Black Color: A Guide on Meaning, Symbolisms & HEX Code
Black is considered the color of power, elegance, and mystery. And this blog is all about the meaning and symbolism of the black color.
Is it that classic black dress that every woman has in her wardrobe? Maybe it’s that fluffy black cat that purrs when petted or that darkness of an uncanny forest.
As it is considered one of the most mysterious colors of all, this color is associated with the occult and Halloween. Still, the meaning of black color goes way beyond just the dark side.
Black color evokes authority, elegance, and much more. And that’s precisely what we’re delving into in this blog.
In order to give you a complete picture of the meaning and symbolism of the black color, we’ll also discuss the most common uses, chakra, facts, idioms, logos, gemstones, and quotes.
Meaning of Black Color in Different Cultures
As per color psychology, every color influences our lives to some extent, from our mood to our behavior. However, associating colors is everything but universal.
When it comes to color symbolism, it could be different for different cultures. Because everyone has their own upbringing and experiences, they perceive each color differently.
And just for that reason, let’s nudge into the symbolism of the color black in distinct cultures before jumping into the psychological meaning of the color.
- Black color means passing, sadness, and mourning in western culture.
- When it comes to ancient Egypt culture, black signifies rebirth and life.
- In China, black color represents power, stability, and immortality.
In the Bible, different colors have been used to convey emotions and messages. As per the color symbolism in the Bible, black color has been associated with darkness, passing, famine, the devil, suffering, mourning, and judgment of sin.
The Psychological Meaning of Black Color
As it is the opposite of white, black color usually signifies a negative connotation. Therefore, it has often been represented as an evil character, mainly in films, as black usually conveys dangers and occult threats.
For example, mainly in idioms, the term ‘black’ has been used negatively, but we’ll discuss that later in the blog. So, actually, black is one of the most misunderstood colors ever.
What Does Actually Black Mean?
People often wonder if black is actually a color at all. They often say it is nothing but just the absence of light which is also the absence of any color.
So, the color black conveys a lack of hope and pessimism, suggesting depression and sadness. It is believed that color takes out all the positive aspects of your life. Just like a black hole can suck everything that comes near it.
Black stimulates evil thoughts, misfortune, passing, and an urge to be left alone. As considered to be one of the most unapproachable colors, the color is afraid in terms of showing vulnerability. That’s why the color creates a barrier between the outside world and itself and hides the excess of insecurities, feelings, and weight.
Black color has also been used as a protection because no one dares to approach it. But, on the other hand, black color is dread because, in the presence of this color, people often retract themselves and leave it isolated. The color is often worn by youth and teenagers during the transitional phase of childhood to adulthood, as it is known to be the color of rebellion.
Black color allows teens to hide from the world while discovering their true identity. Also, the color offers power to teenagers and adults who like to adore challenging moments of their lives, and wearing black conveys this to the world more clearly. However, if a little older people wear this color, this primarily signifies that they’re experiencing emotional pain.
The strangeness and absence of light actually leave things to the imagination. The unwillingness of black to reveal its inner thoughts sparks a sense of mysterious aura that blocks everything around it.
Just like purple, black color is also seen as one of the mysterious colors and is therefore used in the art of sensations and seduction. Black needs control and power. Instead of giving to others, the color hangs on to things and information to itself. Yet, the color also implies submission. For example, priests wear black to show their obedience to God.
All the contradictory traits mentioned above make black an intimidating and appealing color, yet confident and refined. More often, black signifies a glimpse of superiority attributed mainly to expensive products. However, when it comes to the fashion realm, the color stands for flair and class, often using its reputable appeal in order to evoke strong emotions.
Black color is considered to be incredibly strong. In keeping with this, there’s no surprise that the color is dominantly used in elegant designs. Though black is considered bold and sleek, it is also versatile and looks good when combined with other colors. Because of the versatility and neutrality of black, the color is mainly used for texts or as an accent color in graphic design. The same goes for an elegant black color considered timeless and a must-have in any woman’s wardrobe.
