For the letter 'A' I have chosen the colour Amber. Amber is a warm colour between yellow and orange. It's named after the precious stone of the same name made from fossilised tree resin (the one that features in Jurassic Park) and is used in lots of decorative objects such as jewellery. Cat's eyes are often described as amber and it is also a popular girl's name.
This Pinterest board shows a wealth of amber-inspiration. Keep reading to discover the symbolism behind this colour and see my amber-inspired artwork!
This Pinterest board shows a wealth of amber-inspiration. Keep reading to discover the symbolism behind this colour and see my amber-inspired artwork!
Symbolism
Amber is used between red and green on British traffic lights and is sometimes the middle stage in warning systems (i.e ‘amber alert’), so it symbolises transition and preparation or a ‘half way’ stage.The colour also symbolises energy. It's associated with the religion Zoroastrianism because of its practice of fire worship in fire temples, representing the spiritual energy of God. To early Christians, the presence of the gemstone amber signified the presence of the Lord and in ancient times the stone was carried by travellers for protection. In the Far East, amber is a symbol of courage, known as the 'soul of the tiger'.
Complementary colours: blue, violet
Plants and flowers: Himalyan ginger, yellow cosmos, marmelade alstroemeria, erysimum allionii, georgenberg.
Animals: orange-headed thrush, yellow rat snake, honey bee, twinspot hogfish
Food and drinks: Honey, marmalade, whiskey, golden syrup
Amber Artwork: Edward
Yesterday I painted this picture of my mum's cat, Edward. I love his amber eyes!
What do you think?
I worked in I.T. with a guy who would always refer to red lights on computers, printers, etc, as "amber." I thought it was odd because it was clearly red. I'm not sure why he called them amber and I felt like it was rude to ask, so it will remain a mystery, I guess!
ReplyDeleteStephanie
http://stephie5741.blogspot.com
Interesting how one colour can mean different things depending on where you are int he world. Preparation, protection or courage. Lovely cat painting!!
ReplyDeleteReally liking your post. #1 fan.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! Colors will indeed cover a lot of ground for the challenge! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteCat
What a wonderful topic for the A to Z Challenge! I'm looking forward to the rest of your posts this month. :)
ReplyDelete'The soul of the tiger' - I love that!
Huh, that's an odd one! Can't think of any reason why he would have called them amber. Thanks for sharing, Stephanie.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes it's interesting how colours can represent so many different things. I like seeing how writers, artists and musicians have both consciously and subconsciously used colour symbolism in their work and how it's interpreted by different audiences.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jess. I like that too-I love all big cats!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cat. Yes it's a very wide topic.
ReplyDelete