Red

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the color. For other uses, see Red (disambiguation).
Red
— Spectral coordinates —
Wavelength ~625-740[1] nm
Frequency ~480-405 THz
— Commonly represents —
aggression, stop, courage, guilt, energy, passion, anger, fire, socialism, sacrifice, sin, violence, negative, and warning
About these coordinates
About these coordinates
— Color coordinates —
Hex triplet #FF0000
sRGBB (r, g, b) (255, 0, 0)
HSV (h, s, v) (0° or 360°, 100%, 100%)
Source Visible spectrum[2]
HTML/CSS[3]
B: Normalized to [0–255] (byte)

Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 625–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared, or below red and cannot be seen by the naked human eye. Red is used as one of the additive primary colors of light, complementary to cyan, in RGB color systems. Red is also one of the subtractive primary colors of RYB color space but not CMYK color space.

In human color psychology, red is associated with heat, energy and blood, and emotions that stir the blood, including anger, passion, and love.[4]

Contents

Etymology and definitions

The word red comes from the Old English rēad.[5] Further back, the word can be traced to the Proto-Germanic rauthaz and the Proto-Indo European root reudh-. This is the only color word which has been traced to an Indo-European root.[6] In the English language, the word red is associated with the color of blood, certain flowers (i.e. roses), and ripe fruits (i.e. apples, cherries). Fire is also strongly connected, as is the sun and the sky at sunset. Healthy people are often said to have a redness touch to their skin color (as opposed to be appearing pale). After the rise of socialism in the mid-19th century, red was to describe revolutionary movements. The word is also obviously associated with anything of the color occupying the lower end of the visible light spectrum, such as red hair or red soil. Red Indians is a British term for Native Americans, American terms for this ethnic group include redskin, redhead and red man, though they are not the preferred terms.[7]

In science

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Artificial red poppies
Artificial red poppies

Colorimetry and color science

Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–700 nm.[8] Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared, or below red and cannot be seen by human eyes.[9] Red lasers, used in early compact disc technologies, are being replaced by blue lasers, as red's long wavelength causes the laser's recordings to take up more space on the disc than blue lasers.[10] Red light is used to preserve night vision in low-light or night-time situations, as the rod cells in the human eye aren't sensitive to red.[11] Red is used as one of the additive primary colors of light, complementary to cyan, in RGB color systems. Red is also one of the subtractive primary colors of RYB color space but not CMYK color space.[12]

One common use of red as an additive primary color is in the RGB color model. Because "red" is not by itself standardized, color mixtures based on red are not exact specifications of color either. In order to produce exact colors the color red needs to be defined in terms of an absolute color space such as sRGB. As used in computer monitors and television screens, red is very variable, but some systems may apply color correction (so that a standardized "red" is produced that is not in fact full intensity of only the red colorant).

A red filter used in black and white photography increases contrast in most scenes. For example, combined with a polarizer, it can turn the sky black. Films simulating the effects of infrared film (such as Ilford's SFX 200) do so by being much more sensitive to red than to other colors. Red illumination was (and sometimes still is) used as a "safelight" while working in a darkroom, as it does not expose most photographic paper and some films. Though many more modern darkrooms use an amber safelight, red illumination is closely associated with the darkroom in the public mind.

In nature

Betelgeuse, one of the class M stars
Betelgeuse, one of the class M stars

In astronomy, stars of stellar class M (the stars with the coolest temperature) are classified as red stars. Mars is called the Red Planet because of the reddish color imparted to its surface by the abundant iron oxide present there. Astronomical objects which are moving away from the observer exhibit a red shift. Jupiter's surface displays a Great Red Spot, a football-shaped area south of the planet's equator. Astronomers believe the spot to be some kind of storm.

