Color Series: The Meaning Behind Orange

meaning of orangeWelcome back to the Color Series, where the colors have complements and the meanings DO matter.

This post will focus on the perky orange. A blend of red and yellow, get its symbolism from both colors. While it still has a sort of heat from the red, it’s also associated with happiness because of the yellow.


“If I feel really ugly or unhappy, sometimes I’ll choose bright colors so they’ll make me feel good. Yellows, pinks, light blues and orange. I just want to feel good all the time if I can. And colors and hairstyles and all that kind of helps out.” –Jill Scott

Some Orange Associations

Orange can easily be associated with joy, warmth, enthusiasm, creativity, stimulation, and happiness. You get a sense of general wellness and the feeling that you should share with others. Orange can easily be used to help recover from a disappointment or a blow to the ego.

The color orange is a very stimulating one. It doesn’t have the same effects as red, but is tamed some by the mixture of yellow. This gives more of a positive stimulation and is generally seen in connection with happiness.

Orange can make you hungry, increase your socialization, stimulate mental activity, increase the oxygen supply to the brain, and can help boost your confidence. While one interpretation of orange is to think of heat, like the sun, but others will also think of the fall when the leaves change and jack o lanterns are carved.

Another positive correlation to orange, is the fact that many citrus fruits and vegetables are orange, giving you a nice dose of vitamin C, among others. If you want to help whet an appetite, paint your kitchen orange!

Beware, however: too much orange can lead to an overabundance of pride, arrogance, and lack of care for others. Make sure to strike a balance!

Shades and tints can also make a difference as to the interpretation of the color orange. Dark orange could be interpreted as deceit, a red-orange makes you think of passion, and a lighter orange is considered more soothing.

Cultural Examples of the Color Orange:meaning of orange

  • Orange is often times associated with Halloween, because of pumpkins and the leaves changing. Because this is a transition, orange is seen as a transitional color.
  • Orange’s complementary color is blue, which means they work well together.
  • The phrase “comparing apples to oranges” refers to comparing two things that are, in reality, totally different.
  • Prisoners in the US wear orange so they are easily seen, and it makes it harder for them to escape.
  • Nothing –truly- rhymes with orange.

At Hunakai Studio, every brush stroke has meaning behind it. We know how to guide our students and encourage them to express themselves!