All About the Color Red

Red has more personal associations than any other color. Recognized as a stimulant red is inherently exciting and the amount of red is directly related to the level of energy perceived.

Red draws attention and a keen use of red as an accent can immediately focus attention on a particular element.

Red is the color fo the base or root chakra. This chakra is located at the base of the spine and allows us to be grounded and connect to the universal energies.

First chakra, base of the spine. Groundedness, trust, belonging, lessens feelings of mistrust.

Gemstones that will aid the Root chakra include lodestone, ruby, garnet, smokey quartz, obsidian, hematite and onyx.

More About Chakra Colors...

Red is the color for beauty in many languages.

In Chinese culture colors corresponded with the five primary elements, the directions and the four seasons. Red was associated with summer, fire and the South.

In Japan red is the color of Shinto sanctuaries.

In Sweden, Falun red (red based on the pigment from the Falun mine) was reserved for the privelaged class.

In China red is associated with good luck and fortune.

In Greece Easter eggs are dyed red and the Greek expression "Piase kokkino" (touch red) is said when two people say the same thing at the same time. It is believed that the event is an omen that the two will have an argument in the future, which can only be broken when the two touch the closest thing that is red .

In England, red phone booths and red double decker buses , are national icons.

In India, a red mark on the forehead is said to bring good luck.

Red is the color most associated with the Soviet Union during communist reign.

More About Color Around the World...

There is an interesting article titled Symbolism of the color red in antiquity on webexhibits.org

Over the past decade, scientists have reported the successful use of red light as an effective in the treatment of migraine headaches and cancer.

In the United States, beginning with the 2000 presidential election, red has been recognized to represent the Republican Party, and "red states" are states that tend to favor the Republicans.

Wilma Flintstone was one famous redhead but see who else made the Famous Fictional Redheads list.

Eric the Red is the Norweign Viking credited for colonizing Greenland... he earned his nickname from his bright red hair and beard.-- read more about his story

In order to stimulate and give some recognition of a certain achievement to the student, Dr. Jigoro Kano, founder of Judo, created such divisions and introduced Belt colors. The Red Belt symbolizes the color of the sun.

In almost all primitive religions the worship of the Sun was always placed in the foreground. The Sun was and is "farther" than the sky, and, more importantly, it is the life-giving force which makes everything grow, gives warmth without which everything would wither away and eventually die.

The red color was and still is used to represent the highest ranks and positions of officials in the government hierarchy, political structures and in martial arts (it is "King's" color, the color of the Popes and the Cardinals, Bishops, diplomats with their red bands across the shoulder, red ribbons for heroes' medals of military achievement, etc.) Today the true Okinawan masters as well as some Japanese masters consider the red belt as the highest color of achievement.

Red can be found on many flags of different nations.

Red is also the color of blood, the life substance of the living body.

More Fun Facts About This Color...

"When in doubt wear red." --Bill Blass

"Red is the ultimate cure for sadness." --Bill Blass

"Red is obviously such a stimulating color, and it has so many connotations." --P. J. Harvey

"Red is a colour I've felt very strongly about. Maybe red is a very Indian colour, maybe it's one of those things that I grew up with and recognise at some other level." --Anish Kapoor

"Red, of course, is the colour of the interior of our bodies. In a way it's inside out, red." --Anish Kapoor

"The true color of life is the color of the body, the color of the covered red, the implicit and not explicit red of the living heart and the pulses. It is the modest color of the unpublished blood." --Alice Meynell

"Red brought out more of my personality." --Bob Edwards

"Oh, I love red. I"m very loyal to my colors. I love violet."--Elizabeth Taylor

"I love red so much that I almost want to paint everything red."--Alexander Calder

See All Quotes About Color...

Red carpet treatment: giving privileged treatment to
an important person

Red in the face: to become embarassed

Seeing red: to be angered

Red flag: a warning of danger

Not worth a red cent: having no value More on the history of this saying

Red letter day: a memorable, joyful day

Red tape: excessive formalities in govermental process

In the red: a term to describe an economic loss

See All Colorful Phrases...

