This is such a brilliant movie poster for “Coffee and Cigarettes” by Viktor Hertz. I love how the ampersand is the bold focal point with simple but strong details that suggest the title features – cigarette filter lines and a coffee cup in the negative space of the bottom ampersand loop. Most modern movie posters feature glossy photos of movie stars or animations so this clever, typography-focused poster is a refreshing change I would love to see explored more often.
(image via designspiration)
Ever stare at the paint chip wall at the hardware store and think that it looks like a piece of art? Canadian artist Peter Combe took that idea a step further by shredding designer size paint swatches and hole punching paint chips to create large art installations. I love the fringe-like texture of the shredded swatches and the reptile skin look of the layers of hole punches. It is really impressive how Peter finds the perfect colour swatches to create such detailed portraits. I think paint chips should be used as an artistic medium more often!
(images via peter combe)
How incredible is this photo by Rodney Smith? The scale and composition of a model wearing a billowing dress atop a plane wing are amazing by themselves but the colour scheme is just breathtaking. Soft shades of aqua water, a periwinkle sky, clean white lines of a plane and a vivid coral-orange dress billowing in the air. What can I say? This colour scheme and photograph overall is absolutely stunning.
(image via rangoli)
Italian designer Alberto Seveso took high-speed photographs of colourful ink mixing with water and the results are beautiful, billowing fabric-like shapes. I would love to see this project continue across the whole spectrum of ink colours!
(images via behance)
Sarah Illenberger is a Berlin-based artist and photographer that constructs such whimsical and joyful pieces. Watermelon, with its bright green exterior, hot pink interior and striking black seeds, is the perfect medium for this colourful photo. A piece of melon becomes a happy pink raincloud. I love it!
(image via sarah hillenberger)
One of the most vibrant holidays, Valentine’s Day is bursting with bright shades of red and pink. Red is the warmest of all colours. As such, it represents the height of every emotion – extreme anger, violence, passion and in this case, love. As pink is red with white added, it often represents a friendlier and sweeter approach to l-o-v-e. Roses are the traditional Valentine’s gift and what colour roses one is given has been used as a symbol in many plays, movies, books, songs, etc. Red roses are the ultimate symbol of romance and passion. They are an unmistakable symbol of “I love you” so buy them only if you mean it! The price and demand for red roses during Valentine’s Day increases every year – cementing their place as the true symbol of Valentine’s Day. Pink roses have several traditional meanings depending on the shade but overall, they convey gentler emotions than red roses including admiration, joy, grace and gratitude. Whether you are buying flowers or not, Valentine’s Day colours feel full of love and happiness because they are the warmest colours in the spectrum. It is a day full of red and pink eye candy for those who love colour!
(images via pj taylor, alex pinto, mayalee)
Olly Moss is a brilliant British illustrator and designer. I especially love this illustration – his colourful and clever take on a seesaw!
(image via olly moss)
It’s Friday so it is time for another edition of colour me happy! I still haven’t decided if this feature will always have a theme but for this week, I decided to focus on the vibrant colours of food and food styling. I think I was inspired when I saw a photo of that incredible pasta. From the unexpected brilliant magenta of beets to the bold yolk of an egg to the soft dusty white of baguettes, there is so much amazing colour in food. I hope to revisit this topic often!
(images via sarah drake, kiss my spatula, cannelle vanille, katie quinn davies, ellen silverman, béatrice pelter, the design files. katie quinn davies, maggie makes, a happy haven, katie quinn davies, bs in the kitchen)
Living in a coastal rainforest like Vancouver has immeasurable benefits including lush green surroundings, snow-capped mountains and mild winters. Sure, one too many grey days can cause mild frustration but it seems that a gloriously sunny stretch almost always follows a rainy one. Another side benefit? Those daily transitions of weather create beautiful light shows and rainbow patterns reflecting off of lingering raindrops. Have you ever walked into your living room and a chunk of random rainbow appears somewhere? I love when those bits of magic are captured like this photo by Catriana van Rijn. By reflecting on a rustically textured chair, the rainbow takes on new dimension and life. I kind of wish that pattern chair was sold somewhere…
(photography via catriana van rijn)
25,000 bouncy balls flying down the hills of San Francisco. Pure genius. Could there be a better location for such an idea? If you haven’t seen the commercial by Sony Bravia, you need to go here and watch the magic unfold. This is the first still photo I have seen of that ad and I just love the motion and colour it captures.
