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In my previous blog I coverd the event for the Sherwin-Willaims Colormix event for 2012, in Salt Lake City Utah hosted by Daltile a few months back.  My previous blog was a bit of an introduction to what a color forecast is, for those who may be a bit miffed about it. I included the perspective from one of my discussions on my A E Design facebook page, that I'd had with one of my followers last year, when I mentioned attending this same event the year before.
You are welcome to read back on it here. It was an interesting perspective of how this color forward, movement may be perceived by those who are not in this industry. It makes me wonder if there is a better way to bridge the gap between the creators of products & those we see as consumers.
But now on to the fun part! This is my take on the presentation, with my own inspirational examples for you to drool over. The first color grouping of four I mentioned that I will be presenting is...

Red! Hot, Beautiful, Passionate, Unforgettable Red!

REDS
"You were the first pigments we brushed on the cave wall, ground from the earth, an ancient handprint, a hunter’s still chasing its target. You precede the words we’re left with to describe you: aboriginal, Neolithic, blood and fire, danger and victory. You’re our past made suddenly present and the warm heat of transformation: the V on the Masai warrior’s chest, the kiss left by a Hollywood starlet. Well never solve your eternal mystery: how the easiest pigment to make remains the hardest to forget, from the images our young eyes first imagined flickering in the firelight to the walls that now warm this room"~Sherwin-Willaims Colormix
 
 
With the recent tragedy in Japan, we are finding more & more of the Japanese cultural influences’ in our fashion, interiors & art. Representations of spirituality, such as the simplicity & color of a monks robe are being introduced into the fashion world. Patterns & complexity’s in Architectural design are being translated into luxurious intricate textiles.
Colors around us are becoming increasingly more vibrate & colorful. We are now coming out of the initial shock, of a living in a broken economy. There is more self awareness & motivation to move forward with focus on improvement. These colors reflect the movement to stand up for something. To be heard. To move out of your comfort zone & take risks.
We are seeing movement toward taking more responsibility for our health. There is more media supporting the promotion offitness & health. Many Doctors are becoming celebrity's becuase of our desire to take charge of our well being. We are taking back our power to insist that our foods be healthy & natural. There is more responsibility being taken by consumers to make changes that benefit our health & the health of our environment, now & for the future.
In fashion & design reds are becoming hotter & warmer…from the soft peaches to the corals to the bright tomato reds…then cooling off into the softer cooler toned reds…combinations of these colors are typically become more monochromatic & analogous, being paired with rich relating warm tones.

In cosmetics, brilliant red hair color is the creating new drama...which drama is even more intensely reflected in the fashion world. Alexander McQueen's design are a perfect example of this. Trends show that since 2011 inspiration has being taken from the human body.Skulls adorn almost everything fromshoes, purses to clutches. The skeleton has become an inspiration for designers which has been leading into sculptor, art & even fashion that begins to take its vibe from the automatically correct heart, to the circulatory system.
 
Red is all about awareness, contrast, warmth & drama. We see with red in its ability to invoke deep inner feelings of intensity & passion within us. We are using this to our advantage. Red is powerful but we know how to harness this power to utilizes its beauty to create more of what is good & needed in this world. We know red can be angry, hateful & can represent turmoil but we chose to see it in its, love & beauty. On that note of love & beauty I just love these beautiful Asian inspired dresses by Zuhair Murad.
 
 
These Reds do not want to be taken too seriously though. Paired with fun pinks, fuchsias at the end of 2011 it is moving into a paring with purple & plums to create a comfortable yet inviting drama. The deeper the purple, the more we seem to love it. We want to be dynamic & daring. Designer Gucci must have known that going into Fall 2011. So striking & unforgettable is his new collection that we know that we will be seeing variations of these combinations going into the year 2012.
 
Posted by April Smith on January 4th, 2012 1:35 PMPost a Comment (0)

So here is My Sherwin-Willaims Colormix 2012 Color Forecast Event Review…but first the Controversy, how do you feel about a Color Forecast?

So a few months ago, Daltile in Salt Lake City Utah held the Sherwin-Willaims Colormix even for 2012. This is the second year they have promoted & sponsored this event & after the last one…I was not going to miss it for anything!

That meant running to pickup children (one of them early) & having my sweet mother take my daughter to ballet & my rushing after the event to go get her…you do what you’ve got to do sometimes!

When it comes to the New Hot colors of the year every brand, group or company is going to have there own take on it. So just so you are aware another paint company will focus on different combinations & tones of these colors but you will still see a consistency in how they all relate. I find it all very fascinating.

This is what you would get right now if you were to google color trend 2012. Here also is the link for the Pantone Fashion 2012 Spring Color Report. Pantone is a big industry to follow if you love knowing what is new & upcoming in color trends.



Here is the handout I got from my Sherwin-Williman Colormix event. Last year there was more emphasis on color groupings that were more complimentary, split complimentary & triadic. This year they had divided them into four more analogous almost monochromatic groups that they categorized as Red, Blue, Green & Neutral.

In the following next four blogs I will cover each one & its focus, inspiration & share the things that personally inspire me from these four different color palettes.

But first I want to bring up the controversy…

Last year when I mentioned going to this event on my facebook business page A E Design, it got quite the discussion going.

Here is one of the comments that I received from a lady I will call ~”CC”

Who decides? And are people so gullible that they just want to choose what they're told is giong to be popular? Is it part of the "planned obsolescence" that manufacturers use--where they design things to wear out and they want us to buy new things?~CC

This it is interesting to see that to some the color forecast, seems more like a color dictatorship….My response was rather lengthy but here it is….I put it in terms that I hoped most folks could relate to.

“There is a huge committee of design experts who get together every year that looks at the lifestyles & the influences of our culture based on where the world is at & we are at as people. They decide what the strongest influences will be & they follow the trends & products that are already evolving, what is available & what people are being drawn to.…...“You can look at it as a negative that people “dictate” what will be in style, but there has to be order in all things. It works well because when the colors are similar everywhere you go you can find a skirt at Kohl’s & a blouse that matches at Target. You can find towels at one store & a complimentary rug at another. It actually creates consistency & order. Color has a huge scientific & psychological impact on people & that is always considered by these experts….. Everything around you has been designed & created by someone….Not just the items you dislike but the items you love in the colors you love. “~Moi

I also said this regardless of the reaction I might receive…

“In a struggling economy those in a creative field seem to be the least appreciated in this sort of expertise. What people take for granted is that Colors experts, designers & Artists have a bigger influence in our world then are given credit. Our world would be unattractive & chaotic without them working to create visual order….plus their jobs are just as valuable to them, as well as they have to put food on the table for their own families.”~Me again

Her response to mine was…..

“I am not disappointed in the committee approach, it just surprises me a bit that it kind of imposes limitations on an artist's personal flair. Everyone kind of moves to the same colors for a period of time. In some ways, the order also makes other color combinations less appealing. Quite political isn't it? “~CC

So, is the color forecast limiting? Or is in inspiring? I actually think by circulating through colors, combinations & trends each color gets a chance in the spotlight. I also think that although we need & crave change we also need consistency all around us in our products & environments’….just some thoughts.

So I am curious…How do you feel about a Color Forecast?







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