The Incredible Meaning Of The Color Indigo
Color indigo, a bluey-purple hue is the favorite color of many people, and for good reason.
The color indigo has a typical association with the upper class, including noblemen and royalty. It is one of the seven colors in the rainbow and is a popular choice to dye clothes and other fabrics.
In fact, it was once considered the most expensive color, until synthetic dyes became more affordable.
Today, indigo is still useful as an accent color, and you can also find it in nature. It can be seen in the night sky, in the deepest oceans, and even on some insects. It is the color of blueberries, black grapes, and your favorite pair of denim jeans.
Want to know more about this beautiful color? Are you curious to know more about the meaning of Indigo and what liking the color says about you? Then keep reading, as we have a complete guide coming up!
The Color Indigo
The color indigo is a combination of the primary colors, blue and red. It is approximately created by using 1/3 red, 2/3 blue, making it blue dominant.
Indigo is a shade of purple, but on the color wheel, it would be found leaning closer to blue than purple due to its dominance in the mixture. The name “indigo” comes from the Latin word for “blue”, which is ‘indigotium’.
It is also one of the seven colors in the rainbow.
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It’s Placement On The Color Wheel
According to color theory, there are six basic colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
These six colors can be found on the color wheel, placed in a specific order. The blocks of primary colors – red, yellow, and blue – are separated by the blocks of secondary colors, which are orange, green, and purple.
Each secondary color is placed between the two primary colors that create it, e.g., purple can be found between blue and red, as the color purple is created by combining blue and red together.
Color indigo isn't technically on the color wheel, as it is not a pure color. If it were to be on the color wheel, however, you can pinpoint on the blue block, leaning more towards the purple block. Indigo, while considered to be a shade of purple, contains more blue than purple.
It is also a very close cousin to violet, which you can find somewhere between the blue and purple blocks.
One Of The Seven Colors In The Rainbow
There are seven colors in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Color indigo is the sixth color of the rainbow, placed between blue and violet.
Some people consider the rainbow to only contain six colors, believing that indigo and violet represent the color purple, but this is incorrect.
Color indigo and violet are both shades of purple, but are still quite different from each other. Violet is a lighter shade of purple, containing equal amounts of blue and red, whereas indigo contains more blue than red.
Out of the two shades, violet is the most similar to true purple, while indigo has a distinct blue tint.
When viewing a rainbow, indigo can be difficult to spot due to its similarities to both blue and violet. It It is often mistaken for either or both of these colors. In fact, indigo is the most difficult color to identify while viewing a rainbow in person for this very reason.
The History Of The Color Indigo
During the times of the ancient Egyptians, there is a report that they would dye mummies' bandages with dark blue dye.
They would create this dye from Indigofera, a type of flower, or woad, a type of plant. The story goes that the indigo dye was only ever in use on the bandages of Pharaohs.
Additionally, in Ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh's boat displayed a sail dyed bright purplish blue, making the Pharaoh's presence known even further.
This is said to have been the first time that the color indigo was officially recorded. Since these times, the color indigo has had an association with royalty and aristocracy.
According to Marco Polo, indigo dye was being used in India back in the 13th century. He wrote about how he saw Indian women use indigo dye to make their clothes look brighter and more vibrant. India was the country that began supplying the dye to Europe.
In the 16th century, indigo was introduced into Europe during the Renaissance period. Often, it was useful to dye fabrics, including silk. However, the cost of producing the fabric was much higher than using cheaper dyes such as madder and cochineal. As a result, the demand for indigo increased.
During this time, it became popular among artists because it allowed them to paint vivid blues. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were popular to use indigo when painting landscapes, incorporating the color while creating skies and oceans.
As the 19th century approached, indigo became increasingly important to the textile industry. At this point, indigo was mostly effective to dye cotton fabric. However, by the 20th century, it had become an essential part of the fashion industry, being popularly useful in creating denim.
Today, there are many ways to obtain indigo dye, both artificially and naturally. The color has become very popular, especially within the fashion industry. It is also commonly found in clothing, shoes, accessories, and home decor items.
