All About the Colour:   Green

What do you think about the colour green? Personally I love green. In fact green is one of my two favourite colours, the other being purple; a great combination!

As a graphic designer colour is incredibly important and so it’s a huge part of my life. Colour has the potential to really make a design stand out so it’s important to consider the options when choosing one for a project. The colour wheel and colour psychology in general can be a great help when making colour choices.

In this article I will run through the main colour psychology points regarding green. I will also show you great examples of how green is used by other small businesses in their product offering.

So let’s find out all about the colour green…

The psychology behind shades of green

Green is a very popular and versatile colour. With shades ranging from earthy moss, vibrant emerald, and acidic lime, it’s hard not to love it. The key is to choose your shade of green carefully, taking into consideration the psychology behind the colour and your intended use.

These days the colour green predominantly makes us think of plant life, the outdoors, and being environmentally friendly. But green also has associations with peacefulness, growth, luck, luxury, and style. For example, bright greens can be energising, subdued shades link us to the earth and nature, and rich dark greens suggest wealth.

But we must not forget that every colour has negative connotations too. While green obviously evokes growth, fertility, and nature; it also brings to mind greed, envy, and physical illness. Phrases such as “turning green”, “green with envy”, and “green-eyed monster” have been used throughout history.

Green: A symbol of life, rebirth, and nature

Associated with nature and positivity, green can inspire feelings of harmony, growth, safety, and success. It is the colour of spring time, budding ideas and new beginnings and can help us feel motivated and optimistic when used in our surroundings.