Frank Lloyd Wright

Wright's use of red became his signature. In fact, red was the color of the square signature tile that he began to place on his houses in the 1930s. His long-time associate John Howe remembers that a client, one of the Pauson sisters, was a potter and suggested creating such a tile. Wright was delighted with the idea. While many reds were used in his schemes, he preferred a warm, brownish red that he called Cherokee red. Some say the color came from a favorite native American pot, but it could just as well have been inspired by the warm red barns that dotted his rural Wisconsin homeland. That red, actually an iron oxide mixture, was used to help preserve the wood in the barn. It was a familiar and natural companion to the colors of the foliage. Wright colored his own Midway farm buildings at Taliesin Cherokee red, as well as his fleet of cars, his roofs, his gates, and his signs. It was specified as the accent color in many of his buildings and continues to be generously used by his followers. Even concrete floors were integrally colored and waxed with a warm red.

The particular shade and intensity of red vary from site to site and use to use depending on the light, the building materials, and the setting. In practice, Cherokee red is not just one color but has become a range of hues. For instance, Taliesin West, Wright's home in Scottsdale, Arizona, uses a lighter value than Taliesin in Wisconsin. Paint pigmentation and composition have changed so dramatically since Wright first began his practice that now there is a hundred times more variety than before. For environmental and stability reasons, many of the natural pigments have been replaced with synthetics. But the ability to create a rich, brownish red is still a challenge. --by Archetype Press, Inc.

Interesting to note: Lincoln Logs were invented some time between 1916 and 1917 by John Lloyd Wright, son of the notable architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1918 they were marketed by the Red Square Toy Company and John Lloyd Wright Inc., of Chicago and were an overnight success.

More on the use of color for business success

Red is considered a warm color in landscape design. It's appearance in the garden has an energetic effect.

Red flowers and foliage give the illusion of coming forward in the landscape, helping to make a large garden feel cozier.

Red plants attract the eye and are a good choice for areas you want to draw attention to.

Red's complimentary color in the garden is green.

Write mystery into your garden plots by combining the deep reds, such as burgundy, maroon, and russet, with equally dark purple and chocolate brown. Such sultry combinations create the illusion of depth and hidden distances.--Better Homes and Garden

"Red is a color associated with poison, passion and seduction"--Aromascope

"Gallica Roses come in crimsons, deep pinks, mauves, and stripes and splashes. They are most often described as having Old Rose fragrances, which can be intense and spicy."--American Rose Association

AromaPod, a scented lifestyle tool uses the color red with the scent that provides energy. Energize: from AromaPod

Cherry was the original scent of the red colored Magic Scents Crayons from Binney & Smith Inc. introduced in 1994 with mostly food scents. There were numerous reports that children were eating the food-scented crayons, so the food scents were retired and replaced with non-food scents. The scent for the color red became "cedar chest".

Red fruits are flavorful and nutritious. Although not seen as frequently there are also red vegetables. A few of my favorites are listed below but to see more of the world's healthiest foods

The warm scent and flavor of baking apples is a sure sign that fall is just around the corner.

The fragrantly sweet juiciness and deep red color of strawberries can brighten up both the taste and aesthetics of any meal; it is no wonder they are the most popular berry fruit in the world.

Fresh cranberries, which contain the highest levels of beneficial nutrients, are at their peak from October through December, just in time to add their festive hue, tart tangy flavor and numerous health protective effects to your holiday meals.

There is no question that the vehicle you drive is an extension of your personality --an unspoken, but clear message to the rest of the world.

The message you send by driving a vehicle that is Vibrant Red: Sexy, speedy, high-energy, and dynamic.

If however your vehicle is a Burgundy or Blue-red you give a similar message but far less obvious.

See What the Other Vehicle Colors Mean...

Just as red sits on top of the rainbow, you like to stay on top of things. You have a zest for life. Remember that red can speed up the pulse, increase the respiration rate, and raise blood pressure. It is associated with fire, heat, and blood, so it is impossible to ignore. And so are you (or would like to be). You are high maintenance and high profile, a mover and a shaker.

The key words associated with red are winner, achiever, intense, impulsive, active, competitive, daring, aggressive. Red people are exciting, animated, optimistic, emotional, and extroverted. Desire is the key word, so you hunger for fullness of experience and living. Red is a force to be reckoned with and is always up for adventure. Your passion is infectious.

Now that you have all the good news, let's hear it for the bad news. Since you crave so much excitement in your life, routine can drive you nuts. Restlessness can make you fickle in your pursuit of new things to turn you on. It's hard for you to be objective, and you can be opinionated and overbearing. You have a tendency to listen to what others tell you and then do whatever you please. Patience is not one of your virtues. If you're unhappy about something - watch out!

Source: More Alive with Color by Leatrice Eiseman