Understanding colour-emotion associations : the opportunities and limitations of colours in conveying emotions through self-portraiture

Abstract

This thesis focuses on the psychological impact of colours and the role of colour-emotion associations in the artistic interpretation process. Colours can evoke strong feelings and emotional reactions, but the cause of these responses is not fully understood. Despite this unawareness, artists can use this phenomenon to convey emotions through their art by choosing specific colour schemes. However, the experience of colour is influenced by numerous factors, making it a highly individual experience and therefore, the interpretations vary between individuals. The thesis seeks to raise questions about the reliability of colour psychology in art analysis. To achieve this, the thesis explores various factors that impact our perception of colours, highlighting the unique nature of colour experiences.

Self-portraits are often considered the most reliable source for analysing an artist's emotional state based on colours. Therefore, this thesis introduces three famous self-portraits that are examined using the previously learned information from colour-related studies. The thesis serves as a reminder that colours can be used as a tool for conveying emotions, but viewers' relationships with certain colours contribute to the interpretation of the artwork. The self-portrait series "Things Left Unsaid" was created to further establish how colours can be used for visual communication while considering the unreliability of colour analysis and the individuality of colour experience.