LETTING THE COLOUR IN

BOLD, VIBRANT COLOURS ARE A TREND WIN THIS SEASON, BUT WHERE SHOULD COLOUR-CURIOUS CRAFTERS BEGIN - AND WHY? LOTTIE STOREY DISCOVERS THE SECRETS OF USING VIBRANT HUES TO LIFT YOUR CREATIVE MOOD.

- LOTTIE STOREY

According to Pinterest, 2022 is the year of Dopamine Dressing: wearing vibrant outfits and colourful palettes to boost your brain's reward centre. But for every rainbow-clad Instagrammer, there are many who feel more at home in neutral shades of black, white, navy, grey and beige. So how do you give your craft projects an injection of colour without committing to a dayglo makeover? All the benefits of colour without the wardrobe commitment? Sounds peachy.

ROSE-TINTED GLASSES

Colour psychology isn't new. Cultures as far back as the ancient Egyptians have played with the effects of colour, leading to a general consensus on which emotions can be evoked by particular hues. Blues and greens evoke peace, harmony and balance, for example. Red, violet and magenta are associated with stronger emotions such as love and passion, while yellow and orange shades are linked to joy and creativity. Katherine Louise Jones is a colour therapist who works with clients to deepen their awareness of themselves in a gentle, creative way. "If we look at our surroundings at home; the clothes we wear, the car we drive, the flowers we buy, it all relates to colour," she says. "Whether you are aware of it or not, you'll be drawn to some colours and dislike others. Focusing your attention on the colours that are calming, gentle, peaceful, joyful and loving will help you to access those states of being."

HELLO RAINBOW