychology because of their own business views for colour, e.g., a newly married couple prefers and values. Therefore, when making colour the passionate colour such as red, and the matching of interior decoration, their personal relatively quiet people like the fresh and cool character and preferences should be fully colours. considered, displaying their aesthetic tendency and life taste. Figure 8 shows the colour Colour abstraction matching effect of the living room for one (1) Overall harmony and unity businessman. It can be seen that the whole In the interior design, the colour purity and

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APPLICATION OF AESTHETIC PSYCHOLOGY IN THE COLOUR MATCHING OF ART DESIGN 626 brightness contrast are the key to colour should be taken, and the pre-mastering and pre- matching. Too much colour will make people feel matching should be carried out so as to fully messy and uncomfortable, and the over-contrast understand the occupants’ preferences, and well might make them feel bored. Therefore, colour coordinate the colour composition. matching should pay attention to the overall harmony, creating a more poetic and artistic atmosphere for people. CONCLUSIONS (2) Human emotions about colour Colour matching art is an important part of People have different perceptions of art design. This paper attempts to study the different colours. The dim living space gives application of aesthetic psychology in colour people a feeling of depression and drowsiness. matching of art design. The specific conclusions So, most people do not like this kind of living are as follows: environment. Green and orange can adjust and The influencing factors of aesthetic relax the mood, and blue-green can alleviate the psychology were analysed from three aspects: fatigue caused by heavy exercise. gender, age and education level.

Taking the aesthetic psychology of different Colour dynamics ages, genders and occupations as an example, (1) Meeting the functional requirements of the case analysis was conducted for the colour indoor space matching of interior decoration. Because of the widespread existence of From the perspective of aesthetic aesthetics in People's pursuit of life, different psychology, the colour matching of interior spatial structures also show a certain degree of decoration should fully consider the subjective- difference in colour matching. Reasonable objective unity, colour abstraction, colour colour matching can make the whole space full dynamics, and colour composition. of agility, and change people's emotions, while the hazy or weak colour can make the dark space comfortable, and the high-brightness colour REFERENCES matching can brighten the indoor space. (2) Conforming to the spatial layout Davis, S. T. (2007). Aesthetic preferences for the In order to realize the effective colour tone unity ratio resist the influence of color illusions. conversion between the indoor subject and the The American Journal of Psychology, 120(1), 47- object and the change of the indoor space 49, 51-71. environment, it’s necessary to perform the Deng, X., Hui, S. K., & Hutchinson, J. W. (2010). effectiveness analysis of the corresponding Consumer preferences for color combinations: spatial background structure before the An empirical analysis of similarity‐based color effective colour matching of the indoor relationships. Journal of Consumer Psychology, environment, so as to be in line with the human 20(4), 476-484. aesthetic psychology. Feldman, D. H. (1987). Developmental psychology (3) Incorporating the nature into the interior and art education: Two fields at the crossroads. colour design Journal of Aesthetic Education, 21(2), 243-259. The design of the interior space should Gear, J. (1986). Eysenck's visual aesthetic sensitivity consider the colour harmony with the space test (VAST) as an example of the need for environment, such as animals, plants and other explicitness and awareness of context in related decorations. Effectively matching the empirical aesthetics. Poetics, 15(4-6), 555-564. natural environment with the free artistic Graf, L. K. M., & Landwehr, J. R. (2017). Aesthetic conception can achieve the harmony between pleasure versus aesthetic interest: The two the interior decoration and colour matching. routes to aesthetic liking. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1-15. Colour composition Granger, G. W. (1955). Aesthetic measure applied to The people have different perception of color harmony: An experimental test. The colour and colour preferences, and they also Journal of General Psychology, 52(2), 205-212. have their own standards and opinions on the Haines, T. H., & Davies, A. E. (1904). The psychology colour art. Therefore, firstly the colour of aesthetic reaction to rectangular forms. preference of the occupants into considered Psychological Review, 11(4-5), 249-281.

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