Welcome to our blog. It’s all about keeping you current on:
-
Color News and Views
-
Color Trends
-
Color Factoids
-
Color Perceptions
-
Color Facts (or Fiction)
….as well as quotable quotes from our colorful leader and color expert, Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman. Lee has written seven books on color. She is the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, the Director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training and a color/design consultant to many industries. Fortune Magazine has named her as one of the 10 top decision makers for her work in color and she is widely quoted in the media. Enjoy!!
Blogroll
Colorswatch
whiteblackred
houseofturquoise
Kathe Fraga
Archives
FORECASTS
GENERAL COLOR TIDBITS
HOME
INTERIORS/EXTERIORS
FASHION
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
July • August 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
2008
Our other websites
www.colorexpert.com
www.morealivewithcolor.com
Discover the how to's for
• color forecasting • sources • guidelines
Click the button below
A friendly reminder to all color enthusiasts. Lee offers two annual Color/Design Classes, one on Bainbridge Island, Washington held in July and one in Burbank, California held in January. If you are interested in attending either class or would like more information please click below.
COLOR/DESIGN CLASSES
Lee's Talks
Denver Merchandise Mart
September 21, 2010
L e e' s B o o k s
Color Messages & Meanings:
A Pantone Color Resource
 
The Color Answer Book
Colors For Your Every Mood
Pantone Guide
To Communicating With Color
More Alive With Color
Alive With Color
(Out of Print:
Limited Availability)
The Pantone Book of
Color
(Out of Print:
Limited Availability)
|
October 30, 2009
Media Post News
Accidental Purchases: Blame Package Design
Aaron Baar
August 28,2009
Poor package design is costing marketers more than $2 billion in U.S. sales as consumers are accidentally reaching for copycat house brands that are meant to look like the well-known branded products.
According to a new study by strategy and design agency The Brand Union, 70% of consumers said they had purchased the wrong product in a supermarket in the past year. Some 60% said they had trouble differentiating products on a store shelf
due to the packaging. The most confusing categories: canned goods; cold and allergy products and hair care items. (Of the 23% of consumers who said they were confused by the canned goods category, 42% said they ended up purchasing the wrong product.)
Copycat packaging tends to be the biggest factor when it comes to accidental purchases. According to the study, half of consumers said they accidentally purchased the wrong product because they were misled by the color or name of the imitator. "The
biggest problem is happening when you have copycat brands, and weak design in the category in general," JR Little, a senior strategist at Brand Union and one of the study's authors, tells Marketing Daily.
  
While many consumers said they were fooled by the packaging of store brands in particular, many retailers are looking to give house brands a brand identity (Target's Up and Up, or Wal-Mart's Good Value brands), which may change the equation, says Brian Rafferty, executive director of research and strategy for Brand Union and another author of the study.
"Many store brands are moving away from the copycats to their own brand identification," Rafferty says. "Shoppers are now aware enough of store brand quality that they don't have to rely on copycat [packaging] for accidental sales."
Meanwhile, established marketers looking to change their package design may want to tread carefully. As Tropicana learned last year when it changed its packaging, only to find sales drop 20%, consumers often don't respond well to change.
In fact, more than three-quarters of consumers said they view package design changes as a "marketing tactic," while only 14% said it represented an improvement in quality. The lesson: Communicate the product and consumer benefits to a package redesign, Rafferty says. "It's important to communicate the benefits of redesign to consumers," he says. "Also, what's the overall brand impression and is [the new packaging] still managing to convey what that is."
October 26, 2009
Today we are pleased to announce that we have added another Color/Design Class January 28-31. The class will be held in Burbank,
California at the conveniently located Residence Inn by Marriot.
  
Class is filled on a first come first serve basis.
For more information...
Phone, fax or e-mail us today!
206-842-4456 – Phone / 206-842-6498 – Fax
leiseman@nwlink.com
Reserve your spot today.
Fortune
The Color Committee Gets to Work
October, 2009
October 23, 2009
Earlier this week we wrote about "Guided Imagery' as a technique for relieving
stress and finding inspiration for color in the home. The following excerpt from
a story about Guided Imagery appeared in Psychology Today and relates how
this method utilizes color to help children feel less stressed.
