If you lived back in 1856 the answer would be “why yes my good chap, for sure!  You see the man pictured above– proudly displaying his freshly ‘maulvine’ dyed wool– is non other than Henry William Perkins.  Perkins is known throughout the world of textile dyeing as “The Man Who Rocked It”.

You see, he discovered the first ever synthetic dye. Prior to Perkins, things were always done “au natural”.

And though this pix depicts the scientist as being a bit long in the beard- the actual discovery of his mauve colored dye from coal tar came when Perkins was 18 years old, home goofing around over Spring Break from college (apparently in 1856, Fort Lauderdale and Cancun had yet to be discovered).

source

Since then the technology behind color making-has certainly come a long way baby!  One of the coolest and most prestige sources to learn all about the process and history of textile coloring is The Society Of Dyers And Colourist in Bradford, England.

The society which celebrated its 125th Anniversary last year is a cornucopia of color knowledge and happenings.  Always on the lookout for the next great ‘dyer and designer”, the society holds a rather colorful competition each year.  I recently received this info and thought I would share it with LIFC readers:

Countdown continues as Society of Dyers and Colourists’ search for UK’s next top designer

The search is well underway to find the globe’s most creative young talent as the deadline nears for entries to the Society of Dyers and Colourists’ (SDC) annual International Design Competition.

As the leading educational charity dedicated to advancing the science of colour worldwide, the Bradford-based SDC, which celebrated its 125th anniversary last year, encourages the creative use of colour in fashion and textile design and is a committed supporter of the next generation of young designers.

The competition, which is sponsored by Clariant, the Clothworkers’ Company and the Dyers Company, is open to undergraduates registered on fashion/textile design courses and asks students to submit a piece which demonstrates the creative, imaginative and original use of colour in either fashion or textiles.

This year, the students have been asked to demonstrate socially responsible thinking in their approach to their original design or written statement which accompanies the submission and explains the designer’s inspiration or theme behind their piece.

The 2010 International Design Competition is expected to draw around 100 entries from 30 colleges and universities across the UK. The UK finalist will be announced on 7th May and will go on to compete against winners from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore and South Africa, at the grand final which will be held in London on 5th October 2010 at the historical Clothworkers’ hall.

Each of the finalists’ work will be exhibited at the event and judged by an industry panel including leading retail investor, entrepreneur and chair of the British Fashion Council, Harold Tillman.  The global winner will receive the SDC Colour Design Award 2010, with a cash prize of £1000, plus the Veronica Bell Trophy.

winner of the award in 2008- how cool is that trophy!

Comments Susie Hargreaves, Chief Executive of the SDC: “The Society has more than a century’s worth of knowledge and experience working within the fashion and textile industry and we are especially proud of our role working with young people on the science of colour. There have been huge changes in the industry during this time but the science and beauty of colour remains fascinating. This competition is a good way to explore the innovative ideas and new techniques used by some of the best student designers who really embrace the use of colour in their designs.

The Society has a long-standing relationship with educational institutions across the world and in addition to the International Design Competition; it awards bursaries and grants and sponsors various industry awards including the new CSI Colour Award 2010.  To introduce students to the technical world of colour and, in particular, to the practical issues involved in putting their creative skills to best use, the SDC runs a College Membership Scheme providing knowledge, information and insights to help students convert colour creativity into colour application.

A full design competition brief is available from the Society with a list of regional contacts to whom enquiries regarding country-specific briefs should be sent. Alternatively, the competition briefs and various related document can be downloaded from the SDC website.

Let the dyeing begin!!!!

First off: the official logo of Vancouver 2010. The little rock guy based on traditional rock formation landmarks used by natives in the Arctic Region (his name BTW is IIanaaq, meaning friendship) has been causing a bit of color controversy.

You see, it seems that typically official Olympic logos would include all 5 colors of the Olympic rings, as was first designed back in 1912.  A quick refresher: each color represents a continent.  Many were confused when designers left the color black out of IIanaaq, instead replacing it with a deep blue.

source

In defense of the designers- I get it, the dark blue does look way better for IIaanaq’s rocky arms and they did use black for the text.  So really what’s the big deal?  Especially when you get an eyeful of the logo for London 2012. Now that’s shocking!

source

Apparently the Vancouver logo was meant to represent the regional landscapes of Canada. Blues and greens for the land and water, yellow for the sun and red for the Canadian Maple leaf. I can only guess then that the London logo represents Great Britain in the 1980’s.