The Meaning Of The Color Indigo In Different Regions Of The World
Let’s take a look at what the color indigo means in different parts of the world.
Egypt
We previously mentioned that, during the times of Ancient Egypt, indigo was only used to dye the bandages of Pharaoh's, as well as the sails of the Pharaoh's boats. This caused people to associate the purple-blue hue with royalty and nobility.
Europe
Indigo dye didn't become popular in Europe until the 16th century. It was used primarily to dye silk fabrics. During this time, it became one of the most expensive colors available. As a result, it became popular among artists who wanted to create vivid blues.
United Kingdom
During Queen Elizabeth I's reign, late 16th century, the color indigo was only worn by the upper class, including noblemen and royalty. This is because the dye was so expensive, so those who were working class or lower class could not afford to clothe in this color.
Since then, the color purple, in general, has become synonymous with wealth and royalty in the UK.
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India
People believe that the color indigo received its official name from the word, 'indicum', a Roman term meaning 'to come from India'. Marco Polo recorded the use of indigo dye back in the 13th century, a couple of centuries before India began supplying the dye to Europe.
Some Indian villages, such as Kongarappatu, hold festivals to celebrate the color and the dye, calling it 'blue gold'.
The Physical Effects Of The Color Indigo
They say that the deep, dark hue of indigo can have several physical effects on a person.
For starters, it can help a person sleep better at night. When your body produces melatonin, which is a hormone that regulates sleep patterns, it will be produced more efficiently if you wear blue clothes, or are surrounded by blue hues. In addition, wearing indigo may help reduce stress levels.
Think about how you feel when you look at the night sky: do you feel calm? Do you feel peaceful? If so, it may be due to the dark blue/indigo coloring. Additionally, you might find yourself feeling calmer after looking at the ocean for a few minutes.
This is because the water reflects the blue color of the sky, making the ocean appear even bluer than it really is.
Another effect of indigo is that it helps improve concentration and focus. Studies have shown that being exposed to this color can increase brain activity. This is because the color blue stimulates the brain's visual cortex, helping a person concentrate better.
The third effect of indigo is its ability to relax muscles. Many studies have shown that exposure to the color blue can help relieve tension headaches and migraines.
Overall, the physical effects of the color indigo are calming, relaxing, and helpful in improving focus and concentration.
The Personality Of An Indigo Lover
Is indigo your favorite color? If so, there may be a reason for this. There is a saying that your favorite color, or colors that you find yourself drawn to, can say a lot about your personality.
If you find yourself drawn to this color, you may be someone who likes to live life on their terms. You may also enjoy solitude and quietness. Additionally, you may also like to spend time outside, enjoying nature.
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Personality traits include being imaginative and creative, but also logical and responsible. While you may be able to think quickly and make decisions easily, you may also be very patient. You may also love learning new things, especially if they relate to art, music, or literature.
On the other hand, if you dislike the color indigo, it may mean that you prefer to keep things simple. You may also like to surround yourself with people who share similar interests.
In conclusion, if you are drawn to the color indigo, then you may be someone who enjoys living life to the fullest.
Companies And Brands That Use The Color Indigo
When choosing logos and branding materials, companies will carefully pick out certain colors that they feel represent their business. For example, many businesses use red as a symbol of energy and passion. The color yellow often represents friendliness and optimism.
Many companies use the color indigo in their logos, as well as other advertising methods.
Indigo, being a combination of both blue and purple, is a great choice for a logo. Blues typically give off a calming effect, while purples tend to stimulate emotions. Therefore, using these two colors together creates a perfect balance between relaxation and excitement.
Here are some companies that use the color indigo in their logos.
Cadbury's
The color purple is regularly in use by chocolate makers to represent luxury and elegance. Cadbury's uses this same concept in its logo design.
Their logo contains a purple-blue colored background, with the word 'Cadbury's' written in white. The colors stimulate the brain to create feelings of happiness and joy, as well as tranquility, which mimics the feeling that most feel when they eat chocolate.