The Power of Imagination
How children can heal.
by Charlotte Reznick, Ph.D.
Psychology Today
Banish Belly and Other Aches.... Guided Imagery Helps Kids Ease Tummy
Troubles
"Eight-year-old Alice suffered from horrible stomach pain. In my office she closed
her eyes, breathed slowing into her belly, and asked inside what was the cause.
Stress appeared as a large square black block in the middle of her brain. What
to do? Her inner voice said Calmness was the antidote. Pictured as a swirling
lavender ball, she breathed Calm feelings into hands, belly, neck, and head.
Stress melted and her tummy stopped hurting."
"Over the past 25 years I’ve seen how the pain of chronic stomachaches and
headaches can debilitate a child. The worry, anxiety, fear of pain, and
feeling out of control can send kids over the edge. But kids can also learn
imagination techniques to help them heal."
"I was therefore extremely pleased to read about the new research just published in the November journal of Pediatrics showing that guided imagery CDs relieved children’s chronic stomach pain. Conducted at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University Medical Center, 30 children ages 6-15 listened to relaxing CDs several times a week over eight weeks. The children enjoyed the CDs so much that there was virtual complete compliance. Their results showed 63.1% of the treatment group significantly decreased their pain, compared to 26.7% in a control group that just received standard medical care. Once the two-month study was over, the control group was given the same guided imagery treatment so they wouldn’t
lose out; results were similar (61.5% improved). At a six-month follow-up, children continued to do well."
"With these tools, kids make up their own creative scenarios. Below are five suggestions to help you on your way."
1. Teach the Balloon Breath as a Foundation Tool
"The Balloon Breath is a simple technique of breathing slowly and deeply into the belly while focusing attention about two inches below the navel. This type of diaphragmatic breathing helps center and calm."
2. Pay Attention to Wisdom of Inner Guides
"An imagined Animal Friend (or Wizard) can be a valuable tool to access inner wisdom. These imaginary guides are kind, loving, and have a child's best interest at heart. Gifts from them are used to receive power and assistance. One six-year-old boy’s pride of lions stood guard around his hospital bed to give him courage during a frightening medical test. Another eleven-year-old girl received the Gift of a spiral-moving rainbow to heal chronic stomach pains, along with rainbow glasses to see the world in a more positive light."
3. Incorporate Color to Relieve Pain
"When children are very focused and involved with their personal imageries, they are distracted from their pain. One seven-year-old girl created a “color therm-o-meter” that could raise or lower different emotions and pain. She initially worked with feelings; they seemed easier for her then the pain itself. She increased ‘blue’ Calmness and decreased ‘orange’ Fear; then increased ‘pink’ Love and decreased ‘black’ Anger. This helped her progress directly to reducing her pain in a similar manner. And a 12-year-old boy found that by first increasing his pain, he realized he had some control over it. He then used this control to lower his pain to an acceptable level."
4. Practice The Three-Question Exercise
"It’s an easy imagery formula that may relieve or totally eliminate pain. Start with doing the Balloon Breath. Ask your child: “Where in your body do you feel the pain?” Then follow with:
(1) What color is it?
(2) What shape is it?
(3) How heavy is it?
"Be accepting and positive of any response. Have your child continue to breath
slowly three or four times between rounds. Repeat the three questions and your
reactions to them."
"Over the course of three to five to ten minutes, there is generally a change from dark, sharp, and heavy, to light in color, round, and light in weight. I’ve seen this work with all kinds of pain. The length of this process depends on your child’s openness to relaxation and the intensity of pain."
"If there are any bits of pain left, suggest a conversation with Pain in order to find out what your child needs to know, understand, or do to let go of the rest. Or, he can imagine melting away any leftover hurt through his body (through skin, belly button, or whatever he comes up with)."
5. Use the Power of Audio
"As in the fine UNC/Duke study, a well-chosen relaxation CD can work wonders. A favorite all-purpose guided imagery with the kids I see is imagining planting a magical garden where they visualize growing healthy and strong. While their garden grows, they float in a nearby healing pond, allowing the waters to wash away their pain......."