Another interesting color story this week is Vancouver’s choice to use brilliant blues and greens to color the backdrop of the Winter Games.

At first I thought they had read one of our many post about the combo or that it was simply an environmental theme.  Then I got a look of this picture and I totally got it.  Wow! BC is breathtakingly pretty!

Blue Mountain Winery in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia

The only thing is- I must admit the green is totally throwing me off as I’ve been watching.  I guess I didn’t realize how much I depend on color clues to follow along on the action.  I just can’t wrap my head around American athletes wearing Green.

Is it just me?

Even though his green helmet threw me off- how very cute is Bode Miller.? And with a name like Bode, what other career path do you think he could he have possibly taken besides professional skier?

I do however love the green rings.

On the fashion side, I must say I very much appreciate the team’s cool ombre  jackets.  Very chic, says me.

And the jolting “pop” of punk rock pink of Shen and Zhoa’s semi-final costumes were super cute.  Loved how when she twirled through the air you got that splash of energetic pink from the flip side of her skirt!!!

Why male skaters insist on always showing their chests-remains a mystery.

But my favorite use of color by far goes to returning Gold Medal winner, Russian Federation skater Evgeni Plushenko.

Menacing in “arch enemy” sparkling black (a role he apparently has chosen for himself). This guy is commanding on the ice!

I’m not sure if you caught the 2 minute clip about Plushenko that NBC ran prior to him skating last night.  Honestly, I thought I had been transported back to the cold war of the 1980’s.  They might as well have been playing a Russian version of Darth Vadar’s theme in the background…the music they did use, was so very close.

It was fantastic!  The brooding athlete referring to his ‘enemies’ not wanting him back.  The whole cold depiction of Russia, I was half expecting to see Mikhail Baryshnikov’s character from White Nights in the background.  The only sign that the interview was not taking place in 1983 was when Plushenko’s car drove by a Russian McDonald’s–otherwise total flashback.  All I could think was that the London 2012 logo would have felt right at home.

all Olympic images taken from the Vancouver 2010’s official website

‘Wo-hoo!”

The Simpsons and their signature color will be showing up all over Fox this week. ‘Simpson-ized’ sayings worthy of Bart and Homer are set to be featured across prime-time programing banners, Fox newscasters will sport yellow ties and even the channel’s Twitter and Facebook pages will get a sunny makeover.

The week will end with the anniversary episode, followed by a 90 minute special ‘The Simpsons in 3D On Ice’ directed by Morgan Spurlock (of the documentary “Super Size Me”-fame).

AOL has compiled a list of their favorite opening sequences of the iconic cartoon. Check out this season’s new opener, featuring a not-so-hospitable  Simpsons’ family couch. Carry on Homer and crew- I’ll be cracking open a Duff beer in your honor!

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/doh-homer-turns-fox-yellow/feed/ 1 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/put-your-own-stamp-on-the-holidays-a-colorful-giveaway/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/put-your-own-stamp-on-the-holidays-a-colorful-giveaway/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:39:25 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=7143 The other day while driving out to do a little holiday spending, I heard the most fascinating interview on NPR with JOEL WALDFOGEL-author of a new book entitled:“Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents For The Holidays”.  Mr. Waldfogel, the chair of business and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, was there to discuss with host Jennifer Ludden “Is gift giving bad for the economy?”.

Now don’t let the title fool you.  Mr. Waldfogel doesn’t believe that we should all stop buying each other presents. Instead he was there to talk about the value of a gift going far beyond it’s price tag- and I don’t mean in the ‘it’s the thought that counts kind of way’. He believes that ‘good gifting’ provides the ‘giftee’ with something that they like, appreciate and/or need and in return supplies the ‘gifter’ with a nice level of personal shopping satisfaction.

all tied up over what to buy!

photo source

He states that while we do pretty well with buying gifts for those in our closest circle, as a society we tend to run into trouble with our inability to shop ‘well’ for those that we don’t know ‘well’.  His theory is that bad- or as he calls it “sloppy” spending= the devaluing of giving.  And this is what he believes we should stop doing.

When we are put in the position to spend money on ’stuff’ that we don’t know if the other person needs or wants our shopping satisfaction drops.  The same rings true when we receive a gift that we don’t need or like-we are left unsatisfied.  Wow, who knew that a box tied up with a ribbon could turn into such a head game!

