Talbots Jacket 2010
The Trend
Recently Pantone, ( forecasters of color trends, and inventors of one of the most widely used graphic color standards) announced it’s choice of the color, Turquoise as the “Color of the Year”. Click here to view their press release and the color chip associated with the emerging color trend. Although it seems it has never really left us, you may have noticed its presence building in the fashion and graphic landscape!
Coach Francine Bag 2008
The Word…
After doing a bit of quick research, on the word- which I feel has such an alluring quality of it’s own… I found that the word “turquoise” was derived around the 16th century from the French language either from the word for Turkish (Turquois) or dark-blue stone (pierre turquin). This may have arisen from a misconception: turquoise does not occur in Turkey but was traded at Turkish bazaars to Venetian merchants who brought it to Europe. The first recorded use of Turquoise as a color name in English was in 1573. Who knew?!
After doing a bit of quick research, on the word- which I feel has such an alluring quality of it’s own… I found that the word “turquoise” was derived around the 16th century from the French language either from the word for Turkish (Turquois) or dark-blue stone (pierre turquin). This may have arisen from a misconception: turquoise does not occur in Turkey but was traded at Turkish bazaars to Venetian merchants who brought it to Europe. The first recorded use of Turquoise as a color name in English was in 1573. Who knew?!
- Turquoise Pebble
The Stuff
The gemstone from which this color is named, we here in the US associate chiefly with the desert Southwest, but is actually found in many other arrid regions around the world… Iran (historic Persia), the Sinai, and a minor source in China.
The Meaning
Psychologically, we associate the color Turquoise with a restful, relaxing, calming atmosphere which can be seen in the color of the water in the lagoons of the tropics, swimming pools, and vacation time. Is there any wonder it was an easy choice to soothingly take us away from the chaos of our daily lives?!
The New Blue?
In color theory, Turquoise is known as a slightly greenish shade of Cyan. To fully know Turquoise, we have to say hello it’s Momma- Cyan (blue). We all come into contact with Cyan daily as one of the main colors in our inkjet printers, along with yellow and magenta! You know- the “C” of CMYK color processing. Artists know Cyan, as the color halfway between blue and green on the color wheel, and is a secondary color along with magenta and yellow. Cyan is made by mixing green and blue light.
The Perception
I have always thought it so interesting how each of us has developed our own mental image of colors over our lifetimes. Say a color name to 5 people and there will undoubtedly be 5 slightly different versions of that color word pictured! My personal image when the word, Turquoise when mentioned, is more of a Turquoise Blue than the pure gemstone Aqua-ish Turquoise. Do you see it the same way? What is your perception of this color?
-ellen
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Talk to you soon!
The creative possibilities overwhelm me with this kit! If I only had time to sit down and make all my clock ideas! Here are few: the obvious- make one for your sewing room, coordinate it to a quilt in a bedroom, or in a child’s room with a cute juvenile print or with their favorite character, or in the kitchen using a kitschy 50’s print, or in a teens room with a cool retro theme fabric, or as a gift to a friend using their fav fabric! Just another way for us fabric junkies to spread our obsession cleverly to every room!
Well…. actually I am stretching it a bit! Five of my handbags that is, were included in his Quilter’s Home Magazine, ( p. 40 to be exact ) “Great Spring Designs from Hot Designers” in the new March edition! So delighted to be in the mix! It is a great article and features many other cuties! Thanks, Mark!