In color meanings, black could be modern or conservative, unconventional or traditional, depending on the colors of the spectrum you’re combining black with. For example, when bright colors combine with black color, they break the aggressiveness of black and brighten the color’s energy, such as orange, pink, green, red, and blue. Still, too much black could be overwhelming because the dark essence present in color doesn’t ignite much positivity. Black color is also a visually slimming color in terms of interior design and clothing. Those rooms painted in black color appear a little shrinky compared to others.
However, it provides a grounding effect to your environment when used intermittently. So, if painting an entire wall with black color is too much for you, start adding home decor items in black, such as canvases and vases.
While provoking power, black implants a sense of sophistication and is a mysterious color. If your favorite color is black, then you could be a person with a black color personality.
Physical Effects of Black Color
As discussed above, each color has its own meaning and distinct effects. Here’s a list of some most common physical products of the color:
Hides vulnerability- The color conceals weaknesses like emotions, feelings, and weight.
Intimidates- It has a sense of boldness that intimidates all around and creates an invisible feeling of power.
Depresses- It brings depressive thoughts and your mood down and allows sadness.
Confidence Booster- It’s a confidence booster and provides a sense of possibility to those who wear this color.
Different Shades of Black
Just like white color, black also doesn’t have a pure shade. This is also because the color is made of the absence of light.
- Charcoal:
The color represents mystery and strength and is also associated with minimalist design. (Hex code: #36454F)
- Jet Black:
The color is associated with sophistication and elegance. This shade is timeless and is often related to funerals. (Hex code: #0A0A0A)
Here’s a list of some more popular shades of Black:
- Midnight
- Ebony
- Coal
- Raven
- Ink
- Onyx
- Leather
- Pitch
- Obsidian
- Oil
- Jade
- Jet
- Chalk
Black Color Psychology
Intelligence: When the color black is worn or used, people often assume that it signifies intelligence, which is why you will commonly see this color worn by high-ranking executives and medical doctors who are intelligent individuals and highly skilled at what they do for a living. However, this is not always true because this color can also be worn by people who have a low IQ level and lack intelligence. The main reason black signifies intelligence has to do with its dark shade which symbolizes darkness and mystery, both of which are associated with knowledge, wisdom, and intellect.
Death: Black has always been associated with death throughout history because it is a dark shade of any other color that also symbolizes darkness and mystery.
The Most Common Uses of Black Color
Black is a very popular color. It is often used to create a sense of power, elegance, and seriousness in logos. The color black creates the feeling of a dark, mysterious, and powerful character. People associate the color black with authority, power, and wealth. The black color is mainly used in order to promote expensive, rebellious, and technical products and services. Also, the color is often used in shoes, vehicles, appliances, clothing, makeup, and furniture.
Black is one of the most common colors used in all fields of life. Black stands for a number of things. It is dark in every sense of the word. It is the absence of light, which means that it can be used to refer to anything which symbolizes darkness.
For example, if you are talking about the enemy forces, if you want to talk about the evil forces, you can say, "They are black." If you want to say that something is dirty or filthy, you can say, "It's black." If you want to say that something is dark and gloomy, you can use black. When you don't have enough money and you need to borrow money from a friend, you can say, "I am black."
The list of the uses of black color is endless. Let's look at some of the most common uses of black color:
Accent color: Most often, black is used in a supporting role to provide an additional definition or highlight. Black often adds form and depth to any color without drawing too much attention to itself. Black can be used successfully as a backdrop for other colors, or it can act as a foil for light and bright colors.
Background: Black is the perfect backdrop for other colors to create contrast. Black backgrounds create dramatic effects and can clearly define shapes and designs.
Contrast: Black is the perfect foil for all other colors, especially lighter ones. When placed next to a light color such as white, it appears much darker than it does when placed on a dark or medium tone.
