How to describe colors to blind people? You certainly know that in fact, people who can see often have a different understanding of color. Although difficult, describing colors to the visually impaired is not impossible. You can associate these colors with smells, tastes, sounds, or feelings that they can perceive well. Want to know more? Read on for this article!
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Part 1 of 3: Using Other Senses to Describe Color
Step 1. Describe the color by touch
Ask them to hold a certain object, then tell them the color of the object. Instead, give objects that have only one color (or at least almost always the same color).
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Have them touch different types of logs, tree bark, or scattered soil, then explain that all of these objects are brown.
Tell them, "The brown feels like dirt, or like dead parts of an object growing on the ground."
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Have them touch a leaf or grasp a piece of grass, then explain that the leaf and grass are green. Green feels like the living part of the plant, mainly because the color green indicates that a plant is alive and thriving. You can also give yourself a dry, brown leaf and use that to explain the difference between green and brown.
Tell them, “The suppleness and softness of these leaves taste like green; green color indicates that this leaf is still alive and fresh. On the other hand, dried leaves turn brown; brown color indicates that the leaf is dead”
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Have them dip their hands in a bowl of cold water, then tell them that the water is blue. Explain that the less the amount of water, the lighter the blue (even almost colorless or transparent). Conversely, the more the amount of water (such as in a river or sea), the darker the blue color.
Tell them, “You know the refreshing wet water you feel when you're swimming? That's what blue feels like."
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Explain that heat – such as that produced by candlelight or campfire – is red. Tell them that red is usually associated with burning or burning.
Tell them, “If you get sunburned, your skin will turn red. If you feel embarrassed, the heat on your cheeks will also make your cheeks turn red.”
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Explain that concrete – such as that found in walls or sidewalks – is gray; explain also that iron is also gray. Let them know that gray will usually feel harsh. The temperature can be cold or hot, depending on the sun's rays at that time.
Tell them, “Gray is usually very hard and solid, like the road you are walking on now, or the wall you are used to leaning against. However, the color is not alive and has no feeling.”
Step 2. Describe the color by smell or taste
Scents and tastes are also powerfully associated with certain colors.
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Explain that spicy foods (and their main ingredient is chili peppers) are usually red in color. Other foods that are also red are strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. Explain that the intensity of the red color is as dense as the intensity of the sweetness of the fruit.
Tell them, "In addition to being able to feel the red color from the heat, you can also feel it when you're eating something spicy."
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Ask them to taste oranges, then explain that oranges are orange. Have them focus on the taste and smell.
Tell them, “Orange is often described as a sweet and refreshing tropical color; the sun is orange and a lot of food is orange which needs the sun to grow.”
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Do the same with lemons and bananas, then explain that both types of fruit are both yellow in color, although they have different flavors. Also explain that yellow fruits are usually sour and refreshing, or sweet and nutritious.
Tell them, “Yellow food also needs sun to grow. That's why they look bright and happy!”
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Have them touch the green vegetables they eat frequently (such as lettuce and spinach), then explain that both vegetables are green. The green color has a clean, fresh aroma, and is different from the fruity aroma. In terms of taste, green foods also have a taste that is not as sweet as fruit.
Ask them to smell a variety of herbs, such as mint, then say, “Green smells like this – clean, fresh, and healthy.”
- For those who are not used to the smell of food, explain again that leaves and grass are green, while water is blue. Blue smells like the smell of beach water, while the sand is brown or white. Explain that flowers come in many different colors. One type of flower can have different colors, but usually won't be green, brown, gray, or black.
Step 3. Describe the color through sound
Certain sounds can also be associated with colors.
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Explain that the sound of sirens can be associated with the color red, especially since the color red usually attracts the attention of many people. Also explain that the sirens of fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances are also red.
Tell them, “When people hear the siren sound, people will immediately feel alert because they might be in danger. That's how red is – it's an emergency and it catches your eye right away.”
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The sound of running water, especially the sound of foam or waves in the ocean, they can associate with the color blue.
Tell them, "The color blue feels calming, like the sound of water can make you feel calm and peaceful"
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They can associate the green color with the rustle of leaves or the chirping of birds. Explain that not all birds are green; but since they live in trees, their chirping can be associated with the color green.
Tell them, “You know the sound of rustling leaves or birds chirping? That's what green sounds like."
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Associate the sound of lightning with the color gray. The sky turned gray when it rained heavily and was colored by lightning. As a result, everything under the sky will look more gray.
Tell them, “Lightning is gray. If you hear thunder and heavy rain, the sign is that the earth is turning gray. It was a little dark and depressing because the sun wasn't up.”
Step 4. Describe how you feel when you see a certain color
Often times, people associate colors with certain emotions or psychological states. Many studies have also shown a close relationship between color and feelings. Explain the most common understanding to them:
- Red- symbolizes anger, sexual attraction, physical strength, or aggressiveness
- Orange- symbolizes physical comfort, warmth, security, and sometimes frustration
- Yellow - symbolizes friendship, joy, optimism, confidence, and sometimes fear
- Green - symbolizes balance, freshness, harmony, environmental awareness, and peace
- Blue - symbolizes intelligence, freshness, calm, serenity, and logic
- Purple- symbolizes spiritual awareness, mystery, luxury, honesty; and often associated with dreams
- Black- symbolizes elegance and glamor (in a positive sense), or misfortune, oppression, and a sense of threat (in a negative sense)
- White- symbolizes cleanliness, clarity, purity, and simplicity
- Chocolate- symbolizes support, as well as something grounded and reliable
- Gray- symbolizes neutrality; lack of self-confidence, lack of energy, and depression
- Pink - symbolizes nurturing, warmth, femininity and love
Part 2 of 3: Using Numbers to Describe Colors
Step 1. Say that the numbers are infinity and so are the colors
Imagine that the number one is red and the number two is yellow. Between the two (numbers 1 and 2), there are numbers "1, 2; 1, 21; 1, 22:1, 3:1, 4; 1, 45…", and similarly to color, there are so many colors that unlimited number between the two colors so as to form a gradation.
Part 3 of 3: Knowing the Background of Their Visual Impairment
Step 1. Determine the nature of their visual impairment
Most people with visual impairments still have functioning vision, even though they are only able to receive light stimuli. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, of all visually impaired people, only 18% of them are completely blind. Thus, the remaining 82% can still distinguish between bright and dark light.
You can use their ability to distinguish between light and dark when describing black and white. Explain that dark is associated with black and light (which indicates the presence of light) is associated with white
Step 2. Ask if they have been blind since birth
In the United States, almost all cases of blindness are not present at birth, but are caused by certain diseases. Thus, their eyesight was fine at one point in time. This means you just have to refresh their memory by helping them describe things they've seen before.
Step 3. Apply different methods if they are color blind
A person who is color blind is able to see all objects well, but has difficulty determining the color of these objects. Most color blind people have difficulty distinguishing between red, orange, yellow, and green (in their eyes, they are on the same spectrum), as well as blue and green. When describing colors to a colorblind person, simply tell them the actual colors of the objects they see.
