Pink? Weren't these supposed to be magenta color combinations, you ask? Yes, quite right. To clarify, these rosy pinks are part of the magenta color family in the Resonance Color System (RCS). Think of them as light magentas. To illustrate this magenta, white and yellow-green palette, I've picked colors from the Miller Paint Company's Color Is collection based on their shared qualities of warmth and clarity - qualities which place them into one of nine distinct Color Zones, as illustrated below. The differences are subtle, but that's what RCS is all about. As you can see, each one of the colors in the illustrations on the bottom row are warmer - the white is creamy, for example. On the top row, the colors are cooler - the magenta is more purply, the white bluer. This shows the difference in temperature between Color Zones. Also, if you focus on the columns of the illustration, you will notice that the images in the left column are more faded, as if they were in the shade, particularly compared to the ones on the right column. They are, indeed, muted or grayed versions of the colors on the right column. In RCS, muted vs clear are the qualities that address color resolution. Colors sharing the same temperature and resolution do look fabulous together. They also create a certain feeling or mood as a Color Zone. (More details about each Color Zone here). And that makes all the difference when you are choosing colors for that just-right-for-you space. Or outfit. Or graphic design. Color Zones set the foundation for a color combination - they are color psych 101 - which is then fine-tuned for your needs by the individual color families you choose from within that Color Zone. As an example, look at how different the same setting is in the illustration below. The EARTHY combination is softer and more comfy, whereas the VIBRANT combination feels more lighthearted and fun. And yet, they are both warm. Which do you like better? The best Color Zone for you and the Healing Palette that you choose may well depend on your project, on what you need colors for - painting a room for your child? For you? The family room? An art project? Your wardrobe?
Most likely, there will be a Color Zone that feels like it is so YOU. Let me know when it emerges... I'd love to hear from you.
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Magenta is everywhere I look in my garden this early spring, presenting itself in forms varying from the softest pinks to exuberantly dramatic hot pinks. This may seem an unlikely choice for the first color in a healing palette, but the essence of magenta has actually been the first thing to burst forth as the coronavirus epidemic hit us: in the crisis response, the values of loving-kindness, responsive compassion, humanity and imaginative resourcefulness embodied by magenta have been the shield used by our frontline responders, despite being bombarded by chaos from all sides.
Lighter magentas – rosy pinks – are nurturing, in the way that a parent cuddles and protects a baby. A feeling of safety that most of us yearn for right now in such anxiety-laden times, right? New growth green, the predominant green of this time of the year, is included in this palette for its qualities of suppleness, flexibility, tolerance and openness. It is also a color that encourages curiosity, discovery, exploration – much needed as we adapt to our new circumstances and find new ways to connect with each other. White wipes the slate clean. It is the color of hope. With its bright, clean purity, it opens us to all possibilities while brushing away debris. This palette therefore brings together compassionate resourcefulness and nurturing with the flexibility and tolerance needed to deal with our current world while keeping hope alive. Lots of examples of this palette in the next post! It is a gloriously sunny Spring afternoon here in northern Oregon. It’s the perfect temperature for a walk to stretch legs and disperse mental cobwebs. The frogs in the pond have started their evening serenade early. Cherry blossom snow has blown away, tulips open their faces to the sun in the morning, close them in the evening, and the rhododendrons are bursting out in stages here and there – trying to keep up with the azaleas. Idyllic.
And yet, today, in this country, we have lost another 2000+ people to this virus that is ravaging the world. It is heartbreaking. And it adds to the anxiety, fear, worry and stress we are all feeling to one extent or another as we social distance while looking out for one another and mourn loss of lives, jobs and independence of movement. And yet, many of us are also finding this to be a time of introspection and mindful self-searching. So, as someone passionate about colors – how they affect us, support us, resonate with us – I began to wonder how we might use color to help abate the negatives and boost the positives of our current situation. Healing palettes, perhaps? In each posting, I’ll talk about the psychological and emotional effects of a single hue/color family and then create color combinations with it. The end goal is to build out a full palette for each Color Zone with samples from all 15 Resonance Color hues using different media – paint colors, yarns and graphics. All hues will be included because what may feel healing to me is not necessarily what is healing for you. Although we are all in this together, we are affected differently and therefore will follow different paths of recovery. With the paint colors, I’ll propose palettes for your consideration should sheltering in place include painting your walls in order to create a personally supportive ‘color trend’ that works for you and your family during this challenging time. As for the yarn, I bought a packet of 109 gorgeous mini skeins of Scheepjes Catona some time ago. I’ve sorted them into their respective Color Zones and will crochet them into an assortment of flowers motifs. I’m imagining flowering cushions, handbags, tablemats, and… well, we’ll see what emerges. Now, for the graphics, given that I am not a graphic designer, I will rely on the designs of talented graphic designers who have made their work available through various subscription services. OK. I’ll get started. Please check back every few days for a new addition to healing palettes. |
Color StoriesColor Zones = Color Psych 101 - The foundation, the mood and energy setting. Archives
September 2020
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