As someone who tends to be in charge of buying these ‘murky water’ gifts (for teachers, hostesses, classmates, mailman etc…), I usually find myself racking my brain for good ideas this time of year.

Then as if on cue-soon after I returned home, I opened an email from my friend Sylvia asking if I wanted to share a discount code and giveaway with LIFC readers.  When I saw what the product was…all I could think was ‘Eureka!’  This is a gift that I think even Mr. Waldfogel would agree has gifter/givee satisfaction written (or should I say ’stamped’)  all over it!

Picture It Perfect Postage Stamps by endicia….a bit of Photoshopping and 2 minutes later LIFC has it’s very own stamp!

While I see personalized stamps appealing to shoppers as a gift for themselves (which they do)- I think they are the perfect gift for someone you don’t know super well.  After all we all need stamps, right?

Personalized=thoughtful and luxury, the cost coming in at $18.95 for a sheet of 20= right on price point.

I’m already thinking a great teacher’s gift would be to have your kid draw a picture of their teacher or take their class pix, scan it and turn it into a U.S. postage stamp.  Same goes for grandparents, neighbors, kids…the list goes on.

I toyed around with them a bit and its really simple to do. You can easily preview your stamp before making a commitment.

A pic of my doggie and his furry parents- styling up my holiday postage!

The stamps are bigger than most other personalized stamps, which I think makes them even more interesting.  Also, depending on your image-you can choose from either portrait or landscape format.

You’re even able to choose from a variety of background colors- to personalize it even more.

Best part: Picture It Perfect Postage Stamps is offering LIFC readers a special colorful discount (which I realized will nicely cover the shipping cost):

So here it goes-

Coupon Code: Sale

Discount: $4 off 1 pack (20 stamps), $8 off 2 packs (40 stamps),  $10 off 3 packs (60 stamps)

Expires: Dec 31, 2009

But get moving on it, because normal shipping takes up to 10 days!

www.pictureitperfect.com

Plus-one lucky reader will get a special code for a free pack of 20!  Leave me a quick comment and I’ll randomly pick a winner later today!!!!!

Ahh, I’m feeling a little more satisfied already!

According to expert Leatrice Eiseman’s article What The Color of Your Vehicle Says About You, my attraction to this vehicular hue has something to do with my underlying need to express to the world that I am: “Sexy, speedy, highly-energetic and dynamic.” On a side note she writes that if the car’s color is more Burgundy or Blue-red (as both of mine have been) then the message is the same- it’s just that I don’t feel the need to be so “obvious about it”.

Having always believed that it is best to go through life with a sense of mystery about one’s self, I’m thrilled with her analysis.

The fact that the color was originally chosen because I thought it would look good parked in front of my blue house is now thrown to the wayside, replaced instead with a clear realization that it was obviously my sexy, dynamic inner-being that actually led me twice in a row to the fiery side of the car color wheel. (Major wink,wink!)

photo source and source

All kidding aside- I must admit I do think that Ms. Eiseman is indeed onto something here.  Our cars and their colors have fascinated consumers for almost a century now. Immortalized in songs like Little Red Corvette and Pink Cadillac and driven into our psyche by pop culture-after all, could you ever imagine batman driving a yellow Batmobile or James Bond pulling up in a blue minivan?

Ms. Eiseman is one smart cookie to recognize that the color of car we choose to drive makes just as much of a statement about who we are (or perhaps like in my case, who we would like to believe we are!) as does it’s make and model number.

Last month I posted about General Motor’s sponsoring a contest that would allow one very creative auto enthusiast a chance to name one of the colors to be featured on Chevy’s first ever extended-range vehicle the Chevy Volt.  When I read the description of the nameless color as being a ‘Silver exterior with an Emerald hue’, I realized just how intricate car colors have become.

As I was toying around with my own suggestion-GoGreen (ok,ok, I know but I was banking on it’s simplistic merits), the fact that there is an actual team of people whose job it is to not only name these colors but to develop them as well-hit me.

As I watched a video on Chevy’s site featuring GM’s Lead Creative Designer Chris Webb letting us in on the importance that color plays in his job, I became even more intrigued.  Chris’s enthusiasm for what he does was infectious and I found myself really wanting to know more about what goes on behind the scenes as he and his talented crew are developing new products and colors.

A few quick emails back and forth to one of GM’s PR mavens (thanks Kristen!) and I got my big opp- a chance to have an actual cyber chat with Mr. Webb himself:

Chris Webb and his colorful work- I’m guessing this is one of those rare moments he actually gets to sit down on the job!

