Dear Color Lovers,
Just a reminder that when viewing colors online the computer monitor colors may vary. Thank hue for your understanding. Enjoy
May 30, 2008
How does color thinking evolve?
An Update on Consumer Responses, Part ll
Editor's note: The following is excerpted in part from Color Messages and Meanings, A Pantone Resource Book. Part 1 of this article appeared in the Winter 2007 issue of Innovation.
EVOLVING COLOR CONCEPTS
From INNOVATION MAGAZINE • A QUARTERLY OF THE INDUSTRIAL DEIGNERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA
SPRING 2008 • By Leatrice Eiseman, Affiliate IDSA
Many color concepts remain stedfast in consumers' minds, rarely changing. Still, color thinking can, and does, evolve over time. In the previous issue of Innovation, I wrote about some of the color word-association responses collected during my 22-year stint as color consultant to Pantone. Last time I discussed the warm colors. Here I address the cool tones.
Defying Cool
Long associated with the serenity of a clear blue sky, the human mind easily wraps itself around the concept of blue as serene, tranquil and constant. It is the light, mid- and deep blue shades that bring a feeling of respite and introspection - quiet, cool permanence. Such association translates blue into a symbolic image of dependability and loyalty. Obviously, this works well in brand image and signage as it inspires a remarkable dedication from the consumer.
Blue is the first choice for corporate branding and identification. The constant challenge of such a pervasive use of a specific color is to keep it looking fresh and not hackneyed . If the essential message begs for a true blue image that speaks of integrity, look to a dominant blue used in innovative combinations.
But beware the oft-repeated messages that place all members of a color family under one umbrella. All blues are not calming. For example, for the Greek electos, meaning "gleaming, shy and brilliant," come the electric blues.
These are the glowing hues that defy the typically cool message of the blue family, demonstrating the spark that can emanate from this glittering shade. Vivid blue are now used as familiar signal colors - especially in high-tech applications such as the control panel on a slick new appliance.
An Avocado Comeback
With a multitude of greens so plentiful in the surrounding world, the human eye literally sees more green than any other color. As a result, green can convey many moods.
An abundance of green also indicates the availability of water - so necessary for human survival. A majority of people see green as symbolic of nature and new beginnings, as green refreshes, restores and reaffirms that the seasons repeat in exactly the same sequence every year, always heralded by the emergence of the tender green shoots in spring.
Leafy greens also connect with newness, youth and growth. Various other greens, especially yellow greens, identify vegetables and fruits - fresh, healthy and so important in today's organic world. Even the formerly reviled avocado green has taken on a new cache. Green continues as the symbolic color family representing sustainability and eco-consciousness. This goes far beyond trend and embraces a cause that resonates with many of todays' consumers. But be aware that there is also a growing skepticism of manufacturers and products that use green symbolically but are not actually green.
In children's markets, the dedication to yellow green is more about the continuing saga of Shrek. And even thought that does no seem like a new influence, the shelf life of a color can continue as a legend grows. In fact it is continuing, with a new Shrek stage musical slated to open later this year and another film in 2010.
Studies show that greens with an undertone of blue are among the most popular in that family. For example, teal is a thoughtful color that excludes confidence and is considered more elegant than an ordinary green or blue embracing the symbolic qualities of both. It is a tasteful color, often preferred by those who appreciate sophisticated styling, a rather upscale shade that could not be described as ordinary.
Back to Black
Purple is also not considered ordinary, defining many moods. Depending on the undertones of the shade and its positioning with other colors, purple can be exciting and energizing, even sensual (thanks to mother red), or mysterious and somewhat mystical. The blue purples have been used to express certain heavenly, transcendental or spiritual properties, taking awareness to a higher level of awareness to a higher level of thought in relaxation to the cosmos. With new-age philosophies proliferating, these shades have become more mainstream.
Purple flowers and foods are more distinctive in appearance and taste than most, supporting the uniqueness of the hue. Think aubergine, the elegant French word for eggplant. It's definitely an acquired taste. Think berries, grapes and purple plums - as sweet as they might be, a burst of tang often accompanies the first bite.
The exclusivity concept attached to purple came about because of affordability and availability. In ancient times, only the wealthy could buy purple garments as the dye was extracted from tiny mollusks - approximately 336,000 snails yields one ounce of dye. So purple became the provenance of kings, queens, nobles and wealthy, powerful patrons. That concept is completely lost in todays more democratic approach to color usage, where people of any background can embrace a color simply because it appeals to them and is affordable.
In my recent book Color Messages and Meanings, I could not resist a quote from Alice Walker's The Color Purple, so I included it on the page showing the various purple tones and meanings. She wrote, "I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."
Strange as it may seem, white is perceived as a color. Pure white is highly visible to the human eye and, because of its clarify and reflectance value, is viewed as brilliant. Pure white always has been and will remain the ultimate color of purity and cleansing . Temperature-wise, it always says cool.
