Explore the Inner Self Through Color and the Color Consult
- Sarah Engen
- Sep 28
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 8
"Color is the soul element of nature". - Rudolf Steiner
Most people think of color subjectively and as a matter of taste or preference - “I like pink; I never wear yellow”.
Yet, color is a force and phenomenon that causes an emotional and physiological response, whether we are conscious of it or not.
It is also symbolic. Color is an expression of all living things. The cooling shades of the blue sea or the balancing green of the pine tree, or the extreme color contrasts of a black and red venomous snake all convey their essence through color.
You, as a living thing, are also a color phenomenon, and your individual color expression reveals aspects of yourself - your individual qualities. One could even say that your body acts as a prism to reflect your inner self.
There has been much hypothesized about the nature of color and color theory, from Aristotle the philosopher, to Newton the scientist, from Goethe the thinker and Chevreul the chemist, to Itten - a Bauhaus School of Art professor, to Steiner the spiritualist.
One thing remains clear. We are beings of nature and color is a key principle of our nature. So, understanding your color type is paramount to understanding your individual self.
A Color Consult is an analysis to reveal your color palette, color psychology and color effect, so you can learn more about your nature.
The Process
Color Palette
Your have a color palette that represents your color temperature - cool or warm, your chromatic value - clear or muted, and your luminosity and intensity - light or dark.
Color Psychology
Your color palette reveals your nature and how you interact with your world, and whether you reflect or absorb the world and others around you.
Color Effect
You have an effect on others and evoke an emotional response. You leave others with a feeling, whether they or you are conscious of this or or not.
Color Symbolism
Just as a painting contains symbolism and conveys an idea, your colors have meaning and reflect an idea about you.
Color Profile
Your Color Profile consists of your color palette, your ideal colors, the meaning and energy behind your colors, how to utilize and implement your colors signature.
Man at the dawn of civilization recognized that sunlight was essential to light. Color, being a manifestation of light, held divine meaning.” - Faber Birren
Color and the Ancient World
Color is defined as wavelengths of light radiating at different frequencies and vibrations.
Color holds and transmutes energy, and was used in ancient worlds, like Ancient Egypt, to evoke the nature of those of superior rank and prestige such as the pharaoh, and to influence and awaken those who walked through their temples.
Master artists, at that time, would adorn the temples with colors arduously sourced from specific locations and developed with precise techniques by color scientists to ensure the color was pure in form.
Lapis Blue was one of the most revered colors as it was used to commune with the unconscious realms for transformative experience. The master artists therefore required not only color skills, but also the skill to work within the higher realms to discern the streams of information from the unconscious.
Those master artists who worked with rust red had a very different expertise and vibe. They worked predominantly on the physical plane, and had to be grounded and stable individuals. They had to know how to ground energy and hold it, and how to solidifying and anchor the pharaoh's presence on the physical plane, which was about his purpose and what he was to achieve.
Color Language
Color is a language used to communicate our nature. We are naturally drawn to the colors that reflect our nature.
Johannes Itten, a lecturer at the Bauhaus School of Art from the 1930's, monitored his art students and discovered that each student leaned towards and always used the same color palette. That color palette, Itten discovered, was a reflection of the student’s own individual color palette which they had chosen almost intuitively. Scientists have proven that we tend to lose this natural sense after the age of ten.
Color Theorists
Johannes Itten (1888-1967)
Swiss Professor at the Bauhaus School of Art in Germany in the early 1920’s who developed comprehensive color theory including the 12 point ‘Color Sphere’.
Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832)
Writer and Philosopher who questioned Newton’s ideas on color theory and the influence of color in nature.
Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925)
Educator and Esotericist who studied the writings of Goethe and contemplated the esoteric ideas behind color.
Faber Birren (1900-1988)
Art Historian who developed the ‘rational color circle’ and pioneering color theory in printing. He considers green one of the primary colors.
Michel Eugene Chevreul (1786-1889)
Dye Director at Gobelins Manufactory in Paris who developed the laws of color contrast after noticing how the color yarns could impact the color of surrounding yarns.
Isaac Newton (1643-1727)
Scientist who proposed the idea of refraction, that light through a prism decomposes into the spectrum of colors.
Our Method of Color Analysis
Color analysis, in the traditional sense, is a method used to determine which colors best suit an individual based on their skin tone, hair color, and eye color. Our approach and exploration goes deeper, as we are concerned with your not only your colors but your color signature - your nature and the impact you have.
The Core Concept of Color Analysis when considering your colors is based on three factors: Undertone and Contrast:
Undertone: Is your skin cool (blue/pink) or warm (yellow/peach/gold)? Do you reflect or absorb light?
Value & Contrast: Is there high contrast between your features (e.g., dark hair, light skin) or low contrast (e.g., similar tones throughout)?
Elemental Connection: Which of the four elements do you personify - Air, Water, Earth, or Fire.
And for nuance, we then consider the sub-seasons that express your nature more specifically and the effect you have on others.
The Four Seasons - Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer - is the easiest system to use when explaining color to a client as the seasons represent a theme, evoke a feeling, a sensibility and provide a clear concept for clients to follow.
The Benefits of Color Analysis
Understanding your color palette can have a significant impact on your life. Here are some benefits of color analysis:
Boosts Confidence & Self-Awareness: Learning your colors and more about your true self gives a stronger sense of self, you feel more in-tune, connected to your innate nature, giving you a psychological boost and more confidence.
Saves Time and Money: Knowing your colors helps you make better choices in terms of the colors you surround yourself with - your decor, wardrobe, make-up, and hair.
Stronger Message: With a clear understanding of your colors, you can present a more cohesive message of who you are, what you are about, and understand the impact you have on others through your colors, so you can make a strong impression.
Knowledge is Power: Color analysis opens up the window to deeper connection with yourself which can make you feel more empowered as you feel more in the know and informed.
Final Thoughts on Discovering Your Colors
Color analysis is a powerful tool that can transform the way you see yourself and the world around you. It gives you a window into your inner self and allows you to express who you are more effectively. Color is light and energy and reveals your nature and how you show up in the world.
Explore who you are through a Color Consult.