I have to know Chris- how did you become a color and marketing authority in the automotive industry?  Is your background in design?

YES my background is in Design. I actually studied Fashion Textiles Design with the intention of becoming a fashion designer, but ‘fate” bought me to America and the Automotive Industry. I was also a make-up artist for a short period, so I guess I always had an interest in pigments and color- and ultimately that is what car paint is!! ). I am flattered that you call me an “authority”, but I am just learning as I go-I don`t believe I’ll ever stop learning.

I’ve come to know that trend forecasters from one industry often look at what is going on in other industries when creating palettes for future seasons.  Since the automotive industry works so many years ahead, where do you look for trend direction?  Do you look to the runways or design trade shows as well?  Europe or Asia?

As I think you probably know, we work further out on trend research due to the development time of our vehicles.  As we develop a “Lifestyle Product” like any other design company, we benchmark and look at all areas of product design for color inspiration. Fashion, Architecture, Home Interiors, Cosmetics, Telecommunications etc.

We have over the years purchased various trend forecasting services like Trend Union and Peclers out of Paris, the MIX out of London and we visit many trend fairs like the Milan Furniture show. One of the biggest bonuses to being such a large global company is our international and design studies. Once a year at the Paint Supplier trend shows here in North America my global counterparts from Korea, China, Europe, Australia meet here and we exchange and share our regional color trends.

It seems that the automotive industry often leads the way in the development of new finishes and coatings. How closely do you work with the manufacturers in developing new colors and finishes?

We have 3 primary exterior body paint suppliers, PPG, BASF and DuPont. We work with them incredibly closely in North American and globally. They are always working on new experimental paints utilizing the latest pigments. We quite often use experimental looks on our Auto Show Concept Vehicles and internal models.

What makes General Motor’s colors so special?

GM has some of the most durable paint colors in the Automotive  Industry.  Many of our competitors only test their colors for approximately one year before putting them into production-where GM tests for 2 full summers in Florida, making the risk of any issues substantially less!!!

It’s pretty clear that consumer’s taste in car colors have changed over the times- from the wide spectrum of colors in the 50’s and 60’s to the more toned down palette of the 70’s and 80’s to the current popularity of colors like silver, black and whites. Do you think we will see a return of buyers wanting more color again as we move forward into the next decade?

Absolutely we will see the return of color and it is already beginning to show. As you rightly indicated Black, White, Silver and Beige have dominated the Automotive market for the past 15-20 years.  They have made up more than 50% of global vehicle sales (Silver has been the  number 1 selling color globally for all that time). Sales in Silver are now stabilizing and Gunmetal Grays or “Serious Silvers” as we call them are gaining significant popularity.

Red and Blue are also historically popular colors…Browns, Oranges and Greens have also been doing very well over the past few years. I think color will become even more noticeable for 2 primarily reasons: 1) the consumer wants to see change 2) Vehicles, especially in North America are getting smaller and more compact vehicles can carry and support brighter more chromatic colors.

Are there colors that just never seem to be popular in automotive no matter how popular they become in fashion or home?

Historically Browns, Flesh tones and Pinks have been difficult automotive colors, but even that seems to be changing. I think the biggest point to make is that many of the design rules that have existed to date are being rewritten.  Brown is now incredibly popular and part of it is due to what has been termed “The Starbucks Effect”.  Pink Cadillacs are seeing a re-emergence thanks to our wonderful relationship with Mary Kay Cosmetic’s Pink Cadillacs.

I think there are a number of reasons for not every “trend” fashion color making it to automotive:  1) we are not a seasonal product,  2) we are a very expensive non disposable product like a sweater-so consumers are inherently a little more conservative in their color purchasing decision, 3) they keep our products for a lot longer period and of course color trends are constantly changing and no one likes to look “dated” ,  and finally our products are very large….so a very attractive color on a cell phone or garment can look dramatically different and potentially very unappealing and inappropriate on a car or truck.

I totally understand that some buyers may be a bit ‘color shy’ when it comes to the body of their car-but what about the car’s interior?  Will we be seeing anything different when it comes to the color options used in the passenger areas?

