It’s out! The new colour of the year from Pantone … wait for it!
Ultra Violet
I love it. We can find it everywhere, from the ultraviolet in the sky at night to the purple tints in our natural environment. This enigmatic purple tone would look spectacular as a major background colour on your website. Or why not try just a hint, to highlight specific design features? Use Pantone’s colour of the year 2018 in your stationery design or business cards to create a real statement! It’s bold, it’s sumptuous, it’s mysterious, it’s creative and non-conformist! Don’t forget Prince was a fan as was the iconic David Bowie.
Purple V Violet
Calming blues fused with the fiery fierce energy of red and purple truly is a very striking combination. It is associated with spirituality, higher consciousness and a oneness with the universe. Purple is also the colour most often associated with luxury, royalty and creativity. This can be seen throughout history. For example rulers of the Byzantine Empire and Roman magistrates dressed in this colour frequently. The Holy Roman Empire also adapted its shades along with Roman Catholic bishops.
Violet on the other hand is actually a spectral colour. This means it is a single wavelength of light. So while the two colours look similar there are very subtle differences. Violet occupies its own place at the end of the spectrum of light. This was first identified by Isaac Newton in 1672, and represented in his colour wheel: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
See Colour Psychology – Tips for Colour Communication
The Purple Prince
Purple has always been associated with the legendary artist Prince ever since his album and film (1984 ) Purple Rain. Does anyone remember that purple piano designed by Yamaha? In fact, it’s not surprising that the Pantone Color Institute created a whole new shade called Love Symbol #2 in honour of the music legend Prince. (see right)
About the Pantone Color of the Year
The colour of the year is announced annually in December by Pantone, based on its trend-forecasting research conducted by the Pantone Colour Institute. Its a huge deal in terms of predicting future trends for the year ahead particularly in the fields of fashion, interiors, digital marketing, web design and design in general
Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute said: “We are honoured to have worked on the development of Love Symbol #2, a distinctive new purple shade created in memory of Prince, ‘the purple one.’ A musical icon known for his artistic brilliance, Love Symbol #2 is emblematic of Prince’s distinctive style. Long associated with the purple family, Love Symbol #2 enables Prince’s unique purple shade to be consistently replicated and maintain the same iconic status as the man himself.”
As individuals around the world become more fascinated with color and realize its ability to convey deep messages and meanings, designers and brands should feel empowered to use color to inspire and influence. The Color of the Year is one moment in time that provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Color Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands. “The Pantone Color of the Year has come to mean so much more than ‘what’s trending’ in the world of design; it’s truly a reflection of what’s needed in our world today.”
– Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute.
Life in Ultra Violet
The use of colour helps to define and organise the diverse world around us. Nature itself balances all of these messages at different levels making our planet a wonderfully colourful place to live.
