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"Colors, like features, follow the changes of the emotions."
-- Pablo Picasso
Color. It's in the world all around you. It's in the tender green buds on the trees in spring, the vibrant reds, oranges and purples of the sunset, and the faded blue of your grandma's eyes or your favorite jeans. Color can help you describe thoughts, personality and character. It can provide endless inspiration for your pages and journaling—inspiration found just by tuning in to the world around you.
use color to express feelings
"Some days are yellow. Some are blue. On different days I'm different too! You'd be surprised how many ways you change on different colored days." -- Dr. Seuss
When I think of color, the first thing that comes to mind is the book by Dr. Seuss, "My Many Colored Days." I love how it presents color as a subjective way to express a person's feelings. Like in the book, you can use color to describe your perspective on events or people in your layouts. The page by Tricia Rubens of Castle Rock, Colorado, shown above is an example of how she applied her perceptions of color to scrapbooking. Based on the idea that color can evoke feelings, she created the page about her husband, describing his characteristics with color metaphors. "The inspiration came from an article I read about the emotions and feelings color can evoke," explains Tricia. "As I read each emotion, it reminded me of my husband, our relationship and how much he means to me." For her, red symbolizes love, and yellow signifies creativity. Using color this way can reveal much about the personality of the designer and the subject featured, offering a personal touch to the page.
create color-symbolic journaling
In your layouts, think of what various colors mean to you, and then tie those meanings to specific stories or memories. As you use color as a foundation for building your journaling, you will access different ways of expressing your thoughts and feelings. For example, if red means strength to you, include journaling about a time when you were strong or when you witnessed strength in another person. Place your writing on a red tag or background to reinforce the color imagery. As you use this design approach, think of what colors allow you to express yourself and what colors best embody your joy, sorrow, comfort, and growth.
use color as journaling prompts
Got writer's block? Using color as a journaling prompt can help. Try making color flashcards, with one basic color per card. Shuffle the cards, and pick one. Jot down everything that comes to mind when you think of that color. Then write down any stories or memories related to those things. For example, red makes me think of picking apples in the fall and the Wisconsin Badgers. To extend this exercise, I could journal about specific apple-picking memories or anecdotes from Badger football games. Remember that everyone's list of color-thought connections will be unique.
Here's another idea. Let's say you're working with a photo of your grandmother, but you're not sure what to say in your journaling. Ask yourself what color reminds you of her. You might conjure up memories of the blue quilt you slept under while visiting her, the color of her eyes or her little yellow house. Because color is intimately tied to many of our memories, it can bring to mind vivid images related to personal stories. The key is to allow the colors tied to your memories to spill onto your pages.
discover the meaning of colors
The Internet provides a wealth of information on color. You can find information related to the psychological meanings of color and what certain colors symbolize within specific cultures. You can also find information on how color is used therapeutically and ways to decorate your home to provide calming or invigorating environments. Use these resources and translate their theories into your pages. Use information on color symbolism to help you describe someone's personality—is your active son a "red" or a "green" person? Ask yourself what colors evoke specific moods in you. What colors calm or rev you up? How is your list of what colors represent different from your family members? Put everyone's responses on a layout for a quick compare-and-contrast page. Learning what colors can represent will enable you to use them in both subtle and overt ways, packing your pages with meaning and impact.
observe the colors in the world
Observe the world around you and you will find an exciting variety of colors to include in your layouts. For instance, look at the colors combined on a shirt—if it's purple with yellow flowers, you could translate that to a purple background with a yellow border for a feminine page. Vanessa Hudson, Masters '06, used her daughter's hat and scarf as inspiration for her spread above. Color word blocks accent her page as well as her journaling. Coordinating papers and embellishments to your photos is a great way to create visual interest and harmony on your pages.
If you're not a natural at choosing coordinating colors, paint chips at the hardware store can offer ideas. You can also use combinations based on color theory to help you choose colors for your layout or flip through magazines, and focus on their color choices. Take note of how ads and product packaging use color to draw and focus attention.
Life is filled with examples of how to use and combine colors. Use the meaning, symbolism and the feelings colors evoke to create colorful and meaningful journaling.