Red blood cells on agar plates
Red blood cells on agar plates

Oxygenated blood is red due to the presence of oxygenated hemoglobin. Red light is the first to be absorbed by sea water, so that many fish and marine invertebrates that appear bright red are black in their native habitat. When used about animal coloration red usually refers to a brownish, reddish-brown or ginger color. In this sense it is used to describe coat colors of reddish-brown cattle and dogs, and in the names of various animal species or breeds such as red fox, red squirrel, red deer, Robin Redbreast, Red Grouse, Red Knot, Redstart, Redwing, Red Setter, Red Devon cattle etc. The usage for animal color appears similar to that for red ochre, red hair and Red Indian. Interestingly red appears to be rarely used in names of animals which are a brighter blood-red or scarlet color (Carmine Bee-eater, Scarlet Tanager). When used for flowers, red often refers to purplish (red deadnettle, red clover, red helleborine) or pink (red campion, red valerian) colors.

Symbolism

Sin, guilt, passion and anger

Red-light district in Amsterdam
Red-light district in Amsterdam

Red is frequently used as a symbol of guilt, sin and anger, often as connected with blood or sex.[13] A biblical example is found in Isaiah: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."[14] Also, The Scarlet Letter an 1850 American novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, features a woman in a Puritan New England community who is punished for adultery with ostracism, her sin represented by a red letter 'A' sewn into her clothes.[15] This all comes from a general Hebrew view inherited by Christianity which associates red with the blood of murder, as well as with guilt in general.[16] Another popular example of this is in the phrase "caught red-handed", meaning either caught in an act of crime or caught with the blood of murder still on one's hands.[7] At one point, red was associated with prostitutes, or now, with brothels (red-light districts).[17][18] Statistics have shown that red cars are more likely to be involved in accidents.[19] Red may also represent the deadly sin wrath. Satan is usually depicted as colored red and/or wearing a red costume in both iconography and popular culture.[20]

The color red is associated with lust, passion, love, and beauty as well. The association with love and beauty is possibly related to the use of red roses as a love symbol.[21] Both the Greeks and the Hebrews considered red a symbol of love, as well as sacrifice.[22]

Courage and sacrifice

Red is also used as a symbol of courage and sacrifice, as in blood spilt in sacrifice or courage in the face of lethal danger.[23] Examples of this are found in the flags of many nations including the United States, as well as in the novel The Red Badge of Courage, in which a soldier in the American Civil War discovers the meaning of courage.[24] Besides the association with guilt previously mentioned, in Christianity, red represents the color of Christian martyrs who suffered death for their faith. It is sometimes used for Holy Thursday and during Eastertide. In Roman Catholic tradition it is used for all feast days of Christian martyrs as well as Palm Sunday in anticipation of the death of Jesus.[20] Along the same lines, red is associated in Roman mythology with the god of war, Mars.[23] A Roman general receiving a triumph had his entire body painted red in honor of his achievement.[25] The phrase "red-blooded" describes someone who is audacious, robust, or virile.[7] In English heraldry, red (called gules) denoted ardent affection or love, while crimson (blood-color) stood for boldness, enthusiasm, or impetuosity.[26] Psychics who claim to be able to observe the aura with their third eye report that someone with a red aura is typically someone who is in an occupation requiring vibrant health and vigorous physical exertion, such as a professional sportsperson, a personal trainer, or a manual laborer.[27]

Warning

Stop sign used in various countries. The shape and color red is used nearly universally today.
Stop sign used in various countries. The shape and color red is used nearly universally today.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.
Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

Red catches people's attention, and is often used either in a negative way to indicate danger and emergency, or in a positive way in advertising to gain more viewers, or in nature, as a ripe fruit announces its readiness with its red color.[28] Several studies have indicated that red carries the strongest reaction of all the colors, with the level of reaction decreasing gradually with orange, yellow, and white, respectively.[29] Because of this, scientists have repeatedly recommended red for warning signals, labels, and signs. Because of these recommendations, red has seen widespread use as a danger signal, in stop signs, to warn people of extreme heat or flammability, and even to signal warnings in sports such as soccer (see: penalty card).[30] It may also represent fire and so may symbolize the presence of God. It is the liturgical color for Pentecost.[20]

