I know it is only January, but I'm already thinking spring!
And so is the Pantone Color Institute. The organization has just released their seasonal color report, and while this is specifically written for the fashion and
design industry, we art-minded peeps are sure to find it equally interesting,
even if we don't match our oil painting or watercolor palettes to the trends
they are predicting.
Apparently hot neon colors and soft pastels are going to be
the talk of the spring season. Plein air painters know what this is
about-nature at its extremes. An incandescent sunset, the ocean glimmering as
evening settles with lightning pulsing in the distance-all of these create the
kind of environment when bright and soft colors mingle, just as fashion
designer Nanette Lepore points out.
Yellow is going to be a key color of the spring season. And
thinking through that, is anyone really surprised. The warm richness of yellow
is what sunlight is all about. Plus, yellow is never given enough credit for
being the backbone of a lot great greens.
Pantone is also predicting a couple of interesting neutrals
for this year: Driftwood and Starfish. The names are less than informative, but
the colors are interesting. They made me think of coastal rocks and clay creek
beds.
What colors are you going to unleash in your pastel, oil,
acrylic, watercolor—whatever!—paintings and drawings this spring? Let me know!