Yes, color will be returning to car interiors too!!!! Now having said, we will currently not be returning to full colored interiors like Cadillac and Buick historically did. There will be a more refined and modern interpretation with elegant two tone interiors where a color will be used in conjunction with Black, Gray or Beige.  Stitching, piping and lighting are also areas we can bring color and interest to the interior without making a too trendy statement that can once again deter our customers.

How important do you think color choice is to the GM buyer?

Color is incredibly important to our consumers!! 39% of potential customers will go to a totally different brand if they can`t get the color they want and I believe this statistic could even go higher as more women purchase vehicles for themselves.  As many people know, women perceive color better than  men and are less likely to be color blind, so color could play an even more significant role in the purchasing decision in the future.

You know I have to do this– I can’t let you go without asking: “What color car do you drive?”

It is so funny I always get asked this question and I get a little embarrassed ). I drive a white Saab 93 Convertible. Almost every one of my vehicles has been Black, Silver or White and in my defense as developer of colors 3 years and more into the future…which year of color should I live in !!?? (haha). My home has color on the walls in almost every room-so I guess it time for color to return on my automobile too!!!! )

Thank You! Thank You and Thank You Chris!  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time to give us all a glimpse into your very cool and colorful job.

Oh, and by the way -don’t feel too bad about your own choices in car colors.  You can simply chalk it up the underlying fact that you are: “fastidious, empowered, not easily manipulated, elegant and appreciate the classics” !

Kate’s Talking ‘Colors That Make a Man’s Heart Race’ in this month’s Cosmo:  (Yeah!!! It’s the Fergie issue) Did you know that wearing a vibrant shade of pink can increase others’ heart rates, an electric shade of Teal attracts attention and can up your self confidence, a yellow hues can give a boost to those around you and that certain shades of purple can make you appear either coy (light purple) or mysterious (deep Amethyst) to the man of your dreams?

Cosmo takes a fun and flirty look at how your beauty routine can benefit from a little color knowledge.  Our favorite color guru Leatrice Eisman and make-up artists Jillian Dempsey and Michael Marcus also weigh in with their own colorful spin.

I had planned to show an image of the article’s layout but I’m having some scanner drama…so you’ll have to make a stop at the newsstand to see it for yourself.  Its well worth it I have to say… I realized I had completely read through ‘Get Rid of Muffin Top’ and ‘Wacked-out Things Guys Say In Bed’ before I even checked to make sure we had been included in the issue…:)

Designers Lend Their Creative Passions To a Spectacular Charity Auction: Women In Need (or WIN) is a fabulous organization that has been providing housing, help and hope to homeless families since 1983.  I was shocked to learn that there are over 100,000 homeless people in NYC alone and that 1 in 4 children in our great city are living within poverty level. With the holidays and another cold winter right around the corner these statistic truly hit home.

To help raise awareness and funds, WIN has asked a whole slew of celebs to decorate a paper mache house in their own unique style.  The houses are to be auctioned off through November 30th.  My money is on Oscar De La Renta’s.  I’m flipping for his symmetric landscaping and pink trim.  Here’s a fantastic behind the scenes look at the inspirations behind this incredible event.

Click here to view the embedded video.

‘I’m Not Really A Waitress’ And Neither Is My Laptop: Dell is one company that loves adding a little color to technology.  Their online Color Studio allows consumers to chose from over 300 cover design options featuring among them works by such artists as Tristan Eaton, Siobhan Gunning and Bruce Mau.  Dell has also collaborated with both Product(Red) and the MLB (please no one tell my son about this).  Their latest and greatest partnership is with non other than nail lacquer experts OPI.  Starting next months you can chose from 20 different classic OPI shades and 6 seasonal favorites including ‘Dear Santa’ and ‘Smitten With Mittens’.

“Beautiful nails really are the ultimate accessory to any look,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive Vice President & Artistic Director. “And now, with Dell laptops that coordinate with OPI Nail Lacquers, you can match your nails to your emails!” Parafin dip and complimentary shoulder massage not included.

A Big Book About Minis: Have you ever noticed that the tallest people drive minis (is it just an optical illusion, or am I right?).  Well, the cutest thing on 4 wheels turns the big 5-0 this year and a new book called ‘Wash Me’ pays homage to the auto’s unique spirit and style.  Car as muse- the images include works by 10 distinct artists non of whom have ever had the chance to list ‘car’ as their medium.  The Mini Brand is no stranger it seems when it comes to curating artistic expression.  I was surprised to learn that the auto company has been in an exclusive partnership since 2008 with NYC’s own Ludlow 38, an exhibition space within the Goethe-Institut in New York’s ever artsy Lower East Side.

