February 6, 1998

from Pantone, Inc.

February's Color Combination: PANTONE® 1998-34 C and PANTONE 1998-52 C from PANTONE ColorTrends™ 1998.

For a hint of spring as we move into the last month of winter, try Amparo Blue and Sesame. In this color combination, Sesame, a sophisticated neutral, is sparked by the vibrancy of Amparo Blue. This blue is not your typical blue, however, as it gets its excitement from its purple undertones. Amparo Blue is the perfect marriage of blue and purple, two colors gaining in popularity as we head toward the millennium. Blue is an ascending color that lifts our spirits, while purple is associated with spirituality.

Note: RGB values are given here as percentages based on a scale of 100. PC users will want to convert those values to percentages of a scale of 255.

Amparo Blue

Color

PANTONE 1998-34 C

Ink Formula:

PANTONE Violet	10.5
PANTONE Reflex Blue	17.5
PANTONE Black	2.0
PANTONE Trans. Wt.	70.0

CMYK equivalents: Cyan: 80, Magenta: 60, Yellow: 0, Black: 0
RGB percentages (based on a scale of 100): R:28, G:36, B:70
RGB conversion values for the PC: R:72, G:94, B:180
HTML: 485EB4

Sesame

Color:

PANTONE 1998-52 C

Ink Formula:

PANTONE Yellow	7.2
PANTONE Rubine Red	3.2
PANTONE Process Blue	1.6
PANTONE Black	3.0
PANTONE Trans Wt.	85.0

CMYK equivalents: Cyan: 30, Magenta: 30, Yellow: 50, Black: 0
RGB (percentages based on a scale of 100): R:70, G:65, B:53
RGB conversion values for the PC: R:181, G:166, B:137
HTML: B5A689

Colors that Go with Armapo Blue and Sesame

PANTONE 1998 - 19 C Bubblegum	EB769A
PANTONE 1998 - 38 C Tile Blue	008A94
PANTONE 1998 - 3 C Beeswax	F2BA45

Facts Relating to Blue and Neutrals

When blue is featured predominantly in your dreams, the specific shade is especially important. For example, dazzling azure means promotion, vacation, or that you will be embarking on an exciting new project. Dark or navy blue signifies that you may be depressed. Sapphire blue connotes a personal search for, or attainment of, the truth.

Until the latter part of the 19th century, the only way to obtain indigo dye was to extract it from the tiny Indigofera Tinctoria plant, which grows only in India. It was extremely expensive and much sought after in Europe, where the indigo shade was considered unique and exotic.

Ancient Indians and Tibetans used deep indigo blues in prayer shawls. They believed that the color intensified the powers of meditation and heightened intuition.

Neutral colors in design can be very restful; their freshness and simplicity can be very appealing.

An apparel study by Litigation Sciences examined the impact of attorneys' clothing colors, and how it affected the perceptions of approximately 1,000 Los Angeles jurors. Results indicated that brown, tan, gray and dark blue suits increased impressions of power.

In the early 1900s, Elsie DeWolfe, a well-connected former actress with an eye for expensive details, was the first female "interior decorator" of the luxurious homes of the rich and famous. She loved beige, and used copious amounts of it. On seeing the Acropolis for the first time, she exclaimed, "That's my color."

 

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Photo Credit: Alan Pappé/PHOTODISC; Steve Cole/PHOTODISC