In other traditions

In China, red is the symbol of fire and the south (both south in general and Southern China specifically). It carries a largely positive connotation, being associated with courage, loyalty, honor, success, fortune, fertility, happiness, passion, and summer.[31][32][33] In Chinese cultural traditions, red is associated with weddings (where brides traditionally wear red dresses) and red paper is also frequently used to wrap gifts of money or other things. Special red packets called hong bao are specifically used during the Chinese New Year to give monetary gifts. On the more negative end, obituaries are traditionally written in red ink, and to write someone's name in red signals either cutting them out of your life, or that they have died.[33] Red is also associated with both the feminine yin and the masculine yang, depending on the source.[33][34]

In Japan, red is a traditional color for a heroic figure.[35] In the Indian Sub-continent, red is the traditional color of bridal dresses, and is frequently represented in the media as a symbolic color for married women. The color is associated with sexuality in marriage relationships through its connection to heat and fertility.[36] It is also the color of wealth, beauty, and the goddess Lakshmi.[23]

In Central Africa, Ndembu warriors rub themselves with red during celebrations. Since their culture sees the color as a symbol of life and health, sick people are also painted with it. Like most Central African cultures, the Ndembu see red as ambivalent, better than black, but not as good as white.[37] In other parts of Africa, however, red is a color of mourning, representing death.[38] Because of the connection red bears with death in many parts of Africa, the Red Cross has changed its colors to green and white in parts of the continent.[39]

In various nations, red is considered a Christmas color.

Nationality and politics

Flags

Countries with red flags:.      based on the Union Flag.      blood shed for independence from Spain.      Nordic Cross.      Pan-Slavic colors.      Pan-Arab colors.      Pan-African colors.      Communism.      other reasons. Note: The red in South Africa's flag can be attributed to the Union Flag as well as Pan-African colors. Note: The flag of Georgia contains St. George's Cross, but not because of the Union Flag. Note: The Flag of Rwanda no longer uses red as of 2001 due to its association with the Rwandan Genocide.
Countries with red flags:.
     based on the Union Flag.      blood shed for independence from Spain.      Nordic Cross.      Pan-Slavic colors.      Pan-Arab colors.      Pan-African colors.      Communism.      other reasons.

Note: The red in South Africa's flag can be attributed to the Union Flag as well as Pan-African colors.
Note: The flag of Georgia contains St. George's Cross, but not because of the Union Flag.
Note: The Flag of Rwanda no longer uses red as of 2001 due to its association with the Rwandan Genocide.

Red is one of the most common colors used on national flags throughout the world. On these flags it carries the same meanings which it does anywhere else: the blood, sacrifice, and courage of those who defended their country, the sun and the hope and warmth it brings, and the sacrifice of Christ's blood (in some historically Christian nations) are a few examples. Red is the color of the flags of several countries which once belonged to the former British Empire. The British flag bears the colors red, white and blue. red is represented by two crosses, the St. George's Cross and the diagonal cross of St. Patrick's Flag.[40] The United States flag bears the colors of Britain,[41] and other countries' flags, such as those of Australia and Fiji, carry a small inset of the British flag in memory of their ties to that country.[42] Former colonies of Spain, such as Ecuador and Venezuela, also feature red, one of the colors of the Spanish flag, on their own banners.

Red, along with blue and white is also one of the Pan-Slavic colors adopted by the Slavic solidarity movement of the late nineteenth century. Initially, these were the colors of the Russian flag, but as the Slavic movement grew, other slavic nations began adopting them, such as the Czech Republic and Yugoslavia. In addition to this, red, white, and black are the colors of Pan-Arabism, and are used by many Arab countries.[43]

Red is one of the four colors (along with gold, green, and black) of Pan-Africanism. Several African countries thus use the color on their flags, including South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Mali, Ethiopia, Togo, Guinea, Benin, and Zimbabwe. The Pan-African colors are borrowed from the Ethiopian flag, one of the oldest independent African countries.[44][43] Rwanda, notably, removed red from its flag after the Rwandan Genocide, because Pan-Africanism was so strongly associated with the event and because of red's association with blood.[45]

Political movements

The red flag of the former Soviet Union.
The red flag of the former Soviet Union.

