MargieDeeb.com - Margie's Muse

August 2006

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Pro cycling’s greatest race, the Tour de France, consumes me during the month of July. I follow the course of that yellow jersey every day for three weeks. And then there’s this weather...the blazing sun that beats down on us here in the southeastern US. So with Tour having ended, naturally I am thinking of yellow, the most illuminating color of our spectrum.

Yellow is the brightest and most visible color. It is the first the human eye notices. It moves forward, appearing larger than other colors. Choose yellow when you want to capture your viewers’ attention or rivet their focus to a specific spot. As an accent color, small amounts inject vitality.

In its full saturation, this most luminous color radiates and dazzles. Exuberantly cheerful, yellow uplifts our spirits, helps us gather self-confidence, and stimulates our mind to focus and think more clearly (a yellow legal pad keeps you more alert than white paper, though it may affect you more like a caffeine buzz).

In nearly all cultures, yellow (along with gold) represents the sun and signifies enlightenment, wisdom, or divine power. In ancient China, only the emperor and the royal family were allowed to wear yellow. Yellow and gold are sacred colors in the Christian faith because they are seen to represent God’s light.

Yellow lights our existence. It illuminates, clearing the shadows of uncertainty. A kinetic energy, it captures our attention. It breathes a hot energy, promising a new day, a new reason for hope.

The character of yellow changes drastically according to its tone. In its pure state it suggests sun and brightness, light and life. It conjures early spring flowers. Vincent Van Gogh felt that yellow was “capable of charming God.”

Mellow tones leaning toward orange, such as amber, saffron, goldenrod, mustard, and curry, envelope us in more subdued warmth.

Duller tones of yellow can evoke deceit, treachery, jealousy, and cowardice. (You’re familiar with the term “yellow belly” as a way to call someone a coward, or the pejorative phrase “yellow journalism” which refers to scandal-mongering and sensationalism or other unethical practices by the news media.)

If a bright yellow leans a bit toward green, it bites, becoming sharp and acidic, like sulphur or the sting of a sour lemon. Yellow darkened with black lacks vigor, becoming muddy and foul.

In contrast however, black and yellow used contiguously are colors of warning. Think wasps, bumble bees, and poisonous frogs. In fashion, however, black and yellow, used in savvy proportions, say "style!" rather than "danger!"

In jewelry and fashion, opaque bright yellow appears casual and friendly. It is perfect spring and summer wear because of its movement and high-spirited personality. In these fashions yellow is often paired with the other primaries and its complement, violet. Such vivid combinations make high contrast, energetic palettes. Combine bright yellow with other intense hues—perhaps grass green or magenta—for festive flamboyance.

Watch for yellow and how it is used in marketing and advertising, always as a way to arrest your attention. A little bit of yellow goes a long way.

Use yellow to ignite your palettes of any medium. If its vibrant shout is too aggressive, try its tinted whispers and mellowed tones.

By the way, the reason the winner’s jersey is yellow in cycling is because It allows the rider to be easily identified during the race.

[Author's note: Be sure to look at and listen to the "Yellow Summer" photo and graphic enhanced podcast this month in iTunes or on your iPod - its fun, entertaining, and you'll learn even more!]