SPECIAL FEATURE

TIMELESS COLORS OF SUMMER
By David Natanawan

Since when I was a kid, the idea of what summer to me is fun, friends and freedom. This is the time that most people enjoy going to the beaches with friends or family, traveling out of town and visiting relatives at the province and of course to those in school it meant the start of a two months long vacation. But instead of discussing what we should usually do during summer, I will be writing here about the timeless colors of summer. What colors do we usually see during summer? Most of you will agree that yellow is the most common color we see during summer because of the drying of leaves and the heat of the sun that touches our skin. Aside from yellow, I will also write about the colors green, orange, purple, pink and sky blue.

Summer is mostly associated with the yellow color as it is in sunrise or sunshine . It is a warm color that, like red, has conflicting symbolism. On the one hand it denotes happiness and joy but on the other hand yellow is the color of cowardice and deceit.

The yellow color of the sunrise in Camiguin Island, Philippines which was taken by the author.

Yellow is one of the warm colors. Because of the high visibility of bright yellow, it is often used for hazard signs and some emergency vehicles. Yellow is cheerful.

For years yellow ribbons were worn as a sign of hope as women waited from their men to come marching home from war. Today, they are still used to welcome home loved ones. Its use for hazard signs creates an association between yellow and danger, although not quite as dangerous as red.

If someone is yellow it means they are a coward so yellow can have a negative meaning in some cultures.

Yellow is for mourning in Egypt and actors of the Middle Ages wore yellow to signify the dead. Yet yellow has also represented courage (Japan), merchants (India), and peace.

Yellow Color Names:

banana

cadmium yellow

chartreuse

chiffon

cream

golden

goldenrod

khaki

lemon

mellow yellow

saffron

topaz

yellow ocher

During summer, we also see color green through trees and plants that survives the scorching heat of the sun. Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment. On the flip side, green is jealousy or envy (green-eyed monster) and inexperience.

Green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue. Like blue, time moves faster in a green room.

Green is strongly associated with Ireland, the Irish, and St. Patrick's Day. Green also has close associations with Islam.

Because of all the green in nature the color is reminiscent of Spring. It's also the color for "go" on a traffic light. Grow and Go with Green. Outside of traffic lights, coupled with red it's a Christmas color.

Green Color Names:

apple

aquamarine

beryl

chartreuse

emerald

fir

forest

grass green

jade

kelly green

lawn green

leaf green

lime

mint

moss

olive

olive drab

pea green

pine

sage

sap

sea green

seafoam

spring green

viridian

The color orange can also be associated with summer with those lighter shades in color. Orange is vibrant. It's a combination of red and yellow so it shares some common attributes with those colors. It denotes energy, warmth, and the sun. But orange has a bit less intensity or aggression than red, calmed by the cheerfulness of yellow.

As a warm color orange is a stimulant — stimulating the emotions and even the appetite. Orange can be found in nature in the changing leaves of fall, the setting sun, and the skin and meat of citrus fruit.

Orange brings up images of autumn leaves, pumpkins, and (in combination with Black) Halloween. It represents the changing seasons so in that sense it is a color on the edge, the color of change between the heat of summer and the cool of winter.

Because orange is also a citrus color, it can conjure up thoughts of vitamin C and good health.

Orange Words:

These words are synonymous with orange or represent various shades of the color orange.

Pumpkin, gold, flame, copper, brass, apricot, peach, citrus, tangerine, vermilion.

The color purple is mostly associated with summer for its flowers that blooms during this season. Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color.

Purple has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac,  and  violet  flowers  are often delicate and considered precious. Because purple is derived from the mixing of a strong warm and strong cool color it has both warm and cool properties. A purple room can boost a child's imagination or an artist's creativity. Too much purple, like blue, could result in moodiness.

The color of mourning for widows in Thailand, purple was the favorite color of Egypt's Cleopatra. It has been traditionally associated with royalty in many cultures. Purple robes were worn by royalty and people of authority or high rank. The Purple Heart is a U.S. Military decoration given to soldiers wounded in battle.

Purple Color Names:

amethyst

eggplant

indigo

lavender

lilac

magenta

mauve

mulberry

orchid

plum

pomegranate

puce

royal

thistle

violet

Wine

Pink may be associated mostly with girls but pink can also be associated with summer  through its flowers like roses and orchids. Pink is a softer, less violent red. Pink is the sweet side of red. It's cotton candy and bubble gum and babies, especially little girls.

While red stirs up passion and action, studies have shown that large amounts of pink can create physical weakness in people. Perhaps there is a tie-in between this physical reaction and the color's association with the so-called weaker sex.

In some cultures, such as the US, pink is the color of little girls. It represents sugar and spice and everything nice. Pink for men goes in and out of style. Most people still think of pink as a feminine, delicate color.

Shades of Pink:

These words are synonymous with pink or represent various shades of the color pink: blush, coral, flesh, flush, fuchsia, hot pink, magenta, raspberry, rose, salmon.

Blue represent the color of the sky which during summer is seen clearly with the sun. Blue is calming. It can be strong and steadfast or light and friendly. Almost everyone likes some shade of the color blue.

A natural color, from the blue of the sky, blue is a universal color. The cool, calming effect of blue makes time pass more quickly and it can help you sleep. Blue is a good color for bedrooms. However, too much blue could dampen spirits.

The blue color of the sky in  Ilocos Norte, Philippines with its windmills. Photo credits: Al Manaloto.

In many diverse cultures blue is significant in religious beliefs, brings peace, or is believed to keep the bad spirits away.

Blue conveys importance and confidence without being somber or sinister, hence the blue power suit of the corporate world and the blue uniforms of police officers. Long considered a corporate color, blue, especially medium and darker blues, is associated with intelligence, stability, unity, and conservatism.

Just as seeing red alludes to the strong emotions invoked by the color red, feeling blue or getting the blues represents the extremes of the calm feelings associated with blue, i.e. sadness or depression, lack of strong (violent) emotion. Dark blue is sometimes seen as staid or stodgy — old-fashioned.

In Iran, blue is the color of mourning while in the West the something blue bridal tradition represents love.

Blue Color Names:

azure, baby blue, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, cornflower blue, corporate blue, cyan, indigo, midnight blue, navy, Prussian blue, robin's egg blue, royal, sapphire, sky blue, slate, steel blue