THE COLOUR ORANGE

MEANING

Orange, the blend of red and yellow, is a mixture of the energy associated with red and the happiness associated with yellow. Orange is associated with meanings of joy, warmth, heat, sunshine, enthusiasm, creativity, success, encouragement, change, determination, health, happiness, fun, enjoyment, balance, freedom, expression, and fascination.

Orange is associated with the summer and hot sun but also linked to Autumn and the colour of tuning leaves and pumpkins.

While orange does stimulate the appetite, it is a common colour found in citrus fruit and is often associated with Vitamin C and a healthy diet.

Orange is often used to draw attention, such as in traffic signs and advertising.

In more recent times, the colour has become synonymous with Halloween.

HISTORY

In ancient Egypt, artists used an orange mineral pigment called realgar for tomb paintings. It was used later by Medieval artists for the colouring of manuscripts. Pigments were also made in ancient times from a mineral known as orpiment. Orpiment was an important item of trade in the Roman Empire and was used as a medicine in China although it contains arsenic and is highly toxic. Because of its yellow-orange colour, it was also a favourite with alchemists searching for a way to make gold, both in China and in the West.

Before the 15th century, the colour orange did not have a name in Europe; it was simply called yellow-red. Portuguese merchants brought the first orange trees to Europe from Asia in the late 15th and early 16th century, along with the Sanskrit, naranga—which became ‘naranja’ in Spanish and ‘laranja’ in Portuguese.

In English, the word ‘orange’ stems from the Old French and Anglo-Saxon orenge. The earliest recorded use of the word in English is from the 13th century and alludes to the fruit. In reference to the colour, however, its earliest attested use is from the 16th century.

In 1797, French scientist Louis Vauquelin discovered the mineral crocoite, which led in 1809 to the advent of the synthetic pigment chrome orange. Other synthetic pigments, cobalt red, cobalt yellow and cobalt orange, made from cadmium sulphide plus cadmium selenite, soon followed. These new pigments, plus the invention of the metal paint tube in 1841, meant artists could paint outdoors and capture the colours of natural light.

Orange is a multi-faceted colour with different meanings in different cultures. The hue is quite prominent in Asian religions, and many monks and holy men wear orange robes. In Confucianism, orange is the colour of transformation.

Today, orange is used for a variety of different purposes. Its high visibility makes it a popular colour for lifeboats and safety equipment like lifejackets and floatation devices.

ORANGE AND BRANDING

In branding, orange is often used to portray youth, playfulness, and being bold. Orange is seen as healthy, energizing, and attention-grabbing. It is felt to suit less ‘corporate’ feeling brands.