Colors That Inspire Creativity

 So when thinking about using color to inspire creativity, consider various colors in turn and think about how those colors make you feel. What thoughts, memories, and experiences do the colors trigger? Do they elicit a positive emotional response?

Image by InspiredImages from Pixabay

Adding Color To A Workspace

If you are adding color to a workspace to inspire creativity you have to remember that at the end of the day, it is your space and should reflect your personality while also inspiring you to be creative.

There are of course many colors that you can consider so simplify the process by going back to the basics and first considering the primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. These are pure colors which means they cannot be created by combining other colors.

Next consider the secondary colors: green, orange, and purple. Each of these colors can be created by combining equal amounts of primary colors.

Primary and secondary colors can all be tinted with black or white to create darker / lighter variations.

Next, there are tertiary colors; these are created by an equal combination of a primary color and its closest secondary color, for example, blue-purple, blue-green, and yellow-green.

To Get You In A Color Choosing Mood!

To get you in the mood for choosing colors that inspire creativity here is an interesting video that displays colors that we can view around us and in nature on a day-to-day basis. The background music (noise) is a little intense so you might want to mute your speakers!..

Research On Colors That Inspire Creativity and Other Traits

Research shows that warm colors such as yellow, orange, and red dominate space and encourage conversation. Yellow increases energy flow and inspires creativity, it’s good for enhancing intelligence and mental agility. Red invites an adrenaline rush, it is a stimulant that promotes confident action. Orange is thought to make you feel younger and more vibrant! (So if you’d like to wind back the clock a few years then perhaps it’s time to add a few hints of orange to your creative space.)

Passive or cooler colors such as blue, green, and purple are background colors and tend to have more of a calming effect. Blue is relaxing and refreshing and helps induce peace and tranquility. Blue is also thought to be effective in terms of enhancing the decision-making process, it encourages efficiency and can help you focus on what is important. Light blue gives a sense of peace and harmony. Green is natures core color, it is refreshing and is said to encourage fresh starts and emotional growth. Green is thought to promote physical and emotional well-being. Purple is mysterious and comforting, it encourages fresh perspectives and aids in the resolution of emotional issues.

In 2009 a study on colors that inspire creativity was undertaken. The study found that subjects solved twice as many insight puzzles when surrounded by the color blue since it leads to more relaxed and associative thinking. Red, on the other hand, makes people more alert and aware. So Red is best used as a backdrop for solving analytic problems.

Image by Alexandr Ivanov from Pixabay

What is the best color for creativity?

Unfortunately, there is no definite answer to this question, it often depends on personal preferences and associations that you have built up over your lifetime.

However, research suggests that certain colors, such as green and blue, may be associated with feelings of calm and tranquility. These colors could be conducive to increased creative thinking.

Colors such as orange and yellow and more associated with energy and excitement. They can be refreshing and energizing. Think of the beautiful sun’s rays.

Ultimately, the best color for creativity will vary from person to person and depend on personal preferences, the specific task at hand, and the environment.

Reference the following book for more details, however, it was a little pricey when I last looked so you might want to ask your library for a copy:

What are creative colors?

These are colors that are generally associated with creativity and imagination. Such colors can inspire feelings of originality, and innovation and inspire you to new thoughts and ideas.

Some colors that are often associated with creativity include:

• Blue: for calmness, tranquility, and focus, thought to foster a more conducive environment for creative thinking.
• Green: for balance, growth, and nature, also thought to be conducive to creative thinking.
• Yellow: for energy, positivity, and happiness. Useful for inspiration.
• Orange: for energy and excitement, also useful for inspiration.
• Purple: for creativity, luxury, and sophistication, useful for a creative space.
• Red: for energy, passion, and excitement. Use it when you need to be lively and energetic.

For an excellent book on creative color combinations please see:

Helpful Tools

This site: color scheme designer which is primarily used for picking colors to aid the development of websites is an excellent site to assist you in selecting colors. By selecting a color the site displays the various shades of that color that complement each other.

You can find a lot of color palettes online. And while they have some very nice palettes to choose from, there’s nothing like choosing your own color palette. This is your opportunity to play with color and discover which colors work for your personal aesthetic.

You can get lots of creative color ideas from Instagram, and Pinterest. Browse these sites for images that you’re interested in, what colors stand out for you? Which sparks your imagination?

Once you find your favorite color combinations, why not apply them to your daily life and let everyday objects inspire your creativity? You can customize the color combination you want on your daily items, and Luggage Tags are a good choice. 

You can choose different color combinations according to your preferences and incorporate your creativity and aesthetic elements into every detail. Imagine that when you travel with these colorful luggage tags, or just hang them somewhere, they will not only add a unique identity to your items but also may become a carrier to inspire your creativity. 

Whether you want to keep them for yourself or use them as promotional gifts, such custom luggage tags can meet your needs.

Standardized Colors

“Colors are tricky. If you’ve ever brought home a can of paint that you thought was taupe in the store but your partner points out that it looks “kinda pink” on the wall, you know how frustrating—and unreliable—color perception can be.”

“Color systems like Japan’s TOYO Color Finder or Germany’s HKS Guide help professionals define a color by name or number, instead of eyeballing it. But perhaps most universal of all color systems is Pantone—the lingua franca of color.”

Cultural Awareness

When considering colors that inspire creativity always take into consideration what different colors can represent in different countries. Colors often have different meanings in different countries. For example, white in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other European countries represents purity, e.g. a white wedding dress. However, in Japan white signifies death e.g. a burial shroud. Different meanings for different colors are listed in the table below.

Creativity Enablers

Because colors that inspire creativity stimulate your ability to be creative they are classed as creativity enablers. Other enablers could include walking and other forms of exercise, relaxing, a change of scenery or simply taking a warm bath. Laughter is also meant to enable creative thinking. Try and think of other things that enable you to be more creative, perhaps spending time working on your favorite hobby. What gets you into the zone?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

When you have those creative moments they are usually visual in nature – that is you have a future vision of how something could be. For that reason, not just colors but anything of a visual nature can be conducive to creativity.

So, the next time you’re trying to think of a creative solution to some pressing thought or problem, not only surround yourself with colors that inspire you but try searching for images on the Internet, collecting pictures from magazines, or drawing pictures of that which you are currently pondering. You may find being more visual about your efforts to be a powerful creative enabler. Good luck!