Even before Europe's Revolutions of 1848, "Socialist" red was used as a color of European Revolutionaries, often in the form of the red flag. It was also used by Garibaldi's camicie rosse ("redshirts") in the Italian Risorgimento, and taken up by Leftist and generally revolutionary groups, while the white of legitimist Bourbon partisans became associated with pre-World War I conservatives. This relates to the term "Blood of the workers", representing the suffering of the proletariat. For instance the Civil War in Russia and the Civil War in Finland were fought between the "Red Army" and various "White Armies".

The Cincinnati Red Stockings are the oldest professional baseball team, dating back to 1869. The franchise soon relocated to Boston and is now the Atlanta Braves, but its name survives as the origin for both the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox. During the 1950s when red was so strongly associated with communism, the modern Cincinnati team was known as the "Redlegs" and the term was even used on baseball cards. After the red scare faded, the team was known as the Reds again.[46]

The identification of Communism with "Socialist" red (with the red flag being the primary color of the flag of the Soviet Union) and the red star being a Communist emblem led to such Cold War phrases as "the Red Menace" and "Red China" (distinguished from Nationalist China, "Free China," or Taiwan). See also The East is Red. Mao Zedong was sometimes referred to as a "red sun". The color was also associated with political vehicles such as the Red Guard in China and the Red Guards during the Russian Revolution of 1917 as well as with left wing paramilitary terrorist groups such as the Red Army Faction in Germany and the Japanese Red Army. Red remains associated with parties on the left of the political spectrum. However, in the United States, a red state is one whose population predominantly supports the Republican Party. Red and black are colors associated with anarchism, and, specifically, anarcho-syndicalism.

