Design context/ Background info: secondary, tertiary, and/or primary research.

I N T R O D U C T I O N

In our initial project development, our main research question was “how are colours associated with certain emotions?” From that question, we realized our broad topic needed to be narrowed down to a specific question that connected our art practice to the colour association study. Our following question was prompted by gaining insight on participant’s colour association for three different illustrator’s future artwork. The final editing process resulted in the following question: “How to facilitate participatory practices in three artist's’ process of illustration?”

The investigation of this colour association study asks the questions of how and why do people respond to colour in art, how do colours influence a viewer’s mood, and how does colour add to a specific ambiance.

Background information: Our background information is mostly based on general knowledge based on our own

interpretation of colours and what we have heard or read about others’. Examples of general colour associations are: Red = angry, Blue = sad, Yellow = happy

These are standard colour associations are reinforced by pop culture such as movies like Inside Out, where the colours of the characters directly correlate to the emotion they are portraying. There is also literary evidence that uses colour theory. A case studies on colour theory explains how it managed to attract 175% more traffic to its online slot machine website by changing the colour of its ad through A/B Testing.

Keywords: Colour association, emotion, mood, toolkit, illustration

The main research question of our study is “How to facilitate participatory practices in three artist's’ process of illustration?” This question considers the involvement of participatory practices through studying the participant’s emotional connection to the use of varying colours. We then associate these findings with the use of colour in our own personal illustration art practices.

Our research sub question that we would like to answer using the co-design toolkit is “how are colours associated with certain emotions?”. Understanding how the participants connect different emotions or memories to colour could actively benefit our role as illustrators in creating content through colour that speaks to different moods.

R E S E A R C H Q U E S T I O N S

Our primary goal of this toolkit is to gain an understanding of the emotional aspects related to colour. Through the use of the toolkit by the participants, we could better understand how individuals connect specific emotions and memories to a wide expanse of colours.

The results of the toolkit could clarify how the use of varying colours in our illustration could affect participants by activating their emotional responses. By investigating how the participants use colours within emotional experiences and when understanding mood within an art pieces, we as illustrators better understand how we can use our artwork to portray a specific ambiance through colour.

G O A L & P U R P O S E

Our approach to sampling participants is opportunistic sampling from the classroom. We are investigating students from ages 19-25 in arts and design at Emily Carr. This allows us to conduct the research in the classroom and get a better understanding of how other students of our demographic feel about colour.

Our first activity of sensitizing the participant relates to the Path Of Expression in which the participant activates their memories. During the first activity, the participant connects a colour to a specific memory that occurred in their Emily Carr experience. This activity activates their memories as they have to think back to a memory similar to the examples provided, and associate their emotions during that time to a colour of their choice.

The second activity provided immerses the participant into the current experience as they are physically engaged in the moment. During this activity, the participant is given a black and white illustrative art piece. The participant then has to colour in the image depending on what they feel the image represents in mood and ambiance.

P A R T I C I P A N T S & P A T H O F E X P R E S S I O N

We made the toolkit by deciding how we can both sensitize and activate the memories of participants in terms of colour, and how they associate them with emotions. We started with a questionnaire to make participants think about a wide range of emotions. We made a grid with columns to record the information. Initially there were 5 coloured papers to choose from, but we decided that it would in fact be limiting to the participants and opted for them to write any colour of their choice instead. The next activity was a series of paintings and images with a strong mood that were printed in black and white. The participants then had to choose what colour they believed the original image was based on the mood. We later changed the images to our own illustrations to better answer our research goal. We also provided the participants with crayons to colour in the printed illustrations to physically engage them in the activity.

M A K I N G O F T H E T O O L K I T

What methods do you think you will use in the design process?

We will primarily be using questionnaires and an interactive colour activity. A questionnaire is when a participant answers a series of contextual questions for researcher’s insight. We chose this method because of its ability to procure quantitative data quickly. It is an effective method to activate memories as well as sensitize. Our second activity of colouring will provide qualitative data.

Material preferences?

We are using mostly printer paper and crayons to carry out the questionnaire and the sensitizing colouring activity

Pre activity Questionnaires

Colour/Memory Questionnaires (Activity I)

3 Different Black And White Illustrations (Activity II)

General Equipment: Writing materials, Colouring materials (crayons/markers ), paper

Documentation Equipment: cameras, paper, pen

I N G R E D I E N T S & D A T A A N A L Y S I S

T O O L K I T

P R E A C T I V I T Y Q U E S T I O N N A I R E & A C T I V I T Y I : sensitizing & activating memories

Our rationale for using the questionnaire is to activate the memories of the participants by having them remember how they felt and, to an extent, see how they felt during certain experiences at the university. We used questions that spanned a wide range of emotions to facilitate the analysis of the data. We also used printer paper as it is most cost efficient.

