Learners Journey Log - Essence of Colour

The colour assigned to me was PINK. The colour pink is associated with love, innocence, and playfulness, as well as with all that is healthy, happy, content, romantic, charming, soft, delicate and feminine Pink is the colour most associated with femininity. It is tied to ideas of happiness, love, playfulness, and warmth. Pink is also related to harmony and closeness. Light pink signifies sensitivity and kindness, while hot pink represents passion and flirtatiousness. Pink is thought to have a calming effect and many prisons have pink holding cells in an attempt to reduce violent behaviour among inmates. Negative associations with the colour pink include immaturity, physical weakness, and low self-confidence.

During the course of the project, I explored it in various ways and aspects like - cartoons, cinematography, eatables, cultural beliefs, etc.

I explored my colour Pink using various methods of inquiry. In the primary method of inquiry, I explored the colour in my surroundings. I saw that some fruits and vegetables are pink, with varying shades, some were light, some are dark, there are many animals that are pink as well, that got me thinking as to why pink exists in nature in so many different shades. I asked around my friends and family why pink is considered a feminine colour and why any other colour is not more feminine than pink. In the secondary method of inquiry, I watched many videos on the significance of pink in marketing. I even read articles on the symbolism of pink.

Associations -

The associations and explorations can be broadly classified into factual associations and researched associations.

Factual Associations -

Things that are pink and do not have a reason to be pink or we can not really explain why they are pink in colour.

1. Flowers - Lotus, Hollyhock, Cherry Blossoms, and Azalea.

2. Animals - Roseate Spoonbill, Flamingo, Pigs, Hippopotamus, Octopus, Seahorse, and StarFish.

3. Minerals - Rose Quartz, Pink Sapphire, Pink Panther Stone, Rhodonite, and Rock Salt.

4. Vegetables - Beetroot and Onion.

5. Fruits - Dragon Fruit, Lychee, Peach, and Guava.

Researched Associations -

Things that I have researched on, as to why are they pink or the colour pink is used for them.

Architecture -

1. Plaza de Mayo - the pink house or Casa Rosada is the seat of the government of Argentina which is the house of the president. The pink-coloured building pronounces dominance. This building has a profound historical background. Juan and Evita Peron used to address the masses from the balcony of Plaza de Mayo in late 1940 to 1950s.

2. Jaipur - During the rule of Sawai Ram Singh I, the city was painted pink to welcome HRH Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VII, Emperor of India), in 1876. Many of the avenues still remain painted in pink, giving Jaipur a distinctive appearance and the epithet Pink city.

Movie -

1. Mean Girls - The group is known throughout the film for being manipulative, promiscuous, and evil too many. The group wears pink every Wednesday, Regina’s mother is seen mostly wearing pink, and Regina’s room is made up of mostly pink decor as well. The representation of pink is an attempt to play up the qualities of innocence and purity that are associated with pink to mask the cruelness of The Plastics.

2. The Sky Is Pink - Farhan revealed that there is a scene in the movie that explains the movie's name. The scene is a phone call conversation between 'Aditi', the character played by Priyanka, and her son, Ishaan. Ishaan complains about his teacher who scolded him for painting the colour of the sky pink. To which his mother replies that ‘No one can tell you which colour your sky should be. You are the one who paints your own sky.’

3. Grease - At the high school Sandy is attending, she befriends a member of the Pink Ladies. The Pink Ladies are a group of four who wear powder pink jackets. The jackets have ‘Pink Ladies’ embroidered on the back and their names on the front. The members of the group are Betty Rizzo, Marty Maraschino, Frenchy, and Jan. Although individually they have different styles, the pink jackets single them out as a clique. The jackets celebrate impurity, seeing pink as more sarcastic than its usual associations, as well as through sexual allusions throughout the film. The Pink Ladies give off sultry, seductive, and rebellious vibes, which is why they are the most popular and imitated groups in the film.

4. Pink - Busting the myths associated with the hue pink, that it is a favourite color of girls and linked with Barbie dolls. He said ‘Pink’ means that women have the freedom and liberty to walk at night adding that this movie gave women the opportunity to speak.

5. The Grand Budapest Hotel - When the Grand Budapest Hotel flashes back to the 1930s, it is a light pink colour which suggests the hotel’s charm, healthiness, and happiness during that time. The other times that pink is used in the film are in Mendl’s Bakery and through Agatha’s clothing. Mendl wraps their baked goods in a light pink box, which emphasises the soft and delicate manner that the cakes and cookies were created and decorated. Agatha, Zero’s girlfriend is wearing pink clothing throughout most of the film. This clothing represents Agatha’s purity and innocence, working as a baker for Mendl’s, and always willing to help others. Unlike the other films discussed, Grand Budapest Hotel uses the colour pink as happy, lively, and pure throughout the scenes that reflect on the past.

Cultures and Countries -

1. Japan - pink relates more to men than women, although it's worn by both genders. In Korea, it symbolizes trust.

2. Latin America - it's symbolic to architecture.

3. China - pink was an unrecognized color in China until it emerged into the culture due to increasing Western influences—the Chinese word for it translates as "foreign color."

4. Arabic culture - pink refers to unrealistic expectations.

Use of Colour In Cinematography -

The Film Colour Theory states that certain colours in a film can draw out certain emotions from its audience. Manipulating these colours help guide the audience towards the director’s intent, create dramatic irony, or send a message to the audience. A colour wheel is an essential tool for directors to have when deciding on sets, costume designs, and lighting during filming. Not only does colour help with the physical aspects of a film, but also the emotions that come along with it. Colour in the film helps the audience see the film’s true intentions on the screen and what the director wants the audience to see. Although there are many colours to choose from, National Pink Day seems like the perfect time to celebrate films that have incorporated pink into their colour palette and what the colour means in certain films.

Conclusion -

Color is part of the natural beauty that allows us to connect with the world around us. Color not only allows us to distinguish between different objects we find in the world but influences how we perceive the world. They spur emotions that we later associate with certain objects or settings, and create bookmarks to help recall specific memories later. A designer simply doesn’t use colour just because they like that particular colour, they use it to influence the world in a different way. The process of design isn’t only creating something useful out of nothing, it is also about creating another world for people highly influenced by the colourful world.