Fargesinn

Fargesinn, or color sense, is the ability to perceive, interpret and apply colors in design, art and everyday life. In Nordic languages the term denotes a person’s sensibility for color combinations, contrasts and moods, as well as an eye for harmony and balance. It is distinct from fargesyn (color vision), which describes the physiological ability to distinguish wavelengths; fargesinn concerns aesthetic judgment, taste and contextual appropriateness.

Fargesinn can be cultivated through study of color theory—color wheel, warm and cool colors, saturation, lightness—and through practice with palettes, lighting, and materials. It is commonly used in fields such as fashion, interior design, branding and art education, where choices of color affect mood, readability and identity.

Because it is influenced by culture, trends and personal experience, fargesinn is inherently subjective. It may manifest as a preference for certain palettes, the ability to combine colors effectively, or the skill to select colors that support a subject and audience. Critics note that informal notions of color taste can reinforce stereotypes or be misleading if treated as universal rules.

Related concepts include color theory, color harmony, color psychology and color branding. In practice, individuals may develop different styles or palettes, and professionals often rely on guidelines while adapting to client needs and contexts.