Color White

Since we have been through the rainbow colors, here we go with white.

Its name comes from Old English that originated from German as hwit. The Dutch from the German was weiss.

Technically, this is a non color or all colors. It is actually a combination of every wavelength in the visible spectrum. Realize that this is wavelength not a pigment because if you start combining all paints, you won’t get white.

Actually the substance that creates white paint or chalk or cosmetics or dye comes from zinc oxide, titanium oxide, lime (not the fruit), and lead. Lead is fortunately no longer used for anything like make up that can cause bodily harm.

The symbolism of white is as varied as the other colors.

• Purity
• Cold or ordinary like white bread or a spread of new snow
• Sterile like white sheets in a hospital.
• Space like white space on a page or in advertising.
• Minimal

Spiritually

• New beginnings
• Peace
• Power
• Sanctity
• Wisdom

So, we see the positive and negatives of this color. A fresh start like a clean, white slate or cold and isolated or empty. The personality type is someone tidy and almost immaculately clean. Usually these are people who look to the future and have a very positive outlook. They are careful and don’t act impulsively very often since their self control is high.

It is rarely a child’s favorite color. Occasionally, an adult will find it appealing but, again, only for a brief time. A study ranked it at 15 in an overall choice but it was a bit higher when adults were asked about favorite colors to wear as clothing.

Fun facts are always interesting:

• There is cave art in France that are estimated to be 18,000 years ago with white chalk drawings of bulls. It is thought to be one of the first colors used by humans to make art.
• Bridal gowns. Actually blue was the traditional color to depict purity. In art the Virgin Mary is generally depicted wearing blue. As it happens, it was Queen Victoria who chose white for her wedding dress that changed the popular thought of what would be great for a gown for the big day.
• In the mid 20^th century there was an unwritten rule that one does not wear white clothing until after Memorial Day and not after Labor Day. Of course, the exception would be winter white.
• The Roman Catholic Pope has worn white since 1566.
• In a number of countries white represents grief and mourning and in others it is considered lucky and can be a sign of the afterlife.
• Muslim pilgrims wear white on their journey to Mecca.
• Roman boys were allowed to wear white togas (toga virilis) when they reached the age that indicated they were allowed to marry, vote, and other “adult” activities.
• White is achromatic. It has no true shades (like red has cherry, burgundy, etc.). Instead there are shades of off-white like ivory, cream, etc.
• On television screens, our brain detects white but it is in reality a mixture of green, red, and blue lighting.
• White noise is a combination of all sound frequencies at the same time, just as white is a combination of all visual wavelengths.
• The white flag as a symbol of surrender was first used in the Hundred Years’ War between France and England. It was officially adopted for this purpose by the 1949 Geneva Convention.

So, has any of this changed your opinion of white?