"Remember, it’s not necessary to have the perfect script, or years of experience for facility with this work. What is important is your sincerity, your respect for your children and their process, and your allowing them to bring forth their natural inner wise healer. As a young pre-teen discovered:
“Your imagination can help you heal.”
Charlotte Reznick is the author of The Power of Your Child's Imagination and an
Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology at UCLA.
October 19, 2009
One of the most fascinating techniques for finding color inspiration in the home is called Guided Imagery. I first learned about this technique through Dr. Arthur Ellis of Westwood, CA. I have used it personally many times and have recommended it as well.
The following is excerpted from Chapter 2 of Colors For Your Every Mood
One of the most fascinating ways of finding your true decorating colors is through a technique called "Guided Imagery." Used primarily to reduce stress, guided imagery simply utilizes your own imagination to lead you gradually into a happy memory that banishes tensions and soothes your nerves. As decorating your home is such an expression of your personality, what better catalyst than your own fertile mind? And if you don't think of yourself as being imaginative, think again. You have a lifetime of experiences from which to draw.
Guided imagery is best done by relaxing in quiet surroundings where you will not be interrupted. Get into a relaxed position. Breathe deeply, slowly, and in a rhythmic pattern, as you pull from your memory a favorite setting where you have truly felt comfortable and happy, energized, joyous, or calm. Immerse yourself in the memory. Think of the scents, the shapes, the sounds, and, most importantly, the colors.
You might be sinking your toes into warm golden sands on a beach in Maui. Or reveling in the sight of the pristine white stucco houses mirrored in the sparking cool water of the Greek Islands. Perhaps it's a much simpler vision of mountains undulating into the distance or the nostalgic memory of sitting in Grandma's kitchen with a red-and-white checked tablecloth and matching curtains (can you smell the chocolate chip cookies in the oven?)
These memories still live deep within your heart and brain (in your neocortex, to be exact) stored as millions of neuron impulses, as well as in your amygdala--that section of the brain that gives emotional meaning to those memories of red-and-white gingham curtains and chocolate chip cookies. Now use this same technique to help you pull from your memory the colors you associate with that special scene.
Perhaps your journey will take you back to sense of one of the eight Personal Color Moods we've just discussed, or it may provide a whole new concept of colors that have given meaning to your life. What you are trying to do is rediscover the colors connected with the guided imagery experience and use them to recreate the mood they inspire in a present-day setting. Allow yourself the luxury of bringing those wonderful places back into your consciousness. They can be relaxing or they can be energizing, whatever you need. This exercise will help you avoid colors that depress or antagonize you. It will also provide moments of quiet introspection.
If you are having trouble visualizing your own memorable scene, here are just a few of some very common ones people use in guided imagery.
AFRICAN HERITAGE
Rich in native crafts and wildlife, the colors of the great African continent display the diversity of its people through the variety of hues available in their textile dyeing and ornamental beadwork, which reflect the vibrant colors of forest birds and flowers, and the warm rich colors of the wide grass plains, dotted with wildlife. The color spectrum is well represented in vibrant reds, blues, greens, oranges and yellow, but it is the marriage of these brights with the ever present ivory, earthen brown and ebony black that produces the intriguing combinations.
Examples of African Heritage color combinations are...
IVORY, EBONY, RED CLAY and JUNIPER; GOLDEN GLOW, INDIGO, TIGER LILY
and SUDAN BROWN.
PARISIAN CAFE
One of the world's most beautiful and elegant cities, Paris is a melange of the colors of its timeworn limestone and granite, stone grays, and greige outlined with wrought-iron blacks; the sidewalk cafes with their green-trimmed awnings, the ubiquitous rattan chairs and geranium flower boxes.
Examples of Paris's color combinations are...
DEEP CLARET, PARISIAN BLUE, DEAUVILLE MAUVE and WROUGHT IRON; FRENCH VANILLA, OMBRE BLUE, DRY ROSE and GARGOYLE.
Tune in later this week for another installation of Guided Imagery
October 16, 2009
Is there truly a "psychology" of color?
