Everything About White, the Color of Spirits

White color, although not a popular color for many of us, has a huge impact on our lives.  Think about it now, how much did you inadvertently use white?

I’m one of those people who does not like white at all, but it is quite indirectly present in my life, in the clothes I wear, in the design of my house and my furniture.

In the following, I will discuss the use and effects of this color in our lives, follow me to know more!

White color structure

White is a bright and achromatic color, meaning that it is pure in terms of the presence of other colors and white is not combination of colors.

This color does not exist in the color cycle and is a neutral color. White can reflect and scatter all visible wavelengths of light.

This color is much more widely used than any other color and is exactly the opposite of black.

In the digital world, you can code this color

Hex #FFFFFF

Make, whose RGB is composed of a combination of 100% red, 100% green and 100% blue.

And its CMYK is composed of 0% cyan, 0% magenta, 0% yellow and 0% black.

White color in history

1. Most of the paintings found in the caves are in white.

2. Most religious priests wore white robes in ancient Rome and Greece. They even built their temples with white marble.

3. White has been the royal color of the kings of France.

4. In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the symbol of chastity was the white unicorn.

5. In the 18th century, with the advent of neoclassical architecture, white was used extensively in both churches and government buildings.

6. Early Christian churches considered white to be the color of purity and sacrifice. Priests also wore white for funerals. Later, the monks also used this color in their clothes and considered this color as their official color.

7. Moreover in the 20th century, white was used as a symbol of simplicity and modernity.

8. The first color used in art is white.

9. Until the 16th century, widows wore white to mourn.

10. The knights also wore a white robe with a red robe to indicate that they had sacrificed their lives for their king.

11. The architecture of the Baroque period was mostly white.

12. In the 18th century, men and women used white in their style, for example, women wore flashy white clothes and men wore white wigs and socks.

13. After the French Revolution, women increased their use of white clothing, to the point that men called such women “les merveilleuses”.

14. Also in the 18th and 19th centuries, the use of white in underwear and sheets increased greatly.  Because it showed stains and pollution earlier.

15. The use of this color is also very common in 21st century architecture.

White color in psychology

White symbolizes purity, cleanliness, purity, perfection, purity, innocence, equality, justice, unity, simplicity, self-sufficiency, efficiency and a new beginning.

This color removes stress from the person and prepares him to move towards the future.  And it represents the beginning and the end of everything.

Excessive use of white can cause isolation, impatience, monotony and discomfort in people.

White reduces appetite, and can be used to lose weight and obese people.

Doctors, dentists and nurses wear white because it indicates cleanliness and sterility, but some research has shown that this color can cause discomfort to the patient.

The white flag was a sign of a ceasefire during the war.

White also has an effect on people’s personality:

If you like white, you have a balanced and stable personality and you can control your emotions.

You attach great importance to cleanliness, and any dirt and grime can upset you.

People who like white are very perfectionist and do not accept any shortcomings, they think well before doing anything and then they try to do it.

People who like white prefer a simple and luxurious life.

Usually people who like this color are obsessive, conservative and some of them are stingy.

White color in  the culture

White has different signs in different cultures, such as:

• In most countries of the world, the color of the wedding dress is white, which is a sign of cleanliness.

• In most religions of the world, white is a sign of spirituality and purity.

• White in Christianity, is a symbol of light and a divine symbol.

• Almost all flags in the world are white, such as Iran, France, Italy, the United States and China.

• In some countries, such as India and China, white is a symbol of death and mourning, they believe that death is the end of one life and the beginning of another.

• In Europe and America, white is a sign of honesty, cleanliness and neutrality.

• Religious pilgrims, in Iran, wear white shirts as a sign of purity, and Shinto clerics in Japan also wear white clothes.

• This color in Brazil, is a sign of glory and splendor.

• The inhabitants of ancient Egypt used white stone to ward off evil eyes.

White color in food

White both increases and decreases appetite.

We simply choose white foods and forget how many calories they have. That’s why we overeat snacks like white bread and popcorn. Of course, this color can be very effective for those who are underweight. And increase their appetite, but in some cases, this color in food causes uniformity and decreases appetite.

White foods make the brain worry about how much food to eat. White dishes also make you eat more and feel less satisfied.

Foods usually look good on white dishes;  For example, a cake with a whole cream on a white plate is very beautiful and appetizing.

This color is widely used in the packaging design of dairy products and is a sign of novelty.

White vegetables such as onions, garlic, leeks, mushrooms, cauliflower contain large amounts of B vitamins, potassium and fiber.  Antioxidants also play a role in preventing cancer and lowering blood pressure.

White color in photography

White is also widely used in photography.

The reflector is one of the most important and definitely the most effective lighting tools that photographers use, and reflects light.  There are 5 types of reflectors, one of which is white.

White reflector is a general choice for non-flash photography. This reflector creates a neutral, soft and clear light and can be used in studios and open environments.