Pigments

References

  1. ^ Color
  2. ^ Thomas J. Bruno, Paris D. N. Svoronos. CRC Handbook of Fundamental Spectroscopic Correlation Charts. CRC Press, 2005.
  3. ^ W3C TR CSS3 Color Module, HTML4 color keywords
  4. ^ Pasquale Gagliardi (1992). Symbols and Artifacts: Views of the Corporate Landscape. Aldine Transaction. ISBN 0202304280. 
  5. ^ Eric Partridge (1966). Origins: An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English. Routledge. ISBN 0415050774. 
  6. ^ Harper, Douglas (2007-12-09). Online Etymology Dictionary: Red.
  7. ^ a b c Oxford English Dictionary
  8. ^ Craig F. Bohren (2006). Fundamentals of Atmospheric Radiation: An Introduction with 400 Problems. Wiley-VCH. ISBN 3527405038. 
  9. ^ What Wavelength Goes With a Color?. Atmospheric Science Data Center.
  10. ^ DVD
  11. ^ Be a Stargazer. Sensitize Your Eyes. Retrieved on 2007-09-25.
  12. ^ Primary Colors: Additive and Subtractive - An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan
  13. ^ Oehler, Gustav Friedrich and George Edward DayTheology of the Old Testament. pg. 320
  14. ^ KJV Isaiah 1:18
  15. ^ Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Pocket, 2004. ISBN 0743487567 pg. 136
  16. ^ Atwater, Edward. Sacred Tabernacle of the Hebrews. City: Kessinger Publishing, LLC, 2004. ISBN 141797818X pg. 223
  17. ^ Haarmann, Harald. Language in Its Cultural Embedding. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1990. ISBN 0899255833 pg. 13
  18. ^ Delaney, Carol. Investigating Culture. Cambridge: Blackwell Pub, 2004. ISBN 0631222375 pg. 324
  19. ^ Kopacz, Jeanne. Color in Three-Dimensional Design. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004. ISBN 0071411704 pg. 76
  20. ^ a b c Steffler, Alva. Symbols of the Christian Faith. City: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2002. ISBN 0802846769 pg. 132
  21. ^ Sebeok, Thomas and Marcel Danesi. The Forms of Meaning: Modeling Systems Theory and Semiotic Analysis. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter, 1999. ISBN 3110167514 pgs. 150-152
  22. ^ Dreyfuss, Henry. Symbol Sourcebook. New York: Wiley, 1984. ISBN 0471288721 pg. 239
  23. ^ a b c Feisner, Edith. Colour. City: King Laurence Publis, 2006. ISBN 1856694410 pg. 127
  24. ^ Hoffman, Danlel. The Poetry of Stephen Crane. New York: Columbia University Press, 1971. ISBN 0231086628 pg. 150
  25. ^ Ramsay, William (1875). Triumphus. Retrieved on 2007-12-09.
  26. ^ The American Girls Handy Book, p. 369-370
  27. ^ Swami Panchadasi The Human Aura: Astral Colors and Thought Forms Des Plaines, Illinois, USA:1912--Yogi Publications Society Page 31
  28. ^ Judd, Charles Hubbard. Psychology: General Introduction. Pgs. 131-132
  29. ^ (Editor), S. Contemporary Ergonomics 1996. Boca Raton: CRC, 1996. ISBN 0748405496 pgs. 148-150
  30. ^ Karwowski, Waldemar. International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human Factors, Second Edition - 3 Volume Set. Boca Raton: CRC, 2006. ISBN 041530430X pg. 1518
  31. ^ Li Sujun (李素军), China Red (中国红). (In Chinese.)
  32. ^ Sherida Davis-Bryan, A Call to Arms: A Comparison of the Semiotics of the Peking Revolutionary Opera and 9/11 Media Images
  33. ^ a b c Cullen, Cheryl. Global Graphics. Gloucester: Rockport Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1564962938 pg. 147
  34. ^ Hodge, Bob and Kam Louie. The Politics of Chinese Language and Culture. New York: Routledge, 1998. ISBN 0415172667 pg. 132
  35. ^ PS2 News: CVG goes straight to hell with Devil May Cry director - ComputerAndVideoGames.com:. Retrieved on 2007-10-14.
  36. ^ Lamb, Sarah. White Saris and Sweet Mangoes. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000. ISBN 0520220013 pg. 188
  37. ^ Banton, Michael. Anthropological Approaches to the Study of Religion. New York: Routledge, 2004. ISBN 0415330211 pg. 57
  38. ^ Bradley, Carolyn. Western World Costume. New York: Dover Publications, 2001. ISBN 048641986X pg. 8
  39. ^ Austin, Erica and Bruce Pinkleton. Strategic Public Relations Management: Planning and Managing Effective Communication Programs. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006. ISBN 0805853812 pg. 301
  40. ^ ISBN 0868406996 pg. 10
  41. ^ The United States Flag - Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Retrieved on December 7, 2006.
  42. ^ ISBN 0868406996 pgs. 13-20
  43. ^ a b Colors as Symbols in Flags: EnchantedLearning.com
  44. ^ Murrell, Nathaniel et.al. Chanting down Babylon. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998. ISBN 1566395844 pg. 135
  45. ^ Rwandan: Adoption of the new flag
  46. ^ ISBN 0415925991 pg. XIII

See also

v • d • e
Electromagnetic spectrum
← shorter wavelengths       longer wavelengths →
Gamma rays · X-rays · Ultraviolet · Visible · Infrared · Terahertz radiation · Microwave · Radio
Visible (optical)
Violet · Blue · Green · Yellow · Orange · Red
Microwaves
W band · V band · L band · Q band · Ka band · K band · Ku band · X band · S band · C band
Radio
EHF · SHF · UHF · VHF · HF · MF · LF · VLF · ULF · SLF · ELF
Wavelength types
v • d • e
Web colors
black gray silver white red maroon purple fuchsia green lime olive yellow gold orange blue navy teal aqua
                                   
v • d • e
Shades of red
Alizarin Amaranth Burgundy Cardinal Carmine Cerise Chestnut Coral red Crimson Dark pink
                   
Falu red Fire engine red Fuchsia Magenta Maroon Mauve taupe Orange-red Persian red Pink Persimmon
                   
Red Red-violet Rose Rose madder Ruby Rust Puce Sangria Scarlet Terra cotta
                   
Venetian red Vermilion
   

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