There is no questions that color wields a powerful psychological message. Indulge
me for a moment and imagine a scenario where, having heard what you thought
might be a prowler in the backyard, you called your local police department. They
respond to your call, you open the door and there stand two policemen in Lollipop
red uniforms, Peacock Blue polka dot ties, worn with Sunny Lime shirts and matching
caps. You might be inclined to call the prowler in to protect you from the police!
Of course, this is a totally ludicrous example, as we know there would be no credibility
suggested in this whimsical combination of cartoon character colors. They would look
more like escaping circus clowns than benevolent protectors. They are far more likely
to appear in deep True Navy pants, jacket, tie, and caps, denoting a dependable, strong,
credible image, worn with a white shirt that speaks of purity and cleanliness.
Every color has a meaning that we have either learned by association or inherently
sense that enables us to recognize the color message. For example, red is imbued in
the human psyche as a call to action--an instinctively primal reaction as it is the color
of blood and fire, two very important elements for human existence. They are, at the
same time, life threatening, yet life-sustaining.
When you were little kid, Mommy and Daddy took your hand when you came to a stop
sign at an intersection (or more likely pointed out the warning from the car) and said,
"Red means stop." There are cultural and traditional meanings of colors as well as their
broader associations as they appear in natural settings, such as a tranquil blue sky or a
sunny yellow that is always perceived warm.
We also have purely personal reactions to color that are most often based on childhood experiences:
Those that made us very happy--a shiny new red bike as a birthday present
Those that made us very sad--the color of the little brown squirrel that you ran over
when you were speeding on that bike
Those that were traumatizing--the color of a hospital's emergency room walls on the day
you broke your leg and had to suffer through the anxiety
If you were on that red bike on the day you broke your leg, then red might not be one
of your favorites, unless the happiness of getting that bike overrode the anxiety you
felt at breaking your leg. As you can see color reactions can be very personal, yet there
are general messages that have been gleaned from research, including word association studies that do show some universality in feelings about specific colors.
To find out more read The Color Answer Book
October 12, 2009
Scientists Use Post-Hypnotic Suggestion on the Stroop Effect
September 22, 2009
Steve G. Jones, M.Ed., citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) The field of psychology uses various instrumental studies to examine
cognitive processes. These processes are either controlled or automatic. Further,
automatic processescan either be innate or learned. When a process is automatic, it
is performed automatically and unintentionally by the brain. An example of an automatic process is reading. Psychological studies use hypnotic suggestion to determine the connection between the brain and automatic processes.
One such instrument is the Stroop task. When words of colors appear with a congruent
color ink,it is easy for the brain to process it because reading is an automatic process. For example, when the word RED is written in red ink, both the meaning of the word and the color of the ink are automatically processed.
Hypnotic and post-hypnotic suggestion have been used to study the Stroop effect
and automatic processes. Raz et al. (2002) studied both highly suggestible and low
suggestible participants after using a post-hypnotic suggestion that told them they
would have difficulty reading the words. Results showed that the low suggestible
participants were not influenced by the post-hypnotic suggestion. However, the highly suggestible participants were better able to process the incongruent examples of the Stroop test. It was also concluded that the post-hypnotic suggestion does not alter vision; for example, it does not cause blurring or tell the participant to focus on a different location (MacLeod & Sheehan, 2003).
October 9, 2009
The Brilliance of Autumn
Abby Penning
Skin Inc.
September 2009
A bold flash of color is something many people are looking for these days and
they aren't being let down in the realm of makeup. The hues for eyes, lips, cheeks
and skin this fall are offering a much-needed jolt of energy, blending well thought-out
basics with smart swaths of red, blue, purple, green, pink, orange and yellow.
"I call fall a study in contrasts. The colors are more unique and thoughtful than we
usually find for autumn," says Leatrice Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone
Color Institute and founder of www.morealivewithcolor.com. Acknowledging the
season's pensive mood but also noting a touch of newer things on the horizon, J.
Scott Berry, a professional makeup artist, and southeast regional manager and
skin care and spa consultant with Repechage, says, "Colors are more sophisticated.
I'd sum up the look as a return to basics with a new millennium flair."
Eiseman adds, "Fashion designers are acknowledging the tricky economic time by
using dependable, fundamental basics, but people also don't want to do the same
old, same old, which is a great place for cosmetics to come in and offer more of an
opportunity to use color."
