The Color Seasons Explained
More On How It Works
Personal Color Analysis operates on the same principles as color theory in general, that have been known and understood for hundreds of years. Color harmony happens when colors have similar properties, and dissonance or distortion in color happens when colors have opposing qualities. Noticing harmony and dissonance in color is natural and automatic in human beings with no special training needed – just as you don’t need to be a classical pianist to notice a wrong note struck on the piano.
According to the Munsell Scientific Order of Color, color has three properties – hue (how warm or cool a color is), value (how light or dark a color is), and chroma (how bright or soft a color is). Every color we can see has a “setting” on each of these three dials, including the colors that make up your skin, eyes, and hair. Practically speaking, this means that if we know the hue, value, and chroma range of a particular person’s color, we can accurately predict which colors will have similar qualities, and will therefore allow their healthiest, youngest and most radiant appearance to come forth.
When someone has a personal color analysis done with a professional color expert, they will soon learn about the color seasons. A color season is simply a group of colors that all fall within a range of hue, value, and chroma parameters, so named for the poetic relationship between nature at that time of the year and the colors in each group.
A Twelve season system is the most commonly used in modern color analysis, as it seems to produce the best balance of specificity to allow clients to wear all the colors of their palette well and to easily find complimentary makeup and hair colors, while being broad enough to make wardrobe building practical and the analysis process definitive.
This Season system is divided into four primary seasonal color palettes: Winter, Spring, Summer & Autumn
Scroll down to learn more, and see examples, for each season.
Winter
Winter is one of the four primary seasonal color palettes in personal color analysis. The Winter palettes are characterized by their cool hue, dark value, and bright chroma. Within the Winter season, the three sub-season groups used in the 12-tone system are Dark Winter, True Winter, and Bright Winter.
The colors in these palettes include striking jewel tones such as sapphire blue, emerald green, ruby red, and violet, as well as icy pastels and cool neutrals, such as black, white, navy, and grey.
Spring
The Spring palettes are characterized by their warm hue, light value, and bright chroma. Within the Spring season, the three sub-season groups used in the 12-tone system are Light Spring, True Spring, and Bright Spring. The colors in these palettes include warm, fresh colors such as sunny yellows, coral pinks, warm greens, and aqua blues, as well as warm neutrals, such as brown, cream, golden sand, and warm grey.
The colors in these palettes include striking jewel tones such as sapphire blue, emerald green, ruby red, and violet, as well as icy pastels and cool neutrals, such as black, white, navy, and grey.
Summer
The Summer palettes are characterized by their cool hue, light value, and soft chroma. Within the Summer season, the three sub-season groups used in the 12-tone system are Light Summer, True Summer, and Soft Summer.
The colors in these palettes include cool, delicate colors such as dusty pinks, powder blues, lavender, and cool greens, as well as cool neutrals, such as navy, pearl white, cool beige, and soft grey.
Autumn
The Autumn palettes are characterized by their warm hue, dark value, and soft chroma. Within the Autumn season, the three sub-season groups used in the 12-tone system are Dark Autumn, True Autumn, and Soft Autumn.
The colors in these palettes include earthy, rich colors such as deep oranges, olive greens, rusty reds, and golden yellows as well as warm neutrals, such as brown, ecru, camel, and khaki.
0 Comments