The meaning behind red
About the color
From the earliest cave paintings to the red carpet at the Oscars, red rules supreme.
Romans associated red with the god of war, Mars, and courage. In China, it has always symbolized good fortune and joy. And as a color of happiness, it is even banned from funerals. Chinese, as well as Greek, Albanian, and Armenian brides still wear red gowns and veils to their weddings.
After the French Revolution, ‘red’ became a synonym for ‘rebellious’ and put on many political banners and national flags.
So, red can be brave, honorable, radical, happy, and full of passion – it’s all about the cultural context. The red hex code is #FF0000.
| Type | Value |
|---|---|
| HEX | #ff0000 |
| RGB | 255, 0, 0 |
| CMYK | 0, 1, 1, 0 |
Application in design
Ancient, complex, and representing extremes – red has always captured attention, and remains a color full of majesty and distinction.
But it’s also a vibrant, stimulating, even aggressive color. Red wine is considered more invigorating than white, red pepper hotter than green, red cars – think of Ferraris or Maseratis – faster than others.
Indeed, red is a compelling color. With a skillful touch, it can give your visual communication extra zest and impact.
Use red to stake a claim with your design!