Of course, spa professionals and makeup artists are in a perfect position to provide
clients with the additional brightness new seasonal colors can bring, so now is the
time to invest in key new makeup items for autumn.
Radiant Complexion
"As an esthetician, I'm most thrilled about the sheer foundations in Leesburg,
Florida. Well-maintained skin-always a top priority in spas-is being showcased for
the fall, and letting the complexion be one of makeup's main features helps spa
professionals display some of their favorite techniques. "The look is really an incredible,
perfect skin foundation, so if the skin is healthy, it looks beautiful, and you can
just let it shine through," Berry explains.
To even out a facial palette, neutral hues in warm beiges, cool taupes and creamy
tans provide great base tones. "They're classic shades that go with everything, and
they're great bookends for the more vibrant colors of blue, red and purple," Eiseman
notes.
Clean, flawless skin also shows off a woman's personal coloring, but it needs the
right prep work, too. "Making makeup look great on the skin is definitely all about
exfoliation and hydration," says Tricia Campbell, director of education for jane
iredale-The Skin Care Makeup. "You need a good moisturizer and a good eye
cream; eyes need as much hydration as possible."
Additionally, a simple step can help cosmetics stay in place. "Makeup disappears
as you wear it throughout the day," Berry explains. "You can avoid this by simply
applying a primer underneath foundation and eye shadow. It's a quick, two-second
step that helps the makeup last so much longer." Kimberly Frey, creative director
for Brush Up With Barbara and Mineral Mine, agrees, saying, "Foundation primer
is a perfect way of prepping the skin for cosmetics. It helps so the makeup doesn't
grab, caking up in places. It just glides right on with a primer."
Properly maintained, well-treated skin offers a healthy, vibrant aspect to any
makeup look and, with an eve.smooth complexion, the possibility to highlight
certain colors and features on the face is even greater. Creating that beautiful
base of flawless skin is always one of the most vital aspects of a good cosmetics
look, but it is essential with this autumn's focus on the skin.
Shining eyes
The eyes are the facial feature where some of the boldest, brightest, most unique
colors take the stage this fall. Serious base shades in brown, green and gray are
lightened up with pretty pops of pinkish reds and bold purples for the eyelids, while
deep shades of blue and indigo are offering a particularly powerful punch in the liner
department. Berry comments, "There are a lot of earth tones, but they're not the
earth tones of several years ago, which were pretty dull. These have some vibrancy,
even if they are a little more matte, especially on the eyes."
Warm browns, earthy greens and yellow golds will help to ground the more vivid
eye shadow hues, as will an enriched shade of gray. "The iron shade is a strong
gray with undertones of brown. It's very versatile and looks great against almost
any skin tone," Eiseman explains, noting that iron also matches well when mixed
with little bursts of pinkish orange and dusty deep pink on the lids.
Another strong shadow shade-purple-also isn't going anywhere, although it's not
quite the smoky hue from seasons past. "It's very practical that purple is sticking
around because people can reuse the purple products they already own," says
Eiseman. "To make it look new, you can use different ways-contrast it with lighter,
brighter color, or wear it in a different way."
 
Those seeking a darker, smokier look don't have to go far in this season's cosmetics
shades to find a little more edge. "Eye shadows for the fall include a sheer pink,
a taupe nearly nude shade and a smoky, metallic gray. Metal and rich metallic
shades are really big for the fall," Campbell notes. Eiseman also sees a metallic
sheen to the season, though she says she's noticing golds, silvers, bronzes and
coppers in more burnished, delustered states.
Eye liner-always a staple to help eyes stand out-is showing up in interesting colors
this season, but there is one in particular that's a must. Campbell explains, "A key
color for fall this year is blue-it is the new black when it comes to the eyes. Using a
blue eye liner on the inside rim of the eyes really helps them pop, opens up the eye
and makes the whites of the eyes appear brighter." Eiseman also sees the presence
of blue in the season, saying, "It's not too bright, more subdued, but it's a classic spring
color that is showing up in the fall, which really helps bridge the seasons and brings
more versatility from the spring to the rest of the year."
