Colours are more than just visual stimuli; they have a profound effect on our emotions, thoughts, and even behaviours. From the calm blue-greens of a serene seascape to the stand-out red of a fire engine, colour can influence how we perceive the world around us. In fact, the psychology of colours plays a crucial role in fields such as marketing, design, and even therapy. Authors can use the psychology of colour to attract readers via their book’s cover.
The Power of Colour: How It Affects Our Emotions
Humans are wired to associate colours with certain feelings and meanings. These associations vary slightly across cultures, but some colour influences appear to be universal. Here’s a breakdown of how some common colours can evoke distinct emotional responses:
Red – Energy, Passion, and Urgency
Red is a bold and powerful colour that often signifies passion, love, excitement, sexual attraction, and intensity. It can increase heart rates and even stimulate appetite, which is why it’s often used in restaurants or food packaging. It connotes strength and power, decisiveness, and confidence. On the flip side, red can also signal danger, anger, aggression, or defiance, making it a colour that demands attention and is often used for warning signs.
Red “adjacent” colours, such as burgundy (brown-red), cerise (reddish pink), coral (orange-red) and magenta (purplish red), can also make a strong impact.
Trivia: After blue, more globally recognized companies use red in their logo than any other colour.
Emotionally: Red tends to evoke strong emotions like love or aggression.
In marketing: Brands use red to create a sense of urgency, making it effective for sales or clearance signs.
On book covers: If your book is super steamy, red on the cover can signal to the reader that it’ll get hot in here! The combination of black, white and red is eye-catching and, while your book doesn’t necessarily have to be erotic romance, readers will be expecting passion and emotional intensity. Red can also be used to signify that the character depicted on the cover is powerful, edgy, or doesn’t follow society’s rules.
Blue – Calm, Trust, and Stability
Blue is one of the most calming colours and is often associated with feelings of tranquillity and reliability. It reminds people of clear skies and sparkling water, making it an ideal colour for spaces where focus and relaxation are essential. It is also seen as a colour of trust, reliability and wisdom, which is why many corporate brands use blue to convey professionalism.
We must remember, though, that different shades of blue can have different connotations. Light blue lends an air of gentleness, youth, or innocence. Royal blue, navy, and other deeper shades of blue have a seriousness and maturity to them (and perhaps convey a sense of mystery), whereas turquoise and aqua are more stimulating, commanding and bold.
Trivia: Most people, regardless of gender or age, will say that blue is their favourite colour.
Emotionally: Blue is often soothing, inducing a sense of calm, security, and comfort. On the other hand, it can sometimes be seen as cold and aloof.
In marketing: Blue can encourage trust and loyalty, which is why many companies use it.
On book covers: Fantasy and paranormal romance covers often use blue to convey magic or mystery, and shapeshifter romance covers often use a grey-to-blue palette, since the full moon and nightime are prominent elements in this sub-genre. Depending upon which shades of blue are used, you can also convey a sense of emotional depth, of sassiness, or of youthful innocence.
Yellow – Happiness, Optimism, and Caution
Yellow is a bright, vibrant colour that brings to mind sunshine and cheerfulness. It is often associated with positivity, joy, and energy. However, too much yellow can cause anxiety or irritability, which is why it’s best used sparingly in environments where focus is key. Yellow can also be a colour of caution, such as in warning signs or traffic signals.
Trivia: “Yellowbacks,” also known as “mustard-plaster” novels, came about in the 19th century and were marketed as cheap and entertaining fiction for the increasingly literate “masses.”
Emotionally: Yellow can lift spirits and encourage creativity but may also cause feelings of restlessness if overused. Lighter shades of yellow are seen as gentle and friendly. Earthy yellows inspire feelings of warmth and comfort. When yellow merges with gold, it can be used to signify luxury and power.
In marketing: Yellow is often used in advertisements targeting youth or products designed to inspire creativity and fun.
On book covers: Yellow is an eye-catching colour, which is a good thing if you want people to notice your cover! Paler yellow can be used effectively for books that are light-hearted and humorous or for romances that have younger protagonists, whereas strong yellow and black forms a powerful combination that can hint at danger and scandal.
