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Lighting

Worship Lighting Colors

06 05.11

Color in worship lighting is one of the most over-looked and misunderstood visual worship elements. I literally cringe when I see 17 different colors in a room during worship.  Just like each instrument has a part to play and has a specific tone, and just how every word of the song or prayer or sermon is chosen because it has a specific meaning, COLORS have their own meaning in worship, and we would be wise to be aware of what each one means.

You might have more words to describe each color, but there are some starters:

Red – blood, passion, war, anger…intensity…Good Friday
Blue – peaceful, night, calming, serene…Christmas night
Purple/Magenta – Joy, royal,majestic
Amber – Candlelight, warmth, intimacy, stillness
Yellow – Bright, happy, loud, Easter
White – Cleanliness, holiness
Black – silence

    Why no green?  I don’t use green lighting in worship because it’s so closely associated  in our culture with aliens, the Matrix…and other things that are just…weird.  (Granted, I love the Matrix and alien sci-fi, but not during worship.)  Now, green DOES also communicate life, growth, abundance…so if I want to show green imagery around the room of creation, I’ll use amber lighting so represent the sunlight.

    I recommend only 2-3 colors at a time…from the SAME FAMILY.  So; blues…reds…ambers…  NOT red over here on the keyboard, blue on the guitar, and amber in the Environmental Projection.  Bleh.  That’s basically 3 different emotions going on there.  Now, you CAN get really creative with using color to show contrasting emotions; just be aware that you’re doing it – during a drama or special music perhaps.  I’m talking about generally, in corporate worship, be wise with your lighting color choices.

    Categories: Lighting / Visual Worship

    Comments: 5

    About the author

    Camron - Visual Worshiper - Camron Ware started Visual Worshiper as a way to help churches with Environmental Projection, worship lighting, and to simply do visual worship better.

    5 Comments
    Jonathan Malm 16:40:11, 06/05/11

    Definitely agree with you when I see 17 different colors going on during worship. I see even larger churches completely missing an opportunity to create a strong environment by losing all color continuity.

    I have a slightly different philosophy when it comes to colors in worship…and I’m seeing a reason to blog about it. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t disagree with me…and I don’t disagree with you (I dare not disagree with a visual mage)….just different. I’ll let you know when I get it posted up. :)

    Thanks, as usual, for your brilliance shared so freely with us! :)

    Chris Aquino 17:05:38, 06/05/11

    I only use green.

    Just kidding. Nice write up buddy! Gonna miss you this summer.

    Mike 17:21:06, 06/05/11

    Yeah, I am with you Jonathan. I think that we can get in trouble when we start to say that a certain color is associated with a certain thing (be it a feeling, emotion, mood, whatever). That is one of the first things they taught us in lighting design. Everyone brings different baggage to an event, so that something that might mean one thing to one person, might mean something entirely different to something else. So counting on color to communicate anything is very tricky indeed!

    For example, purple and magenta can be very intense. So can blue. Amber can have a very industrial, hard, destructive feel. Red can be very intimate and soothing, very lush. Blue can also be very harsh, deceptive. White can be very mysterious. White can also be royal and majestic.

    Color is a very complicated issue. That is why I have not tried to tackle it in a blog post yet. It is just too complicated for a blurb. We had a whole semester on color theory.

    I also completely disagree about mixing colors. For example, blue and red is a beautiful combination. Blue or purple and amber is amazing, as is blue and yellow. Green and amber gives an awesome look, and red and white is a very good combination. After a while monochromatic looks just become boring.

    Mike

    Camron - Visual Worshiper 06:07:46, 08/05/11

    @Jonathan: Can’t wait to read it man! Seriously; I’d love to get your thoughts on it as well!!
    @Chris: hahahahahahha…yeah; me too man…:(

    @Mike: True, everyone responds to color (and pretty much everything visual) a little bit different, but I’m coming from a perspective of churches either being afraid of using color, not knowing at least how to use it, or using too much of it.
    It’s all about context. A creepy blue night sky with silhouettes is very intense, yes. But it’s also peaceful when you put up a soft blue sky with clouds.
    Amber, same thing – put it in a steel manufacturing plant and it says one thing, but put it in a room as a single candle, and it can mean stillness. All depends on how you’re using it.
    One of my favorite color combos is Congo/Red. But, I use it carefully in worship settings.

    I would also do amber back/side light, with blue front light for sunrises/sunsets.

    I use red and white a lot actually – communicates blood of Christ and cleaning of sins…for the literal side of things..

    It just all depends on context; so that’s why I was saying in general, this might be a place to start.

    Camron - Visual Worshiper 06:13:32, 08/05/11

    And, I guess to be clear…when I say Green; I’m talking; GREEN. Like Matrix green. Not cyan, not teal..I like those and use them a lot. A soft green with blue is really nice I think..

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