IMPACT OF COLOR DIMENSIONS ON NON-VERBAL VISUAL COMMUNICATION
“One Form, Endless Voices”
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Inter-Society Color Council, the ColorShifts committee, and the esteemed judges for the distinction of being selected to participate in this prestigious exhibition, Color Impact 2025 - ColorShifts juried art show.
COLOR: A VARIABLE INDEPENDENT OF FORM
In the intricate dance between structure and perception, my piece “One Form, Endless Voices”, explores a fundamental truth: color is not merely a decoration, it is also a powerful language of its own. Each pattern I create is a living canvas, a testament to the profound ability of color to transform, communicate, and evoke emotion without altering a single line or curve.
Sandra Sampson’s work accepted to the Inter-Society Color Council’s “ColorShifts” 2025 juried art show.
Video TranscriptVisually Flexible Form
Imagine a single geometric structure—unchanging, precise, mathematically elegant. Now, imagine that same structure breathing with life as colors transform its perception. This is the heart of my artistic exploration: a pattern that remains structurally constant while becoming a chameleon of visual storytelling through strategic color interventions.
Some might argue that my designs resemble nature’s ability to adapt its visual identity without altering its fundamental structure. By shifting its hue, nature communicates with its changing environment, revealing new narratives through color.
PATTERN DESIGN
Each of my pattern designs begins with a spark of curiosity. I wonder how this form will be transformed by color. Which colors will capture the audience’s attention? How many distinct patterns will emerge from various color combinations?
This pattern form, “One Form, Endless Voices”, was inspired by my late friend William Blackwell, AIA, who authored “Geometry in Architecture”. Bill designed geometric patterns using mathematics, and I create them visually with my “creative math”. Mixing my curiosity of fractals, geometry, and inspiration from Bill’s writing and art, this rotating geometric pattern emerged.
At first look I was not impressed with my hard-edged static pattern. However, the pattern before me wasn't just lines and angles, it was a living canvas, waiting to breathe. Not until the application of various gray values, randomly or methodically applied, did I start seeing the engagement possibilities that lay ahead in depth, contrasts, and motion. I was reminded that beauty isn't just about what we see, but how we perceive.
Color Design
Color selection begins by creating a mood board that establishes the intended context and persona for the artwork. This includes determining the intended market and usage of the final product. Additionally, it considers the number of color options available in production and the material to be used, which can influence the final color palette.
Color Sources
Inspiration colors are derived from color directions that anticipate trends for the upcoming two years and are tailored to the industry and the target market of the pattern’s creative framework. Images from the mood board are incorporated into the design process, drawing inspiration from various sources, including culture, nature, and lifestyle. A thorough analysis of the target industry serves as a guiding framework, enabling the color selection to either adhere strictly to the industry’s norms or venture beyond them, depending on the level of uniqueness required for the color palette.
Color Alchemy
Color selection is not mere decoration—it is a strategic, deeply intentional process. Initial color combinations from our framework are explored and reviewed in conjunction with the context mood board. Subsequently, multiple color combinations of two to four hues are refined using the NCS Color System and Adobe Illustrator.
This process involves adjusting the nuances of hue, value, and chroma to create unique color palettes that align with the framework. These color palettes are applied to the pattern in distinct ways, and it’s the color interactions that alter our perception of the form.
Color as Communication
Changes in hue, value, and chroma of a pattern’s colors significantly impact its appearance and conveyance. They underscore the profound influence of color in visual communication. Variations in value can affect depth perception and establish visual hierarchy. These effects can be harnessed to guide viewer attention and generate visual interest within a pattern. Shifts in chroma can influence the perceived vibrancy and energy of a pattern.
This non-verbal visual language of color serves as a powerful tool to guide viewer attention, create visual hierarchy, evoke emotional responses, and convey complex narratives without resorting to words.
Engagement Through Color
Recent research in NeuroArt, “…an emerging field that studies how the arts and aesthetic experiences change the brain, body, and behavior” by Psychology Today, revealed something extraordinary: color is not just something we see, it is something we experience. Our brains don't just perceive color—they feel it, remember it, are transformed by it.
Changes in hue, value, and chroma of a pattern's colors significantly impact its appearance and communication, highlighting the powerful role of color in visual messaging as demonstrated by my piece “One Form, Endless Voices”. My color and design approach aims to create not only visually appealing designs but also engaging ones that evoke specific emotions and interactions through the use of color.
One form can hold endless voices.
One structure can tell a thousand stories.
Color is not only what you perceive.
Color is also how you feel.
— A Manifesto of Chromatic Possibility
ARTIST BIO
Sandra Sampson, CMG
Sandra Sampson is the founder of Vital Color™ by Simple Modern Style, a multi-disciplinary color and design studio. With an insatiable thirst for creative exploration, she transforms consumer preferences, color trends, and market research into captivating color palettes and design that successfully engage target markets across industries.