Black is not only the quintessential color of power and empowerment but also of staying power. In consumers' minds, black invariably adds elegance, sophistication and greater perceived value. And regardless of media's inevitable question to me regarding the 'new black,' my response is: Black is the new black!
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Dr. Alan Hirsch, M.D., is a founder and neurological director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago
Matthew Suttor is a composer and lecturer in sound design at the Yale School of Drama.
May 13, 2008
We were fascinated by writer Peter Schjeldahl descriptive color terms in the
CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK
MEDIUM COOL
“A show of small, tidy canvases at the punctiliously hip New Museum designates Tomma Abts, the Turner Prize-winning German-English painter, who is forty years old, as the doyenne of a sudden fashion for good old abstract painting in newfangled guises. She’s pretty cool. Her one-of-a kind (though all of a type) compositions deploy serpentines, polygons, rays, and other generic forms in schemes of stringent color: worried red, disgruntled gray-green, caffeinated peach.”
Excerpt from Peter Schjeldahl Critic's Notebook in the New Yorker Magazine.
May 5, 2008
The 2008 Crescent Color Trends program, includes Lee’s palette overviews.
As found in the
Crescent 2008 Color Trends Forecast
The latest trends in custom framing and home design.
W E L L S P R I N G
Water universally symbolizes cleansing and clarification. The Wellspring palette provides expression of this life-sustaining force. Its variations on blue and aqua define water’s cooling, soothing qualities. Deep undersea green, violet indigo highlight the blues with a glimmer of effervescence. Porcelain and shades of Rust ground the combinations, providing balance.
C H I N O I S E R I E
The Chinoiserie palette suggests Asian-inspired design, a style based on the blending of graceful shapes and charming motifs found in ancient Chinese porcelain, paintings and silks. Chinoiserie artfully combines tones of Purple Wildflower with French Jonquil, bright Azalea and hushed greens. And, as always, the traditional touch of antiqued Chinese True Red.
A G R E S T I C
In this palette the culture of handcrafted materials takes a decidedly upscale direction. It’s contemporized country, a redo of rustic textures and surfaces in new color combinations that are both comforting and unexpected. For example, mix Russet with Wasabi and accent the combo with golden Naples Yellow or Vibrant Hibiscus.
R E C O L L E C T I O N S
History repeats itself, but there are always interesting new adaptations that energize traditional themes, usually through new color mixes and new materials. ReCollections provides a link to the past, with Williamsurg Blue and muted Cong Green. Those warm familiar tones take on a fresh look when combined with surprising hues like elegant White Gold-Renaissance and warm English Rose.
N U A N C E S
Classic, nature-inspired neutral hues will always have a place in the world of home furnishings. The Nuances palette provides a beautiful collection of neutrals that can be paired and layered to create unexpected and intriguing accents. Combine Crimson with Tampico Brown or Garnet and Highlight with Brownstone.
H I G H P R O F I L E
Inspired by the styles that have managed to survive the fads and foibles of the past, the High Profile palette presents classic shades of Very White, Raven Black, Claret and Neutral Gray. It gets its glamorous accent with an impact of Cranberry, Majestic Purple and glimmering Silver – Renaissance and Gold – Renaissance.
E T H N I C C H I C
Today we have a plethora of design influences from around the globe. As urban nomads, we can wander the world, physically and digitally, looking for the styling and color language of other cultures that speaks to us. Ethnic Chic brings a new level of sophistication to this trend, paring rich hues with softer neutrals. Try Purple Wildflower with Empress Gold and Serengeti. Or juxtapose Sunset Clay against Calypso Blue and Sepia.
S A V O R I E S
The Savories palette gives you the ingredients to whip up something whimsical. In a stress-filled world filled with commitments and concerns, this palette is your recipe for turning a living space into a fanciful timeout. With its exuberant hues, you can create delightful blends like Maroon with Wasabi, then accent with vibrant Naples Yellow.
May 1, 2008
Which Red Should I Use To Paint The Wall?
New York Times - Home & Garden, May 1, 2008
Room to Improve by Stephen Milioti
Q. I want to paint a room red. How can I make sure it will feel livable?
A. You absolutely can create a comfortable room with red walls by focusing on the details and combining risk-taking with research.
One expert on color, Leatrice Eiseman, has only good things to say about red. “Red is the color of the heart, of sensuality,” said Ms. Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “It works well virtually anywhere in the home, and works particularly well in the bedroom.”
When it comes to choosing colors, Ms. Eiseman said, “I don’t like rules, but there are general guidelines.”
Start by determining what kind of feeling you want to create in the room. Darker reds, sometimes referred to as the bluer shades, produce a soothing, calming effect, she said, while brighter or golden reds offer more excitement, especially in the bedroom.
The easiest way to tell the difference between the two, she said, is to hold up a bunch of swatches and compare them. “Your eye will then clearly distinguish brighter or darker.”
Ms. Eiseman warns that a “bordello red” — a shade that is too bright or too glossy — will be hard to live with over time. She suggests choosing a true red, which has “both the brights and the darks in it.” Examples include American Beauty from Pantone and Real Red from Sherwin-Williams.
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