Wonka
Wonka is another chocolate brand and uses a similar concept to Cadbury's. Their logo features the word 'Wonka' in white, with a purple-blue outline.
The color purple is often associated with Willy Wonka, from Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This company is famous for its delicious chocolates and uses the color purple/indigo to represent the luxurious taste of its products.
Twitch
Twitch is a streaming website where users regularly watch others play video games. The lighter shade of purple-blue/indigo represents the exciting atmosphere of the site, signifying that those who use the platform can experience excitement and relaxation.
They've chosen a blue background with the words 'twitch' written across it in white, similar to the previously mentioned logos.
Claire's
This store was every little girl's favorite place to shop during her childhood. They sell toys, clothes, shoes, and more! The color purple can also be associated with femininity, which is likely why Claire's selected this color for their logo.
The logo is the name, 'Claire's', simply written in a bold, indigo-colored font. The use of indigo here helps to emphasize the feminine nature of the store, as well as the excitement that comes along with shopping for accessories there.
Taco Bell
The Taco Bell logo incorporates indigo, pink, and yellow, creating the image of a bell above the words, 'Taco Bell'. The color scheme signifies the Mexican food chain's origins, as well as the fun and friendly atmosphere that customers should expect when visiting one of their restaurants.
The bright colors help to attract attention, and the use of indigo makes customers feel relaxed as well as excited about what they're going to get.
Yahoo
Lastly, the Yahoo logo incorporates the color indigo. The company has been around since 1994 and has grown into an international business. They have many different services available, including email, web search, news, finance, sports, etc.
The logo itself consists of the word, 'Yahoo', in bold, indigo-colored lettering. The color purple is commonly associated with the internet, so using it here emphasizes the importance of the service provided by Yahoo.
Indigo Chakra
The indigo chakra is the sixth chakra (energy center) on the human energy system.
It is located between a person's eyebrows and is also popular as the third eye chakra. It is believed that when people can open up their third eye, they will be able to see things clearly.
When you close your eyes and meditate, you are opening up your third eye. You can connect with other people, as well as yourself. By doing this, you can gain insight into yourself, and learn how to change your life for the better.
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The third eye chakra is linked to a person's intuition, creativity, and spirituality. Due to the combination of the colors red – representing energy and fire – and blue – representing calmness and tranquility – indigo creates an energy of self-awareness and spiritual growth.
This chakra is responsible for our connection with God, or higher power.
Indigo Gemstones
They say that within the indigo-colored gemstones represents the midnight sky. These stones are often useful in jewelry designs because of their ability to bring balance to the wearer. When worn, these gems create a calming effect, helping to keep the wearer grounded.
These gemstones have been famous to aid headaches and insomnia, as well as increase mental clarity, decluttering a person's mind of negative thoughts.
Indigo gemstones are also said to be good luck and are considered an excellent stone for those who wish to start over again after having failed at something previously.
They are also said to be good for those who suffer from depression, as well as those who want to become more creative.
Some of the strongest indigo gemstones include:
- Blue Sapphire
- Tanzanite
- Sodalite
Facts About The Color Indigo
Here are some facts about the color indigo that you may find interesting.
- It was Issac Newton that first named the color indigo. He discovered that, when he looked through a prism, the light would split into seven separate bands of color.
- In ancient China, the color indigo was called “the color of Heaven” or “the color of the gods”.
- In India, the color indigo is called “the color of the Gods”, and is also referred to as “the color of the Immortals”.
- Indigo dye is one of the oldest dyes in the world, with the oldest recorded indigo-dyed cloth being over 6,000 years old.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, indigo is a very powerful color.
It represents the energy of the soul and the spiritual world. It also symbolizes the power of intuition and creativity.
Furthermore, it has many different meanings, and can even help us to understand ourselves better. By understanding what it means to us, we can then use it to our advantage, and make positive changes in our lives.
We hope that you enjoyed learning about the meaning of the color indigo.