Over 900 buildings and monuments worldwide are set to ‘go blue’ this Saturday night in honor of World Diabetes Day: “Understand Diabetes and Take Control’ is the theme of this year’s campaign.  It is estimated that around 285 million people are living with diabetes and (shocking to hear) that sufferers are responsible for about 95% of their own life long care.  With (in most cases-  preventable) Type 2 Diabetes on the raise (with an estimated 344 more people at risk), education and awareness has never been more important.  Get the facts on diabetes and read more about this colorful campaign here.  Thanks to Liberty Post, for sharing with her readers how the disease has effected her own life and making us aware of this wonderful event.

Farewell Met Home and Gourmet: Yikes!! Not much to say here….just that the world will be a little less colorful and yummy without you.  Best wishes to you all.

Without missing a beat April replied, ‘We work for Estee Lauder. We’re the ones that come up with the color names for lipstick’. Knowing full well that we would never see this duo again and because they both seemed very impressed by our colorful jobs ( truth be told we were at the time simply overly-imaginative waitresses) I of course played right along.

Soon after as we made our way out of the party I looked at April and asked, ‘Where did that come from?”.  She laughed and said “I don’t know-but wouldn’t that be a cool job?”

I had to agree…this many years later I’m still thinking naming colors would be a cool job.

So when I heard about General Motors sponsoring a competition to put a name to a color to one of GM’s first ever extended- range electrical car ( or E-Rev)- the Chevy Volt, I figured here’s April’s and my (and yours too) chance to make this little white lie into a full spectrum reality!

Okay here it is- the Volt in all of it’s pre-production glory.  The current name-less color is described as a Silver exterior with an Emerald hue. The color will be available exclusively on the Chevy Volt which will begin production in late 2010.

Once offically named, the color will join a palette of other Volt exterior colors including Black, Cyber Gray Metallic, Crystal Red Metallic, Silver Ice Metallic and premium White Diamond Tri-Coat.

The Volt gets a test drive.  Very exciting considering the car is expected to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, the engine generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles.

So here’s a quick round-up of the contest from Maria Rohrer, Director, Global Volt & Global Marketing Operations at Chevrolet-

‘Think of a creative name that conveys what the Volt represents in Eco innovation, technology, and the Chevrolet spirit. To enter the contest, simply click on the “Submit Your Name Here” link below beginning at 8 a.m. ET on October 22 and follow the instructions to submit your color name. You can submit a name through 8:00 a.m. ET November 4. We’ll then review the entries and pick three finalists to enter a final round of consumer voting.

Check back on November 16 to find out which three finalists we selected and vote for your favorite name through December 1.  Who knows, maybe you will be the one to join us in Los Angeles for a final “vote-off” and a chance to drive a pre-production Chevy Volt.”

Read the rules and submit your color name here

Okay we’re getting a little bit of a late start since the contest ends in only a few days so April and I will be here racking our brains all morning.  A little bit of a spoiler alert- if reading others submissions throws you off (I know it does me) then avoid scrolling down over what has already been submitted.  ( FYI, you have to be a US resident to eligible to win.)

Here’s a few more images of the Chevy Volt in need of a color name.  So get your creative engines revving (or should I say plugged in) and name that color- Good Luck!

It’s so fascinating to me just how important color is when it comes to our automobiles.  GM’s own study found that 39 percent of consumers will leave a dealership and go to a different dealership, even a different brand if they are not able to find a vehicle in a color to their liking.

It’s no wonder that car companies spend so much time and energy forecasting up and coming consumer trends.  It’s also no wonder that in return, color forecasters for home and fashion keep an eye on what is happening in the world of automotive color.  Funny to think that the latest palette coming down a runway may ultimately have been influenced by what was being seen at an auto show a season or two before.

Check out this video with GM’s own Chris Webb (I remember he took part in one of my favorite Project Runway challenges ever- the week when they had to make an outfit using only car parts from a GM Saturn!).  Here he talks about just how important color and color technology is in the world of General Motors.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Did color choice come into play when you bought your last car?  See what the color of the car you drive says about your personality- a fun rundown of meanings by color guru and Pantone director Leatrice Eisman as featured on Sensational Color.