Green – Growth, Balance, and Harmony
Green symbolizes nature, renewal, abundance, and health. It is often associated with balance and harmony, promoting a sense of peace and tranquillity. Green has a calming effect and is often used in spaces where rest and recovery are encouraged. Green is seen as the colour of hope. In environmental campaigns, green signifies sustainability and eco-friendliness.
Once again, though, there are many different “greens” and they can be used differently. A sage green or a pastel green connotes youth, gentility, softness, nature, whereas a crisp apple green embodies cheerful optimism or cheekiness. Emerald green is a regal colour that can be used to convey luxury, wealth, or power.
Trivia: Green book covers were very popular in the 19th century, and the colour was sometimes made from compounds containing copper and arsenic that impregnated the cloth used for the binding. These books are still considered toxic and must be handled with gloves.
Emotionally: Green induces feelings of calm and relaxation, often associated with nature and growth, but it’s also associated with envy, sickness, and boredom.
In marketing: Green is popular in health-related products and environmental branding, as it signals vitality and sustainability.
On book covers: Green is one of the most popular colours for fantasy and science fiction. It can seem mysterious and other-worldly. And if your book has a rural setting, it’s a no-brainer to use green (and/or earthy shades) to highlight your character’s connection with nature. But you can use one of the many shades of green on your cover in any genre, and it will be a safe bet that it will attract readers.
Purple – Luxury, Creativity, and Mystery
Purple connotes royalty, wealth, and spirituality. It’s a colour that can signify sophistication, creativity, and luxury. Lighter shades of purple, like lavender and mauve, are often linked to calmness and peace or femininity, while darker purples can convey elegance, power, and mystery.
Purple trivia: The colour has been associated with wealth and privilege since ancient times because purple dye was the hardest, and most expensive, to produce. Tyrian purple, also known as imperial dye, was produced from the mucus secreted by sea snails—it required a lot of snails, it was time-consuming, and it was laborious. Therefore, only the rich could afford purple cloth.
Emotionally: Because purple appears so rarely in nature, it can seem unusual or exotic. Mind you, this exotic quality can turn people off the colour altogether! Purple stimulates creativity and is often connected with nobility or opulence. It also connotes wisdom and dignity. It can convey a sense of mystery or spirituality to viewers.
In marketing: Purple is used to convey a premium or luxury brand image, often in beauty products or high-end services.
On book covers: Purple—even judicious splashes of it—can impart a luxe feel to your cover. It’s great for books with nobility or powerful, wealthy protagonists. Use lavender, amethyst, and mauve for a light-hearted story, and keep deeper shades such as violet, grape, wine, and eggplant for books that are more serious, emotionally raw, or mature.
Orange – Enthusiasm, Warmth, and Adventure
Orange is a colour that blends the energy of red with the warmth of yellow. It’s often used to convey enthusiasm, excitement, and a sense of adventure. Orange is an uplifting, playful, fun colour that can stimulate creativity. It can also be used to create a retro vibe, as orange and lime green were extremely popular in the 1970s. However, like red, orange can signal danger (fire is actually more orange than red).
Orange trivia: Orange and teal (a shade of blue) is a very popular combination in the movie world; it’s used a lot (in set decoration, lighting, art direction and post-production colour grading) in films as well as the posters and covers that are made to promote them.
Emotionally: Orange can invoke feelings of enthusiasm, energy, and excitement, but also impatience. It can seem light-hearted or immature. It is associated with autumn and sunset, giving it a comforting quality, but also sadness and decay.
In marketing: Orange is often used by brands that want to convey excitement and a youthful, fun feeling.
On book covers: Orange can be light and fun, striking and bold, assertively sexy, or even dangerous, depending on its depth, brightness, and intensity. It grabs the viewer’s attention, so use its power wisely.
Black – Power, Elegance, and Mystery
Black is often linked to power, elegance, and sophistication. No wonder, then, that the little black dress and the traditional black tux can give their wearers greater self-confidence. Black is associated with formality and authority, and it’s widely used in luxury fashion and high-end products. It is often used to convey a futuristic quality. In contrast, black can also be mysterious or evoke feelings of fear, depending on the context. It’s the colour of the night. And bad guys.