Using this reflector, you can reduce the percentage of contrast between the main light (Key Light) and the filler (Fill Light) to soften the light reflected on the subject without changing color. That’s why white reflectors are so popular among wedding photographers. This reflector is also suitable for portraiture.

White color in photography have positive and negative effects

In positive white images, we see a feeling of well-being, purity and freshness, while in negative white images, we see a feeling of coldness, bitterness and distance.

Wearing white clothes with a background of different colors creates a beautiful contrast that is great for portrait photography.

The digital camera measures colors in terms of the red, green, and blue lights emitted by the sensor, and you have to keep the white balance in them. For example, if you are shooting under tungsten or fluorescent light, you must adjust the white balance in your camera. Otherwise, the color of your photo will be red or blue.

White is the most used color in black and white photography, the balance between black and white is very important in this type of photography.

Black and white color because it can show simplicity in images more than color photos and does not distract the audience. The photographer can easily convey his main goal to the audience with this type of black and white photography.

White is very popular and used in minimalist photography.

White color in fashion

Color is very much used and essential in style.

White in style is a symbol of freedom, innocence, purity and simplicity. Maybe that’s why when people decide to start a new part of their lives, they wear white like a wedding.

White is for those who love freedom and are optimistic about life.

The color white in clothing design and personality psychology represents those who are regular people who like to strive for perfection. In general, white suits different personality types and as a neutral color rarely repels others.

People with very light skin tones look darker by wearing very light colors like white. You can also wear white at formal meetings and parties to inspire others that you have control over everything in your life.

To have an attractive monochrome combination, you can add black, white or gray to the main color of your monochrome style, and this will attract attention.

Styles with complementary colors are very interesting and attractive. Achromatic style, which is a combination of white and black. It is very common, popular and used.

In general, neutral colors, which are mild in nature and have less effect than bolder colors, are widely used due to their high compatibility with other colors and never tire the eye.  These colors include white, gray, khaki, cream and brown.

The combination of purple and white is very flexible and suitable for all seasons.

In addition to purple, you can set white with any other color and do not worry about your style looking bad!

White color in makeup

If you are wearing white, it is better to tan your skin. Because the color of your clothes is neutral, you can use any color for your makeup, for example, you can use colored shades for your eye makeup. Of course, overuse can be unpleasant. You can use black or even colored eyeliner. Colorful lipsticks also make your face more beautiful.

You can use white pencil and mascara to decorate your eyes.  If you have small and close eyes, you can make them brighter and more beautiful by drawing white eyeliner on the inside of the eye. Also, you can use white eyeshadow for shining your eyes.

Besides, to get rid of puffy eyes, you can draw white eyeliner under the eyes and behind your eyelids.

After applying mascara, it makes the bites inside the eyes irregular. You can use a white pencil to clean the eyes.

In addition, white is used as a lipstick for fashion models who do fancy makeup.  You can also use a white pencil to draw the lip line and its area.

White for nail polish can be beautiful with all skin tones with different colors, but this color has a different effect on light skin.  This color enhances the color of your skin.  You can also use simple methods to design nails on white nail polish and double the beauty of this nail polish color.

Some people who have a lot of white hair, to cover this whiteness, use hair color such as ice white, which makes their intensity more attractive.  You can try too!

White color in cinema

In cinema, the use of white is a symbol of purity, innocence and peace.  It is also a sign for hospital and winter health centers.

In the movie Kill Bill vol1, the presence of white color can be seen, which stands out along with other colors.

In the movie Joker, we see that there is white in most of the scenes. The presence of white, even in small amounts in movies, is essential to neutralize and not bore the viewers’ eyes.

White color in marketing

As you can see, using color in branding and marketing is essential.

White is often used as a background color for website design. White is an inseparable color of health related websites. This color is also very suitable for scientific websites. But in general, because white is suitable for any color, this color is suitable for any website.

In branding, white symbolizes simplicity, cleanliness and modernity.

Apple’s advertising and packaging is a powerful demonstration of how white can be used for a minimalist and modern aesthetic that shows off a beautiful product design.  And the boxes of this brand are mostly white.

Wedding brands also usually have a white logo.

Health and beauty brands that want to give a sense of pure and natural products also tend to use white along with green in their packaging.

The word Coca-Cola is engraved with the word Coca-Cola in white on a red can and brown bottles.

Generally, white is used in the logo along with other colors. Like the Levy Starbucks, which is a combination of green and white. Or the logo of the Music television network, which is a combination of black and white.

White color in interior and exterior design

interior design:

The effect of color, especially white, on the human psyche has been proven for centuries.

White color in home decoration can give a lot of energy to the environment, but you should be careful to use this color wisely and do not use too much that causes boredom.  Create a pleasant atmosphere in your home decoration with the right combinations of white supplements.

A creative choice in this field is to use flowers and houseplants in your home decoration.  Use white if you want your environment to look bigger than usual.  This is also one of the tricks to make the house brighter.