Breaking colour news! Pantone released their Fall 2011 Fashion Colour Report today. Twice a year, to complement the start of New York Fashion Week, Pantone releases the colours that will dominate that particular season. I have found it to be very accurate in predicting colour trends across fashion and all areas of design. Honeysuckle, a coral-pink that is Pantone’s Colour of 2011, makes an appearance in this list. Although an unorthodox Autumn hue, I think it will look incredible against the warm colours of Fall leaves.
A description of the palette inspiration from Pantone: “taking cues from the great masters, sepia tones of old Hollywood, Chinese opera, cityscapes and countryside, designers are paying close attention to texture, contrast and color for fall 2011 — pairing menswear with feminine twists, warm prints with cool metals, incorporating both old and new influences, and creating an intriguing balance between colors.
(read the report here)
Diem Chau carves crayons (and sometimes pencils) with mind-boggling artistry and attention to detail. She turns everyday crayons into tiny, exquisite sculptures. Diem creates custom pieces for anyone seeking a crayon version of their family, friends or animals. I love her commissioned word currency and chinese zodiac sets and their corresponding colour choices. Diem also created one-of-a-kind metallic crayon cravings of iconic World Cup athletes for Nike. I love the way they were packaged and displayed in an engraved wood stand. I just love Diem’s work and would love to go to an artist or designer’s wedding and see her crayons as the cake topper!
(images via diem chau)
The colour lavender has always confused me. In fabric, products and furniture, it is almost always a pastel or light shade of violet. In nature, its namesake flower lavender is brilliant royal purple. The description on wikipedia doesn’t clarify much – “a wide range of pale, light, medium, or greyish violet colours, as well as some pale or light pinkish, magenta, or purple colours as well as some pale or light blueish-indigo colours.” That definitely doesn’t help! In any case, it is a beautiful shade in all of its many forms. In particular, lavender fields are stunning expanses of bright purple that must be incredible to see in person.
(images via national geographic, travel vista, charlie waite)
It is a known fact that Mexico is an incredibly vibrant place but Guanajuato, a central Mexican state, seems to be particularly enthusiastic about colour. Yet another location for the soon to be created ‘plenty of colour travel tour’ to visit!
(images via nadsart, greg phipps, aspiazu, jordi angrill, lucy nieto, roberto bojorquez, eric lovelin, aspiazu)
I love how Oliver Schwarzwald injects colour into the everyday with such imagination. He creates a completely unique colour palette by adding just a small dash of colour to nature. I especially love his use of colour when applied to ugly urban life. Those balloons add so much joy to an uninspired industrial wall. It remind me of the rainbow graffiti I mentioned yesterday. How can you not love artists who bring happiness and life to eyesores?
(images via behance)
The DLA Piper office, designed by Dutch architecture firm Hofman Dujardin, has a carpet colour gradient that reflects and compensates for how much sunlight affects the space during a working day. The warm colours were used where there is the least sun and the cooler colours were used where there is the most. If you have ever worked in a large corporate office with kilometres of beige carpet and fluorescent lighting, this idea is just plain brilliant as it allows a cookie cutter office to become a happy, creative and stimulating workspace.
One of the biggest bonuses of this idea is that the gradient of colour becomes instant wayfinding. In large offices of this nature, you often find yourself turning corners that look identical and losing any sense of direction. That certainly wouldn’t happen this office! (I imagine something like, “Let’s meet in Fred’s office. He’s in purple.”) What I also love about this design is that it is bright but not over-the-top. By using white and neutral furniture and accessories, each office space remains sophisticated and modern. The carpet is glowing bright from below but the eye won’t become tired or overwhelmed by red walls or a yellow desk. I know this vibrancy of colour is unthinkable for most of the corporate world but I would love to see workspaces use colour more. Particularly in offices where windows are at a premium, colour can improve moods, stimulate creativity and create a distinct and easy to navigate space.
(images via 2modern)