This autumn's blue brings a little more moodiness than the traditional spring pastel
tints, though. In fact, to create a bold evening look, Campbell suggest the following:
"Take a blue eye pencil to cover the lash line and use it lightly all the way up to the
lid crease. Then, for a night out, add a twilight gray shadow over the top of it for
really intense, smoky eyes."
Multiple shadows and shades aren't always necessary for a bold, sought-after eye,
however. "You don't have to have three separate eye shadows to get a three eyes
shadow-look," says Berry. "With just one shadow, you can apply a base loosely
with a large brush. Then, with the same color and using a small brush, you can
create some contouring along the brow bone and in the crease. Next, you can
wet that same shadow to use as a liner, applying it along the lash line with a very
fine brush."
Frey also suggests refreshing eyes after a long workday, saying "A shadow or
liner color's intensity is really what changes from day to night in makeup, and
to make sure your eye makeup doesn't get washed out, an eyeliner sealer can be
used. It can help intensify the same color from a more work look to an evening
one while still using the same shades."
Jeweled Lips
Full and vibrant for autumn, lips are getting an infusion of color courtesy
of shades such as pinks touched with rose and orange, nutmeg-tinged copper
and the stalwart red. "I love red lips," says Berry. "Vibrant, bright colors on the
lips have been trying to sneak in since about 2002, and American women really
hadn't been buying it, but more and more, they are coming around. Nothing is
more attractive than red lips, and it doesn't have to be fire-engine red, but just
some good, bright color." With cooler hues prevailing on the eyes, the mouth is
a feature on the face that can harbor warmer color. For example, a bold rose
red color is something Eiseman is also enjoying this fall. "It's not a bright cherry
red, but a more vibrant rosy hue. It's a great color coming into the holidays," she
explains, calling it a happy marriage of pink and red. Additionally, she notes, "It's
really flattering next to the skin."
Seeing a quieter side of autumn's lips,, Campbell says the metallics will also
be moving down from the lids to the mouth, but in a more lip-appropriate, warmer
tone. "With the blues, silvers and metallics on the eyes, a great nutmeg, coppery
lip gloss gives the lips just the right glittery sheen with a touch of smooth color,"
she explains. However, she notes, "You can do a more dramatic lip too, maybe a
really deep berry, to pair with really silvery-sheen eyes."
Pairing the right lip color with the right eye color is really the target to hit this
fall, with some of the best matches being the hues opposite each other on
the color wheel. Eiseman suggest a more goldenly pink hue on the lips to
match eyes in a deeper purple, or going with a rose red to match with iron
shaded lids.
Pairing the bolder colors also requires a delicate touch with the texture, Frey
notes. "I think the matte lip is coming back around. It's one of those things
where everything old is new again," she says. "However, it's not powdery
matte; it's more like a lip stain that is geared toward a more neutral look." The
fresh pinks, reds and copper tones of lip glosses, stands and sticks will help
the mouth look lively this autumn-it's just a matter of finding the shade that
suits each client best.
Luminous Color
This fall really offers makeup options for anyone's taste, from metallically sheened natural hues in iron and earth tones to deep, bold touches of red, purple and blue. "The uniqueness of the season is going to come from the different ways the colors are combined," says Eiseman. "It's time to do something experimental-go for the unusual, the unique. Build a beautiful mosaic out of the colors. You want to do what flatters the skin tone the most. To only use warm colors on warm skin tones and cool colors on cool skin tones is really doing a disservice to a woman, I think. You need to have a balance of temperatures."
This season's shades are great to mix and match in whatever ways a person prefers. "Everything is so versatile," Campbell notes. "You can use a nude or nutmeg pencil to line the lips to go with a coppery gloss, and use gold or silver to line the eyes for a shimmery pop."
You can also use the variety of hues to revamp the look a a client who doesn't have too much to spare for a whole new color palette. "The bolder colors are great as highlights, and they also acknowledge the more conservative mind-set of the consumer," Eiseman explains. "Using the color combinations helps give people something new."
Really, the key for this fall is to follow what looks best in a bold way. "If you add a little color to the face and know how to do it right, it can give someone a whole different-and a much better-day." Berry says.