Highlight: Black can be used as a highlight if it is applied sparingly. Used in small amounts, black creates an emphasis on the area where it is placed while adding depth and definition.
Simplify: Black can be very effective in creating simple designs with clear shapes and lines. Keep in mind that too much black may make your design appear dull or lifeless; use it sparingly to add definition, not just to fill in areas of color.
Typography: Grayscale (or monochromatic) typography has been around for a long time. A classic example of this technique is a newspaper article or a book. In today's digital world, with interactive and animated websites and applications, designers still use grayscale as an excellent way to create a calm design that attracts attention to content. The use of black color in a website can be used to highlight different elements and can provide a sense of depth.
Navigation: Designers can also use black color as a background for navigation elements. The negative space created by the dark color gives depth to the interface and helps to draw users' attention to it. Dark color makes it easier for users to differentiate something by highlighting it.
Fashion Products: Black is the most common color used in hair dye, mascara, nail polish, eyeliner, and lipstick products.
Vehicle & Leather Products: Black is the most common color for all types of vehicles, including cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and leather products such as shoes, wallets, purses, and belts.
Brands & Companies that Use Black Color Logo
Brands that often use black logo designs mostly have font-based logos that focus more on their business name, which is primarily powerful yet simple. There are many famous brands using black in their corporate logo. Here are some of the biggest companies that use the black color logo on their products and services:
- Google Inc. (GOOG)
Google is one of the most popular brands in the world today with a huge user base all over the globe. It is the top search engine provider and has become synonymous with an internet search. It is an amazingly powerful, authoritative, and large corporation in its own right. Black color of the Google Logo depicts its power, strength, and dominance in the industry.
- Amazon
Amazon is the largest online shopping store in the world with thousands of products available for purchase at any time of day or night. It is one of the most successful e-commerce companies around and its black color logo depicts its success and power in the industry. It has come out of nowhere to become one of the most dominant brands in the world today with a huge online presence on multiple platforms.
- Apple Inc.
Apple Inc. is a famous technology company founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976. Apple is the inventor of the iPod and iPhone. The company uses black color in its logo. The users actually love the Apple Logo because of its simplicity and great design that attracts customers. In this logo, there are two apples that are interconnected with each other and surrounded by a black circle.
- PayPal
PayPal is one of the most popular online payment processing services in the world founded by Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Max Levchin in 1998. This online payment processing service also uses black color in its logo which has an arrow symbol as well as an oval shape for the letter P. The PayPal logo represents the speed and efficiency that this huge company promises to its users.
- BMW
BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG which is a German company that builds luxury cars and motorcycles since 1916. It is the oldest company that manufactures automobiles in the world today. This German company uses black color in its logo which is also a circle with a yellow outline that contains the letter B written on it. The BMW logo represents the power and excellence of this internationally recognized car manufacturing company that produces sports cars and high-performance luxury cars.
- Nike Incorporated (NKE)
Nike Logo brings up associations of strength and power as well as high-quality sports merchandise that it sells to millions of customers around the globe every year. Its black color logo reflects its dominance in the sports apparel industry worldwide.
Black Gemstone
Black gemstone is a gemstone with the most tenacity. The black gemstone of the color of gemstone is generally a dark gray or blackish, and it is the best-known type of inorganic chemical element. Most of these stone has a very rare appearance. When we look for black gemstones, we want to see a completely black stone or a stone with a very dark gray or blackish color.
Black gemstone, also known as Black Diamond, means a colored diamond whose color is darker than that of a normal or "white" diamond. In the gem trade, the term "black diamond" is not commonly used. It is a very expensive stone and its price is higher than that of a D color diamond. But it is different from a colorless diamond, and it is not so easy for you to identify it. Black diamond can be identified according to its Mohs hardness, which can be up to 10 points higher than that of a white diamond.
The common size of black diamonds is very small, usually, less than 1 ct and the price is still very high. And its value can be increased compared with other colors such as red and blue because the supply of black diamonds is extremely small and limited.
