The answer is YES! White is actually all colors combined.
They taught us that in grade school. Remember? I tend to forget other things but this fact from grade school is still embedded in my brain ” White is the presence of all colors and black is the absence of all colors.“
Officially the fact is: White contains an equal balance of all colors in the spectrum.
When we think of white, our mind automatically goes to purity, cleanliness and innocence. Angels wear white and so do many hospital workers. While these are valid symbols for the color white, there is so much more to learn!
In ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, priestesses wore white as a symbol of purity, and Romans wore a white toga as a symbol of citizenship. The Roman Catholic Pope has worn white since 1566, as a symbol of purity and sacrifice
Did you know??
White is an easier color to see as our eyes begin to age? While greens and blues become harder to read, white imprint against a dark background will reach all generations who view it! Keep in mind that the human eye can detect even the most subtle differences in shades of white. Be careful not to use white and ‘winter white’ together in a design. The winter white will appear dingy and dirty.
Is white your favorite color? Here’s what we know about you!
- you are neat and immaculate in your appearance and environment.. almost to the point of being fanatical.
- You have impeccable standards of cleanliness expect others to adhere to your high standards.
- You are far-sighted, with a positive and optimistic nature.
- You are well-balanced and sensible.
I totally agree about combining white and winter white. That’s not a good look! I grew up in the South, and it is ingrained in me about no white after Labor Day. I love how certain colors have so many ways to resonate with someone.
thanks Jennifer. Yes I remember when white after Labor Day was almost a sin. Now you see it everywhere. And I live in Arizona. We can still get 100 degree weather in September so lots of people were white!
Interesting facts – thanks for sharing! BTW I love moonstone too – so mysterious the way it glows various shapes like blue and green!
agreed about Moonstone. it reminds me a lot of opal the way it glows.
Love all the tidbits about white! Great Post!
thanks Robin. I just love to explore all this kind of stuff. Fun!
Very good article!
Thanks Pam?
It is amazing how many subtle shades of white there can be. Yellow undertone or blue or grey. But white mostly looks fresh. Enjoyed your take on the symbolism, Alene.
Thanks Meghan. Yes there are so many subtle shades. Add a touch o green or blue and it transforms everything
As a fellow jewelry designer, I enjoyed your approach. Love posts about color and have written a few. Not a big fan of white personally, but it is great for summer jewelry to mix with other colors.
Thanks Roslyn. I do love the purity of white especially in pearls
Interesting…. and purple is my favorite color. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE purple too?
I have never once considered that white could be a favorite color. Totally not on my radar even though I like to wear it. Orange does make me happy. My best office space was painted orange. I loved it!! I’m going to have to check out that post too. 🙂
Yes I think you are right about favorite colors. Offhand I don’t know anyone that prefers white but am sure there are some takers. Glad you like orange! It is such a great color?
I have always been fascinated by the fact that white is a combination of all colours. I’m also interested in how we perceive each individual colour in the presence of other colours. Like you said, white can look grey and dirty in paired incorrectly and this is something I am very mindful of when during my web design process. Thanks for your great post.
Thanks Mui. It is important to consider color always in our web presence. Just changing a font color can make a huge difference
Interesting article. I’ve always been interested in what someone’s love of color is supposed to mean about them. I’m a lover of all things blue.
thanks Jessica. I love the blues too. especially the aqua and blue/green tones. Almost as much as purple!
White is not my fave color, but I do love pearls! Guess it’s a good thing white is not my favorite color as neat and immaculate aren’t really very much me. Maybe one day.
thanks Christy
I can relate about the neat and immaculate part 🙂
I love white as a contrast to other colors and by itself can be incredibly elegant. Day to day, however, I am a vibrant, saturated-color kind of gal.
thanks Jackie
Agree completely. I LOVE wearing the bright vibrant colors too!