A C T I V I T Y II : make activity

Using the information gathered in Activity I, Activity II aims to further demonstrate the participant’s decisions based on what mood the participant thinks the specific images portray. The 3 black and white illustrations selected were created by 3 third year Emily Carr illustration students (Nicolas Ky, Amy Knill and Kiana Hipolito), with a specific mood in mind. The colouring sheet activity ultimately allows the participant to create something of their own but also allows researchers an opportunity to collect physical evidence of the participant’s thinking as well as creates a platform to comfortably ask questions.

I N S T R U C T I O N S B O O K L E T

P R E A C T I V I T Y Q U E S T I O N N A I R E

1. Why do you think colours are associated with emotions?

2. Do you ever remember being influenced by a colour? (ex. Purchasing something)

3. Have you ever used colour theory in your own work? How so?

4. How do colours affect your everyday decision making?

5. Have you learned anything about colour theory at Emily Carr?

6. Do you use colour theory in your projects at Emily Carr?

7. During what step in your art practice process do you consider the use of colour?

8. Is colour important in your art practice?

I N S T R U C T I O N S B O O K L E T

A C T I V I T Y I: COLOUR/MEMORY QUESTIONNAIRE

sensitizing & activating memories

1. Inform participants of the purpose of the activity and our goal (how they think emotions are associated with colour?)

2. Provide surveys and provide participants with writing materials. 3. Explain what the survey is. Ask participants to identify what emotion and colour is

associated with the memory. Allow time for questions/clarification. 4. Once participants have finished, continuously document observations and discussions

through photographs as well as note taking. Collect surveys for future/further analysis. 5. Facilitate a discussion and discuss (if time permits):

What emotions occurred the most frequently?

What colours occurred most frequently?

Did the colours bring up specific memories from your past?

I N S T R U C T I O N S B O O K L E T

A C T I V I T Y II : COLOUR SHEETS

make activity

1. Provide participants with drawing materials and three illustrations. Be sure that each person receives a different illustration to ensure that participants do not influence each other.

2. Explain the purpose of the activity. Explain to participants that they would need to colour in the images provided with the colours that they thought would be appropriate for each image.

3. Continuously document observations and discussions through photographs as well as note taking.

4. After participants have completed the colour activity, facilitate a discussion and ask some participants to share why they coloured in the image the way that they chose.

5. Ask participants if there were any gaps that they noticed/ways to improve the study. 6. Collect images for further analysis.

T O O L K I T : A C T I V I T Y II close up on images made by 3 third year illustration students

S E S S I O N S C R I P T

Co design session schedule

Time Action Checklist

5 min Introduction State workshop goal, we’re looking for their insights. Explain general plan.

5 min Release Forms Time for questioning/clarification.

5 min Ice Breaker Ask participants to introduce themselves and their major.

5 min Questionnaire Provide writing materials. Have time for clarification/questions.

15 min Activity 1: Emotion, colour and memory questionnaire. Give out worksheets and writing materials. Sensitizing

5 min Discussion Discuss findings and ask questions. Inform participants of information collected.

15 min Activity 2: Colouring 3 different illustrations according to the mood participants think it portrays. Make

5 min Discussion Discuss findings and ask questions. Inform participants of information collected.

5 min Closing Remarks Thank participants, allow time for questions and feedback.

C O N C L U S I O N

During our mock-pilot testing, our participants provided answers that were both expected and unexpected.

While one participant proceeded to colour in what they felt was representative of the mood in the illustration, the other decided to use colours she felt was opposite of the mood. This gave us further insight in how one feels colours through emotions and also how one can change emotions through colour. During the questionnaire, one participant associated colours with imagery and symbolism that she associated with emotional experiences.

Suggestions were given to provide colouring materials other than just crayons. The participants felt that some images could be coloured in a child-like manner with the crayons, whereas other images needed more sophisticated colouring materials to colour the fine details. Another approach was suggested that we would also provide a coloured version of our illustrations to compare our versions with the colour versions of the participants. The participants also mentioned that we should provide statistics of information about colour association for them to learn from so they could also take something away from the experience.

We can analyse the quantitative/qualitative data of the questionnaires by recording similarities and differences. The results will reveal patterns and gaps that will inform our perception of colours and our own illustrative work. This is important for an illustrator who must convey a narrative and story-tell through images for a living. Colours can indicate anything from danger to romance, or from day to night depending on the needs of the artist. Ultimately, the testing proved that the results can never be conclusive for a subject as personal and subjective as colour, however studies such as this can help make sense of people's’ cognitive process in terms of imagery in relation to colour.