Colour is a language of associations and physiology. It signals place, time of day, mood, and symbolic meaning. Use saturated colours for dramatic signals (danger, passion); pastel or desaturated washes for subtle atmosphere; and temperature shifts to imply time and spatial logic (warm for interiors/sunset, cool for night/overcast).
Remember that colour on stage is the result of mixed light + surface reflectance. Fabrics exhibit metamerism – a costume may look different under different spectra. Always test costumes onstage under selected gels or LED mixes. Also bear in mind colour adaptation: sustained colour biases the eye and can desaturate perceived skin tones – use fill or corrective colour to retain natural faces when needed.
Use colour as a signpost, not wallpaper. Reserve strong palettes for moments you want to label emotionally; otherwise, subtlety keeps the audience receptive to nuance. Colour and context must always be designed together.
Editor: Alex Deno, Founder Sundrax. Read our colour mixing and gel-selection guide on the Sundrax blog.
