The Secret Lives of Color [Reaction]

My thoughts on the 99% Invisible podcast’s episode ‘The Secret Lives of Color’ as an assignment for my Design Fundamentals class in NYU Tisch (IMA).

Color is all around us in the modern era, and in the digital world, we have a seemingly unlimited supply and incredible variety of colors. I think that this is part of why it’s strange for many of us to think of colors as having an ‘origin’ and that certain colors were once limited in their supply. I think it’s fascinating how humans have historically gone to great lengths just to produce certain colors, and it’s especially interesting how humans have used colors for signaling social status, such as in the case of Tyrian purple.

I found it really interesting how red in particular was used across all cultures, but I can’t say I’m too surprised. Because blood is red, I’m sure the color could have carried hunting or war-related significance.

What I really loved the most about this podcast episode was how much Kassia went into the origin and production of the various colors. It’s also interesting how this idea of color production sounds so ancient, yet even nowadays humans are pushing the limits of color by creating shades like Vantablack. When I first saw an image of Vantablack, I was confused at how different it was from anything I had seen before. It really does feel like you’re looking into a black hole, as it absorbs color so well that it seems impossible to perceive any shapes in it.