Also, Black Gemstone is a type of energy, but it's different from ordinary energy. It's a form of energy that is purer than regular energy. Although you can't sense it, your body can absorb it and convert it into strength. It is believed that black gemstones protect from all negative energies. This stone helps those who hold it as a connection to the earth.
Some Facts About Black Color:
- Black is a color that doesn’t have a hue, i.e., achromatic, and is the darkest color.
- Black was the first color that was used in art. The color was actually abstracted from burned bones.
- In 2014, one of the English high-tech companies created the darkest black shade ever seen, known as Vantablack. This absorbs about 99.96% of light.
- As one of the most professional-looking colors, black has been used most commonly when it comes to business attire.
- If we talk about black things in nature, flowers are the rarest in black.
Quotes Related to Black Color
The meaning of black color is very much related to dark color. When we go through this color, we can see many things like something is happening in the night or it comes in the dark. This is a dark color that comes with a sense of fear and fear. People do not like to think about black color. Many people have also heard about such things as Black Friday, black sheep, black list, etc. Let’s have a detailed look at all these quotes related to the black color. Here are a few most famous quotes on black color:
- “You can wear black at any time. You can wear it at any age. You may wear it for almost any occasion” -Christian Dior
- “Black is not sad. Bright colors are what depresses me. They’re so… empty. Black is poetic. How do you imagine a poet? In a bright yellow jacket? Probably not” -Ann Demeulemeester
- “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color” -Wednesday Addams
- Black, like a crow – Anne Shirley
- “Women who wear black live colorful lives” -Neiman Marcus
- “Black is modest and arrogant at the same time. Black is lazy and easy — but mysterious. But above all, black says this: I don’t bother you — don’t bother me” -Yohji Yamamoto
- Black is the badge of hell, the hue of dungeons and the school of night, a color unform’d and ominous of revenge, but sweeter than any other – John Milton
- Black is the color of my true love’s hair – Robert Burns
- Black is the darkness before dawn – William Shakespeare
- Black is the fashion now my dear like I told ya last year – Frank Zappa
Some Popular Idioms Related to Black
The following are some of the most commonly used idioms related to black. Remember, if you use these in a sentence and your listener doesn't get the meaning, you should explain the idiom.
- Pitch Black: Something which is entirely black.
- Black Belt: A black belt is worn by experts in judo, karate, and other forms of martial arts.
- Black Tie: It’s a part of formal dress mostly worn during social events.
- Blacklist: A list of people or things that are untrustworthy and unacceptable.
- Black Market: It is used for illegal trades of officially controlled commodities.
- Black Sheep: It is denoted for a member of a group or family who is dishonorable.
- Blackmail: Demanding something from someone, especially payment, in return for not revealing some damaging information or compromising.
- Blackout: Loss of consciousness temporarily.
Regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful colors, black color charms with ease, hiding its vulnerability. The color signifies sophistication and is attributed to royal and expensive products.
Also, the black color evokes formality and authority; it intimidates people with its mysterious aura. For obvious reasons, it is used in the art of seduction.
The absence of light in color inculcates pessimism, fear, and thoughts of rebellion and loss. It is considered a predominant color but also a misunderstood one.
- Black Meaning: Power, authority, mystery, formality
- Effects of black color: Depress, intimidate, boost confidence, and hide vulnerability.
- Positive Traits: Elegance, strength, sophistication, and protection.
- Negative Traits: Pessimism, evil, fear, and loss.
Create Unique Color Schemes with Appy Pie’s Color Mixer Tool
Color Mixer is a tool that allows you to create color schemes. You can select a color from anywhere on the screen and the tool will automatically generate a complete color palette from the base color you selected. The Color Mixer tool is also used to create gradients and can be accessed by first selecting one color at a time and then clicking on the Gradient button. You can then hover your cursor over the gradient and click and drag to create a gradient. Use Appy Pie's Color Mixer tool to create an awesome color scheme for your next graphic design.