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/chevy-says-name-that-color/feed/ 4 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/the-best-in-color-october-week-3/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/the-best-in-color-october-week-3/#comments Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:37:34 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=6274 And We Thought We Were Obsessed: I had always heard that peoples reactions to colors stems from their own personal experiences.  Well San Francisco based Graphic Designer Rachel Berger partakes in a little colorful journaling and in her own way explores this very theory.  As part of Michael Bierut’s The 100 Day Art Project ( through Yale University’s School Of The Arts) Berger put 100 different color chips into a bag, pulled one chip out a day and proceeded to write down the first thing that the color made her think of.  She picked her 40 favorite chips and rememberances and has posted them for all to read on DesignObserver.com.  Pretty cool…a little self run color therapy. I couldn’t help but notice that some times the name of the color helped to trigger the memory…being a total sucker for color names myself, I have to wonder how different a few of her reactions would have been without them.

The Palette Of Twilight: Dwell magazine’s founder Lara Deam’s third paint palette based on Le Courbusier’s Polychromie Architecturale has been released.  Using Ralph Lauren colors, Deam has based her choices for this palette based on the colors she believes create a calming and peaceful effect and give the illusion of a blurring of colors. Perfect for a room with lots of shadows at twilight ohh, I love that description! Check out her video where she talks more about her palette’s inspiration on Dwell.com.

Maybe file this one under the Best and Worst in color from Vogue magazine this week: Vogue magazine has always taken pride in it’s long history of pushing the boundaries when it comes to the fashion as art.  They also have been big supporters of the modern day working artist- often featuring them and their work on the pages of their various sister magazines throughout the world.  Over the past 6 years Vogue (US) has asked artists to explore the subject matters of self- portraiture, nudes, still life and most recently the landscape painting. Bringing together artist like Jeffery Koons, Elizabeth Peyton, Francesco Clemente and William Wegman ( who is quoted in the November issue as saying “landscape painting is ‘easy’, something he does when he is feeling lazy”) the magazine has curated a show exploring their unique visions.  The works will be on displayed at the Park Ave. Armory in NYC from Oct. 30- Nov. 15.

Now onto the pushing the boundary-side of things.  The current issue of French Vogue is causing quite a color controversy this week.  In a fashion spread styled by the French Editor-in-Chief Carine Rotifeld ,the very pale and blonde model Lara Stone is photographed posing in a 14 page spread made up to look as though she is black. Hum, pushing the limits artistically or just trying to get the magazine some attention? After lots of recent chatter about the lack of black models on this season’s catwalks around the world, their timing and questionable taste couldn’t be worse.

Talk About Having An Eye For Color Matching!- This has got to be one of the coolest photography projects I’ve ever spotted.  The Invisible Man is Chinese performance artist Liu Bolin, who paints himself to blend into the world around him so that he seems to be virtually disappearing before your very eyes.  He claims that no trick photography was use.  Check out all of the images and let me know how long it takes you to spot him in the very last one! ( Took me 3 viewings).

Click here to view the embedded video.

He photographed trash ( his photographs of cigarette butts, discarded clothing and found trash had many questioning whether some of his subject matter was truly ‘art’ when it was first shown in the 1970’s), food and at the very end- even his own collection of pottery.  But it is his mesmerizing portraits that he will surely be remembered for the most.

Whether his subject was a famous model, a famous artist, a tribesmen, a biker or a street sweeper- Irving Penn treated them with the same creative eye. ‘He once said that his formula for capturing meaningful portraits was to photograph his subjects relentlessly, often over a period of several hours, until they were forced to let down their guard.’ (source)  His work was among the first to cross the line between commercial and fine art, shaping modern photography as we now know it- he  will be extremely missed!

Irving Penn: Small Trades, a show dedicated to the artist series of worker portraits from the 1960’s is currently on display at The Getty Center of Art in Los Angeles ,CA- running through January 10, 2010.

All images taken from Photography-Now.net, The International Photography Index.

Over the last handful of years the young photographer (who goes only by the name JR) has been taking portraits of victimized  woman throughout some of the poorest and war torn regions of Africa, South America and Asia.  He then blows these images up and illegally plaster them on the sides of buildings, trains and bridges in the very neighborhoods that the woman live in.

from JR’s Women of Brazil series

from JR’s Women of India series

from JR’s Women of Africa series

It is an homage to the strength and hope of these woman that drives these incredible projects.  And now his work comes home to his own neighborhood of Paris.

Please check out his website and watch the videos of his many projects as they come to life- simply stunning!

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