Color Process
In studying the colors, we all thought that both yellow and green are refreshing colors that rejuvenate the senses. We always wonder what they would produce if they are combined. Will they create a rather lively color or a darker shade? Before we proceed in revealing the result of the combination of yellow and green, first, let’s examine the individual colors that make it. Yellow is a bright primary color; it is the color that balances the two other primary colors, the red is very aggressive while blue is very submissive, the color yellow is assertive but not aggressive, tolerant but too weak. Yellow is associated with the emotion of joy and optimism; this color always adds a sudden brightness to any color palette. Green is a secondary color and balances the visible color spectrum because it is the color right in the middle of warm and cool colors. It is associated with nature and life; it has a soothing effect and reassures safety and stability. Combining these two lively colors creates a rather vivacious color: Yellow-Green, also known as Chartreuse or Lime. Chartreuse is the right blend of the two and creates an energizing effect in many artistic applications.
What is Chartreuse or Yellow-Green?
Chartreuse is a tertiary color in the traditional color wheel. It is right in between the primary color yellow and the secondary color green. Both in The traditional RYB and web RGB color wheels, the color is named for the color in between yellow and green. Chartreuse comes from a french liquor of the same name. The French word means charterhouse, from the residence of the monks that started to produce the liquor in 1764. The color of the liquor however has a pale apple green color with a small tint of yellow in it. With the advent of the computer, the color retained its name to refer to the web colors that go in between yellow and green. Chartreuse has many variations including Lime, Apple Green, and Pistachio.
Cultural Associations
Chartreuse is a color derived from the French liquor of the same name in the 17th century. The liquor has an apple-green color with just a hint of yellow. It has a very strong characteristic of taste and is a little pungent. The liquor was made by infusing herbs and other plants in the alcohol for hours and let it settle, the result is a sweet but pungent green liquor. The color is abundant in nature too, an alga called xanthophylls have a distinct yellow-green color. They live mostly in marine habitats and the soil of the sea. In many fruits and plant species, it can be seen like green apples, lime, pistachios, avocados, and pears. The color of the gemstone peridot is color chartreuse as well as Tourmaline. Chartreuse is a bright color that has a unique register in the eye even in the dark that is why it is used as a color for safety. A very common of these is in the vests of traffic enforcers, the chartreuse background is laminated with a reflective material so that it can be visible to the drivers. Another purpose of his is in the paint of a few firefighting trucks where they replaced the common fire engine red with chartreuse yellow to provide luminosity at night. Nowadays, the variation of the color which is chartreuse yellow is used in tennis balls to provide easy visibility. It is also a common choice of color in sportswear such as shoes, jackets, and shirts. A variation of the color is utilized in a Nike sneaker campaign and is very well popular among basketball fans because of its odd luminosity. The color is also used in much psychedelics art by the counterculture movements of the 60s. Today is now commonly used in industrial design for furniture, kitchen gadgets, lighting. Many corporate offices today add a touch of chartreuse decor or interior design to add a pop of color to their space to inspire energy and motivation.
Color Psychology
Because chartreuse is a color combining solar yellow with nature green, this color is commonly associated with spring. The color has an energizing and refreshing effect that can be utilized to inspire motivation and liveliness. The color gives a sense of enthusiasm to any application it can add to. It is lively and fresh and lends a powerful effect on the mind that provokes happiness and enthusiasm. Chartreuse is the color of candor and truth, its quality is very open and not secretive unlike many shades of blue. The color also commands attention and is thought-provoking. It heralds a new beginning and evokes a clean and fresh start. The color is also associated with safety and attention because of its unique luminous quality. Its use in traffic employees’ vests and sportswear gives it a sense of purpose, not just an annoyingly bright color but a color that provides safety and casts away any danger. The color also suggests creativity, unconventionality, and adventure. The color because of its chromaticity can add visual stimulation and therefore can provide energy and freshness to any endeavors. The color however can provoke anxiety because staring at it too much can cause visual arrest, this is because the calming effect of the color green rejects the excitement of yellow. The color can also be associated with acidity and addiction. The color, therefore, comes from an alcoholic drink from France, it only makes sense that this color is associated with unhealthy drinks, the color of lime soft beverage Sprite has a chartreuse color, the drink has acids that are not healthy to the body.
Use of the Color
In graphic design, the color chartreuse is well defined on projects involving corporate branding and sports. This color is best with any project involving sportswear because it evokes movement and freshness, it can be used on websites, banners, and posters. The color is best paired with silver, grey, and blue. In interior design, it is best used in the interiors of corporate offices. A chartreuse throw pillow in a chair or waiting sofa can add a nice contrast to a stark gray wall. In the world of fashion, the color chartreuse is best used in sportswear especially shoes. In industrial design, many kitchen gadgets and cookwares adopt this as a choice of color in their products because it is good with ergonomics and functionality.
