The Complete Color Harmony, Pantone Edition: Expert Color Information for Professional Results

Discord and Dissonance

In the world of music, the dictionary meaning of harmony is 'a combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect.' With a slight change of verbiage, the same could be said for color.

We all love a pleasing effect, but there is also a case to be made for discord and dissonance in musical progressions that provide drama, intrigue, mystery, and other emotional components to the sound of music. Likewise, discordant colors can provide unique color combinations, surprise the eye, provide whimsical new approaches to an object, subject, or product while expressing specific ideas and concepts. Advertising, packaging, display, fashion, cosmetics, and theatrical settings have certainly made good use of attention riveting discord.

Personal Colors: What do they say about you?

If you like green:

Nature’s most plentiful color promises a balance between warmth and coolness, so green people are usually stable, balanced types. You are the good citizen, concerned parent, involved neighbor-the joiner of clubs and organizations. You are fastidious, kind, and generous, especially with your time, and, you’re a good listener.

It’s important for you to win the admiration of peers, so you have been called a 'do-gooder.' You are a caring companion, a loyal friend, partner, and family member and are supersensitive about doing the right thing and embracing a cause you feel is right. You can occasionally get a bit preachy. You are intelligent and understand new concepts, however, you are less inclined to risk something new than to do what is popular and conventional. The worst vice for a green is the tendency to gossip. Are you a little green with envy?

If you dislike green:

Since lovers of green are usually very social types, those who dislike green often put those qualities down. You may have an unfulfilled need to be recognized that causes you to pull away from people rather than joining them. You don’t like thinking, looking, and doing things the way you see the majority of people thinking, looking, and doing them. Company picnics, cocktail or office parties, and conventions in Las Vegas, are not your thing as you are a bit 'aloof.'

Biliousness and certain bodily functions are often associated with yellow green, as are snakes, lizards, dragons, and various other creepy-crawlies. Did something slithery frighten you as a child?

Inspiration for Color Names

The inspiration for color names can come from many sources, among them.

Natural Phenomena: golden haze, bleached sand, moonstruck, cedar green, molten lava, cosmic sky, violet storm, lunar rock, tidal foam, twilight blue, canyon clay.

Flowers, Vegetation, and Woods: wisteria, periwinkle, golden poppy, iris orchid, cherry blossom, cornsilk, lichen, driftwood, mahogany, eucalyptus.

Minerals, Gemstones, and Metals: coral quartz, alabaster gleam, amber gold, amethyst, lapis, emerald, blue granite, silver lining, medal bronze, black onyx.

Animals, Birds, and Fish: timber wolf, iguana, chocolate lab, flamingo, mallard green, nutria, mourning dove, white swan, robin’s egg blue, lamb’s wool, shrimp, koi.

Geography: Aegean Sea, Bordeaux, London fog, Rio red, Hawaiian surf, Bombay brown, calypso coral, Sedona sage.

Food and Drinks: lemon zest, pesto, pureed pumpkin, baked apple, tender greens, chanterelle, mocha mousse, frosted almond, caramel cream, fine wine, rum raisin, daiquiri, martini olive, mango mojito.

Spices, Herbs and Dyes: coriander, ginger root, cinnamon stick, paprika, cumin, curry, basil, saffron, chili pepper, raw umber, blue indigo, tannin, cadmium.