Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Would you agree that something can’t be truly known until its history is comprehended, at least basically? This is certainly true of people. Common questions we ask new friends include, “Where did grow up?” “How many siblings do you have?” “Are you close with your mom and dad?” and “Where did you go to college?” When we ask these questions, we are basically asking someone what his or her history is. Doing so helps us get to know the person and build an authentic connection with him or her.
Just like a person, a color cannot be fully appreciated if one doesn’t have an overview of its history. In honor of Valentine’s Day, which Segmation proudly celebrates for the entire month of February, we want to delve into the history of the color red. Let’s approach red as we might approach a celebrity whom we admire but want to know on a more personal level. If we were to talk with red, our conversation might go something like this:
Segmation: “Red! Is it really you? Wow, we are SUCH big fans of yours. You must get that all the time. Anyway, what is your meaning?”
Red: “Thank you for asking, Segmation! So many people love me. Some even say I am the color of love! I have to say that I agree, and am happy to be. As far as my meaning, I have several. (I always have been complex, you know.) As I mentioned, I symbolize love. I am fiery, passionate, confident, and sexy. I also symbolize courage. According to colormatters.com, I stood for “super-human” heroism to the Greeks. I’m spectacular and I know it!”
Segmation: “Isn’t one of your other meanings ‘confidence’?”
Image courtesy of pixabay.com
Red: “Yes, it sure is! This is my favorite meaning. I am a color that is the essence of confidence, and I can bestow confidence. There are a few factors that play into my confident nature. First, I am represented on the majority of national flags. I am one of the top favorite colors of most people. And, colormatters.com reported that ‘the history of languages reveals that red is the first color after black and white.’ If all that can’t make a color confident, I don’t know what can!”
Segmation: “Red, we love learning about you. You really ARE beautiful and confident. We are magnetically drawn to you. How are you represented in folklore?”
Red: “What a great question. I just adore answering questions about myself. I am well represented in the folklore of many nations. Speaking of me, Kelli Kallenborn wrote, ‘Red is important outside of western culture, too. In Japanese folklore, red is symbolic of driving out demons and sickness. It is thought that the now-obsolete term ‘red man’ came from Native Americans’ use of red for body paint…in the Chinese culture, red is symbolic of prosperity and fertility and by extension is good luck. In some African cultures, red is symbolic of life and in others it is a symbol of death. Among Australian Aboriginal peoples, red can symbolize ancestral power, imminent change, or danger.’”
Segmation: “Red, we are SO glad to have had the chance to get to know you—the real you—better. It was so much fun learning about your history!”
Red: “Anytime. Don’t forget to wear me when you need a confidence boost, paint me onto your walls to create a romantic space, and integrate me into any design that you want to stand out to people.”
Segmation: “Will do.”
So there you have our mock interview with the color red! If you could interview any color, what would it be? Share with us in the “comments” section below.
Read more Segmation blog posts about color:
Can Changing Your Diet Alter Eye, Skin Color?
Be an Artist in 2 minutes with Segmation SegPlay® Mobile for Android and iOS (see more details here)