White color in living room

White is one of the most popular colors for the living room, but be sure to use a combination of other colors with white to create a diverse environment and maintain simplicity in the decoration of your living or working environment.  If you have a living room with white color, you can use elements such as sofas, decorations or even walls with various colors. 

The use of dark colors for this purpose creates a modern and stylish environment that will never go out of style.

White color in kitchen

For some time now, metal cabinets with refrigerator white colors have been included in the design of kitchens. Note that you should not use the same white element in all sections. Because it causes eye fatigue.

Use metals in different colors such as yellow, green and red to create a modern environment.  Go for copper color to create a classic environment.

White color in bedroom

The bedroom is a place where you should feel relaxed. Combine white in the bedroom with wooden designs to create a classic atmosphere.  

In addition, if you are looking to create a modern atmosphere, a classic white bedroom set will make your bedroom environment more attractive.  If your bedroom is dimly lit, increase the brightness with a white curtain, or use darker colors if you want the room to have less light.

White is the bedrock for other colors to show off.  Therefore, the use of other colors in interior design can show those colors more. White with black, purple, green, gold and blue is one of the most popular interior designs.

Exterior design:

From the 20th century, it became common to use white for the exterior architecture of buildings and houses. About 90% of the buildings are white.

White color in art

In ancient Greece, painters used four colors for their paintings: white, red, yellow and black. The most famous medieval painting is John Van Lek’s Aqr, called The White Lamb.

Oil paintings are painted on white canvas, and white is very important because it is always used as the background color of a hat painting.

In designs, white pencils are to create shadows in the painting.

White color in the industry

A quick look at the cars moving around the city, you can see that about 90% of the cars are white.  Due to the bright color of white, it reduces the number of accidents at night because white reflects light. In the mobile and laptop industry, white is a sign of modernity.

White color in idioms and quotes

Idioms:

☆White as a sheet / White as a ghost: used to describe someone who is very pale due to a state of great fear, shock, pain, illness or anxiety.

☆White-Christmas: the appearance of snow on Christmas day.

☆White-collar: relating to the work done or those who work in an office or other professional environment.

☆White-elephant: a possession that no longer holds value for its owner.

☆Raise a white flag: the signal of a peaceful surrender.

☆White-feather: a symbol of cowardliness.

☆White-goods: a description of household items, such as linens, towels, and appliances.

☆White-hot: extremely popular.

☆White-knuckle: extreme fear or excitement.

☆White-lie: a harmless untruth usually told out of politeness.

☆White-noise: a constant background noise especially noise that drowns out other sounds.

☆White-sauce: a sauce made from stock, butter, flour and seasonings.

☆White-trash: a derogatory term referring to poor white people, mainly living in the southern United States usually in a degraded standard of living.

☆White-wedding: a formal or semi-formal wedding where the bride wears white originating from a tradition that began when Queen Victoria wore a white lace dress at her wedding. The term now more generally means the entire Western wedding celebration.

☆Whitewash: to cover up or gloss over something or someone’s faults or wrongdoings.

Qoutes:

♡ “White lies always introduce others of a darker complexion.” William S. Paley

♡ “Those who think it is permissible to tell white lies soon grow color-blind.” Austin O’Malley

♡ “White is not a mere absence of color; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black. God paints in many colors; but He never paints so gorgeously, I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white.”  G. K. Chesterton

♡ “Beauty is not just a white girl. It’s so many different flavors and shades.”  Queen Latifah

♡ “You cannot make a revolution in white gloves.”    

Vladimir Lenin

♡ “Lawyers are men who will swear black is white–if they are paid for it.” Edward Counsel

♡ “A man’s reputation has been very aptly compared to a sheet of white paper; if it be once blotted, it can hardly ever be made to look as white as before.” Richard De Bury

Extra points

• There is a type of genetic disease called albinism, in which a person has no pigment in the follicles of their body cells, which causes all their body hair to turn white.

• In martial arts, the white belt is a sign of readiness to move towards success.

• White is a summer color that reflects light and prevents excessive heat.

• Also, types of white stones in nature are white diamonds, white opal, white spinel, white moonstone, brilonite, white jade, white cassiterite, white paronite, dunburite, pearl, gemstone, enchanting stone, milky quartz.

• The fruits are white bananas, white nectarines, melons and white peaches.

• Above all, some of the white flowers in nature are white rose, white lily, trumpet, orchid, white tulip, white carnation, gerbera, white marshmallow, white hydrangea, jasmine, magnolia, cup flower.

White color palette

Types of white color range include: milky, oyster, bone white and ivory white. White is complementary to almost all colors due to its neutrality.

Here are some color palettes to inspire you:

Conclusion

I hope I was able to express all the effects of white in your surroundings.  As you can read, white is a neutral, soft color that you can use in addition to other colors.

 What other uses do you have for this color?  In what cases do you use this color more?

 I’m happy to share your comments with me.