October 5, 2009
What your car color says about you
The Color Answer Book
Vibrant Red: Sexy, speedy, high-energy, and dynamic
Deep Blue-Red: Some of the same qualities as red, but far less obvious about it
Orange: Fun loving, talkative, fickle, and trendy
Sunshine Yellow: Sunny disposition, joyful, and young-at-heart
Yellow Gold: Intelligent, warm, loves comfort and will pay for it
Dark Green: Traditional, trustworthy, well balancedz
Bright Yellow-Green: Trendy, whimsical, lively
Light to Mid Blue: Cool, calm, faithful, quiet
Dark Blue: Credible, Confident, dependable
Deep Purple: Creative, individualistic, original
Neutral Gray: Sober, corporate, practical, pragmatic
White: Fastidious
Black: Empowered, not easily manipulated, loves elegance, appreciates classic
Silver: Elegant, loves futuristic looks, cool
Taupe: Timeless, basic, and simple tastes
Deep Brown: Down-to-earth, no-nonsense
worldfamousmag.com has these additional insights on car color
Brown: If you have a brown car that signifies that you are reliable. You are true to
yourself and to those around you. You are earthy and don't engage in "showboating. You are approachable, responsible and worthy of friendship.
Black: A slick black car is the epitome of power and authority. Think CIA or Secret Service. If you have a black car, you are sending the message that you are in control and are self-assured.
White: There are many white cars on the road. What they say about their owners has a lot to do with their upkeep. A clean white car shows that you pay attention to detail. You are careful and pure. A dirty white car makes you look sloppy and indifferent.
October 2, 2009
True Colors
AAA Magazine Westways
Peter Bohr
Our director Leatrice Eiseman was quoted in this article by Peter Bohr
Q: Should I be concerned about any practical considerations when choosing the
color of my next car? Or should I just choose whatever looks good to me?
A: My last car was painted yellow. Vivid yellow. The color of an egg yolk, a springtime
daffodil, the morning sunrise. And according to Leatrice Eiseman, author of several books about color, my car-color choice indicated a sunny disposition, joyfulness, and being young at heart.
I chose yellow for the same reason that most folks select their car's color: I liked it. Simple as that. I didn't put much thought into it.
However, the choice of a car's color may have more profound consequences than merely demonstrating to fellow highway travelers that you are fastidious (white), elegant and cool (silver), empowered (black) or sexy and speedy (red). It can affect your pocketbook. It can affect howmuch care your car will require. It might even affect your safety.
First, common misperceptions. It's logical to assume that a speeding driver in a brightly colored car is likely to attract attention from an officer of the law. Police don't talk about such things, but in reality, radar guns are color-blind.
Then there's the urban legend about insurance companies using the vehicle identification number to determine a car's color and boost rates for cars painted flashy colors. But color isn't encoded in the VIN. And some states-California among them-don't allow color as a rating factor. "Vehicle type is an allowable factor," says AAA actuarial manager Joe Evleth, "but no one has attempted to stretch this to include color."
White, silver, and light colors, especially ones containing metallic flakes, show fewer defects and also are the easiest to keep up, says Mike Pennington of Meguiar's Inc., a maker of care-care products. Years ago, black, red, and dark colors in general tended to oxidize and fade. But clear-coated paint jobs on modern cars greatly reduce oxidation issues.
Instead, clear coats accumulate fine scratches, usually from washing and drying with dirty sponges and towels. Scratches show up more vividly against dark-colored base coats, says Pennington, giving the car a dull appearance. It requires great care to prevent scratches.
Finally, there's the matter of car color and safety, a complex relationship, according to a 2004 study by the AAA foundation for Traffic Safety. For instance, white may be the most visible at night, but not against a snowy backdrop. And though red stands out during the day, it's perceived as black at night.
Still, a Spanish study showed that light-colored cars were slightly less likely to be hit
by another car, and that black cars were the most likely. A study from New Zealand showed that black cars, as well as brown and green cars, were twice as likely to be involved in serious-injury crashes than silver or white cars.
My current car's color? Dark blue, which says I'm dependable and credible. Boring, perhaps, but good traits for a writer.
Look for additional car color information in the next blog edition.
Back to Top
|
