SOUL IN COLOR

As a designer, are there patterns of color that appear in your work? Do you find yourself connecting to colors on a level beyond aesthetics? Or maybe you feel that your character embodies a certain color? Maybe this is because color speaks to our own inner voice while also allowing us to relate and convey messages to others. Color can have the power to establish a relationship between design and our innermost conscience. Becoming more self aware and tapping into a side of ourselves that exists on a metaphysical plane can aid us as designers in producing deeper, more meaningful work. When we create from our souls and produce thoughtful work, we are able to reach others on a meaningful level.

I think it is valuable to be mindful of the energy we carry and how that can be projected onto others and reflected back to ourselves. As designers, we constantly use color to convey messages to our audience; I think it’s easy to think of color as something tangible, but oftentimes it has a greater, inconceivable impact. If you want a design to feel upbeat and cheerful, you may use the color yellow which similarly connects to joy and intellect in an aura reading. Blue is used when we want to appear honest or centered but can also convey sadness; in aura theory, it connects to spirituality and intuition.

Albert Einstein’s theory of special relativity states that everything on earth is made up of energy, including humans. Going hand in hand with that, aura theory states that every living thing emits energy with a specific set of colors that relate directly to that being’s spiritual state. The word aura is simply defined as the distinctive atmosphere of energy that is generated by and surrounds a living thing or person, an electromagnetic field if you will. This atmosphere is actually manifested in a number of colors unseen by the human eye. In order to interpret these colors, aura photography is used as a vehicle to translate those colors into something able to be seen. Typically, an aura reading is done in a dark space using a suped up Polaroid camera specifically designed to capture the light waves transmitted by energy. The subject is connected directly to the camera by sensors measuring electromagnetic biofeedback. The person’s energy output will be translated to colors by the camera that appear in their image as a soft glow around their body and head. The science behind aura photography ends here and color theory comes into play in order to interpret the meaning of the colors. Following is a list of colors that may appear in an aura reading and their corresponding meanings.

Turquoise: Dynamic, organizer

Green: Healer, connected to nature

Purple: Sensitive, spiritual

Red: Passionate, vibrant

Pink: Harmonious, peaceful

Yellow: Joyful, intellectual

Blue: Spiritual, intuitive

White: Balanced, in harmony

Murky: Mentally or physically ill

From an artistic standpoint, aura photography is a beautifully unique lens to view ourselves through. Christina Lonsdale, a Portland based aura photographer, puts it best telling Vogue Magazine, “I’m not a healer, I’m not a psychic, I’m an artist. I wanted to provide people with an atmosphere to see what they’re putting out into the world, so they can experience themselves in a new way.” Regardless if aura theory resonates with you, it is something that holds deep meaning for many, as we innately have strong emotional connections tied to color.

This being said, designing with color in mind has always been of the utmost importance. Designers are able to establish entire moods and influence viewers emotions simply through a well thought out color pallet. The power of colors extends beyond simply decorative value, it invokes deep meaning, as it is part of the foundation for our understanding of the world. We can relate to one another through color because we have many shared feelings societally about what certain colors represent, such as yellow invoking positivity/ happiness or purple representing regality. Intentional color use increases the viewer’s ability to interpret work on an emotional level; this not only creates a memorable impact but streamlines the big takeaways they should gather from a piece. In similar ways that aura readings correspond to spirituality, emotional connection, logic and thinking patterns, design holds the same capability to touch people just as deeply, particularly when made with intention.