Black trivia: Black isn’t really a “colour” as we think of them at all. It has no hue. Whereas other colours are reflections of light, it is simply the absence of all light. Yet, the primary colours (red, yellow, and blue) can be mixed in equal parts to produce black.
Emotionally: Black can symbolize power, dominance, and seriousness, but it can also evoke a fear of the unknown, an emotional heaviness, an ominous dread.
In marketing: Black is a favourite for brands wanting to project stylishness, luxury, professionalism, or exclusivity.
On book covers: Adding some black to your cover can make it stand out, but without screaming, “Look at me!” as some bright, bold hues can. It’s also great for giving the reader a sense that your cover, and by extension your characters, are sophisticated and powerful. On the other hand, black can be used to inspire an unsettling feeling or a sense of mystery or foreboding. When you think of anything “gothic,” black comes immediately to mind. The use of black and white exclusively (i.e. monochrome) or greyscale (literally just shades of grey) can give a cover a certain grittiness, rawness, and emotional power. Interestingly, black can also be used as a background colour to draw attention (through contrast) to other colours used on the cover.
White – Purity, Simplicity, and Peace
White is often seen as a symbol of purity, innocence, joy, cleanliness, and simplicity. It’s a colour that invokes a sense of clarity and peace, which is why it’s often used in minimalist designs or health-related products. White can feel fresh and airy, though in some cultures, it can also symbolize mourning or loss. It is the colour of goodness and holiness in many traditions. White is also associated with intelligence, competence and professionalism. It can be chic and sophisticated. And like green, white has connotations of renewal and regeneration: white is literally “wiping the slate clean” and beginning anew.
White trivia: White lead pigment was used in makeup for many centuries to blur imperfections, provide a softening effect, and lighten the skin. While lead doesn’t get absorbed into the skin easily, some formulations probably did expose people to lead poisoning over time.
Emotionally: White often promotes feelings of simplicity, clarity, and calmness, though it can seem cold, unfriendly, and elitist.
In marketing: White is frequently used to create a clean, modern image, especially in the tech and health industries.
On book covers: White is ubiquitous in cover design: it provides a clean, unobtrusive background for cover images. It’s also a great foil for other colours. It looks contemporary, and it’s versatile. Whether you use a lot or a little, white is never out of place.
And some other colours, in brief:
Brown and Gold: Brown is the colour of the earth and is associated with natural substances such as wood and leather. It connotes tradition, quality and reliability. When it merges with gold, it becomes regal, elegant, and luxurious. Similar metallic colours, such as copper, bronze, and rose gold, also impart a sense of richness and elegant luxury.
Silver and Grey: Grey is associated with steadiness, intelligence, and dignity. It is often used to communicate a sophisticated, contemporary design aesthetic. Grey can seem monotonous, spartan or cold, but it’s also “cool,” often used for tech such as phones and tablets because it is neutral, streamlined, and futuristic. Metallic silver has a similar futuristic quality, but it can also lend a luxurious quality to a design.
Pink and Peach: Pink is associated with love, compassion, supportiveness and nurturing qualities, transformation, and creativity. At the same time, pink has a strong effect on the psyche. For generations of women, Barbie pink came to connote glamour and excitement. Besides the nostalgia associated with it, pink is quite a versatile colour. It can be neon-bright or understated and elegant: pale pink is soft, feminine, and fairly neutral; hot pink is sassy, energetic, and in-your-face bold. Plus there’s all the shades in between pink and orange that can be playful and fun or striking and powerful.
Conclusion: The Subtle Power of Colour
Colours are more than just aesthetic choices; they play a significant role in shaping our psychological state, influencing how we feel, think, and act. Being mindful of the psychology of colour can lead to more intentional and impactful decisions in regard to buying (or making) a book cover. But rest assured: no matter what colour palette you choose, the right combination of imagery, text, and colour will attract potential readers. The next part—giving them a great reading experience—is up to you.
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