"It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly."
~ Pantone, 2021
It is popularly known that Pantone releases a color of the year every year. It is almost a marker of the new year and influences the year’s design patterns. As a creative, it is no surprise that I, too, would be influenced by Pantone’s selection of the color the year. Every year, I’m always looking for ways to enhance, challenge, and expand my craft. Generally, I go to music and antique arts, but this year, I decided to do something different to expand my horizons and contemplate the vibrant element of art, color.
For 2021, Pantone made a unique move in selecting two colors, PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating, which I feel represents a great message of unity coming into 2021. The colors come together as a well-matched pair. While not complimentary colors they do support each other sending “a message of happiness supported by fortitude” (Pantone, 2021). In this color combination, there is a reassurance of things getting better and hope enduring. Two essential aspects of human living.
The color yellow typically represents happiness and optimism, carrying bright energy and inspiring thought and curiosity. On the other hand, gray as a neutral color represents compromise, control, and practicality, giving a sense of insight and stability.
Together, these colors set a desired mood of “strength and positivity” (Pantone, 2021). Particularly, they illustrate how different elements can meld to create something beautiful and bring out the best in the other. Such a thoughtful and bright mood is especially needed in these current times. People want hope, a renewing of energy, clarity on what their next steps should be, and a foundation where things appear to be out of control.
Being located in the Sunshine State, I don’t think there’s a better location to embody the colors and mood of Illuminating and Ultimate Gray. The rays of the sun surround us wherever we go, sharing that bright solar energy and cheer. Meanwhile, our shores with their gray rocks and stones reflect those rays in support and offer foundation.
When I think of this, it encourages me to do more outdoor shoots for this year, especially on our beautiful beaches. Be on the lookout for upcoming themed sessions on the beautiful shores of the bay and off some of our tucked islands. This is the perfect time to shoot outdoors in Florida because our unrelenting heat has lightened up for cooler days with a lot of sun and not so much rain since we are out of hurricane season.
Keeping with color inspiration, I also have decided to do a fabric flow session every month, highlighting the compliment of different colors. Of course, yellow and grey will be one of my color combinations.
In doing these inspired sessions, I hope to encourage those behind my lens to remain optimistic about their future. The year is not over yet! We are only just getting started. Have enduring hope and remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. It’s important to find joy in yourself and let that be your guiding light when things feel out of control. Persist in your pursuit of happiness.
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