This variation of black was made to represent the color of the tropical hardwood of the same name. A shade of black is always a pure black in itself while a tint of black is a neutral gray.Īs of the writing of this article, there are currently 16 shades of the color black.Įbony is a grayish olive green color. So, now that you know about the history and symbolism of the color black, let's move on to its various shades. Today, we often see black as the color of mystery, elegance, power, and sophistication as well as for sadness and anger. In recent times, black has become a symbol of functionality. It's also the usual color of fashion for formal and solemn occasions. ![]() In many countries, black is often the color chosen by magistrates and government officials. In the Book of Revelation, the first horseman, representing famine, is said to arrive on a black horse.īlack is also associated with power, law, authority, and solemnity. This color is often linked to the Devil, witchcraft, and black magic. In the financial world, the term refers to sudden drops in the stock market, such as the one in 1929 that marked the start of the Great Depression.Īnother Western symbolism for the color black is its association with evil and darkness. A tragic day, week, or month is often referred to as a "black day" (or week or month). What is surprising, though, are the different symbols and associations this color stands for.Īs mentioned earlier, black is the color of mourning and bereavement in some countries, especially in the West. ![]() It isn't surprising then that black has become an important color in various cultures around the world. Black Colors: Psychology and MeaningĪrtists have used black since prehistoric times. By this time, it had also become an important color to various political and social organizations across the globe. In the 20th and 21st centuries, black continued its popularity in art and fashion. For the first time, the color became available, and quite popular, to the masses due to the invention and industrial manufacturing of inexpensive synthetic black dyes. Black also became the color for a different kind of revolution as coal and oil-fueled industrial machines slowly turned city buildings black. In the 18th and 19th centuries, black first receded as a color for fashion until after the French Revolution. Rembrandt used a somber palette of blacks and browns to depict figures emerging from the darkness expressing the deepest human emotions. In the 16th and 17th centuries, black became a prominent color for the rulers and the Protestant Reformation in Europe as well as the Puritans in England and America. It was also around this time when nobles wore black sable fur imported from Russia and Poland. When printing became possible in the 15th century, printers used black ink made from soot, turpentine, and walnut oil. Suddenly, magistrates and government officials began wearing the color as a sign of their importance and seriousness. ![]() It was also around this time that black ink from China was traditionally used for writing due to its darker color.īlack never really became a common color for wardrobe until the 14th century when better and darker black dyes were invented. In paintings during this period, the Devil was often portrayed as a humanoid with black fur or skin and wings.īenedictine monks wore black robes during the 12 and 13th centuries. In the Middle Ages, black was associated with darkness and evil. Ancient Roman magistrates wore black or dark togas to funeral ceremonies. The ancient Greeks also valued this dark color and used it on their pottery. To make their paintings, prehistoric artists first used charcoal then burnt bones and manganese oxide powder to produce a darker pigment.īlack had an important meaning to the ancient Egyptians who associated the color with fertility, the rich black soil of the Nile, and the color of the god Anubis. ![]() Prehistoric humans used black to depict images of bulls and other animals in cave paintings in Lascaux Cave in France. The color black was one of the first colors used in art. This article aims to help you do just that. Unlike most colors, black is achromatic which means it doesn't have a hue.īlack is one of the earliest colors known to man and has become a symbol for different things across various cultures.Īs an artist, it's important to understand the darkest color, how it's used in the past until today, what it means and the different emotions it evokes, as well as its different shades, and how to produce them. The color black results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light.
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