Bill Buxton Appreciates History

September 6, 2011

Design History Appreciated
by Bill Buxton

Back in 1926, Kodak launched the third generation of its all-black Vest Pocket camera line, the Series III. It sold well, but the company wanted to expand the market and make the camera appeal to women as well as men. To help with this, Kodak turned to designer Walter Dorwin Teague. His concept was to release essentially the same camera but in five distinct and different colors packaged in color-matched satin-lined boxes. This version of the camera was released in April 1928 under the name Vanity Kodak.

1928 Vanity Kodak ad

In 2003, Apple Computer launched the third generation of its all-white MP3 music player, the iPod. It sold well, but the company wanted to expand the market and make the iPod appeal to women as well as men. To help with this, Apple turned to its lead designer, Jonathan Ive. His concept was to release a smaller version of its MP3 player in five distinct and different colors. This version of the iPod was released in January 2004 under the name iPod Mini.

2004 iPod Mini ad

One started from black, the other from white. The strategies were the same, the numbers the same and the colors the same.

Walter Dorwin Teague was Chuck Berry to Jonathan Ive’s Keith Richards. It was a matter of respect and inspiration, not plagiarism or copying. It was also an act that increases, rather than diminishes, the respect due to Ive, since designers are measured by who they quote in their designs, how and when.  

To read the full article….

Marimekko Inked

August 23, 2011

In September’s issue of Dwell, Katja Lindroos takes an inside look at the Marimekko factory in Finland and we get a peek at the color process and steps they take in creating their signature fabrics.

The writer states ”A visit to Marimekko’s 43,000-square-foot factory in Helsinki reveals that its printing process and emphasis on big, bold patterns—which continue to bring the company great success—have changed little over the years.”

  

Read more: http://www.dwell.com/articles/helsinki-ink.html#ixzz1Vs1YbznU

Sharen Davis Colorful Stylist On The Help

August 16, 2011

Kathryn Stockett’s novel The Help is an honest dialogue of what it meant to be the “help” for well-to-do families in rural Mississippi in the 60s. This film is rich both in character and in color.

From a recent article in the Hollywood Reporter comes some color insight from Sharen Davis, costume designer for the film.

“It was tricky because everyone thinks of Mad Men. But that’s about an upper-class Manhattan lifestyle, and this focuses on young women in the South-most of them getting married and having babies…

…I looked at copies of Vogue from the 1960s for inspiration, but it was too sophisticated, so I ended up getting my ideas from Seventeen magazine. It still had that innocent girlie look and lollipop color.”

 

Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan played by Emma Stone, in “straight skirts and subtle prints” is career oriented and her look is a bit different from the other women.

Her longtime friend Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) is the Southern belle who wears “bright colors and bold prints because she always has to be seen,” while the outsider of the group is Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain) the bombshell. “Celia’s clothes are more fitted and feminine. She does her best to look like Marilyn Monroe.”

Reclusive Toad Makes A Long Awaited Appearance

July 18, 2011

Want to see something that hasn’t been seen for 87 years? The rainbow toad was recently spotted in the mountains of Borneo by scientists. The exact location of this discovery will remain a secret for “fear of illegal poaching due to strong demand for bright-hued amphibians.” This story was originally reported by Sean Yoong for the Associated Press.

Borneo Rainbow Toad, Or Sambas Stream Toad, Spotted In Malaysias Eastern Sarawak State.

Something Old, Something New

July 1, 2011

One of my friends and a colleague, Judi Noble, is head colorist for Fiesta Dinnerware. She is also an artist who loves whimsy and color.

In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Fiesta has issued a series of pieces in an exciting new anniversary color-Marigold. Available for only 75 weeks, Marigold comes in the complete dinnerware collection, as well as a limited edition numbered Soup Tureen.

My contribution to the 2011 release was “The color of comfort (and many comfort foods), Fiesta Dinnerware’s Marigold reminds us of vibrant florals and cheering sunshine-guaranteed to coax a smile and provide the perfect background for edibles (and drinkables).”

Nice Day For A White Wedding

February 28, 2011
One of our color loving colleagues, Jude Stewart, has written an interesting article about color, tradition and weddings. It is a very fascinating look at the use of white in weddings throughout time. A quote from Jude’s post states that “Custom has decided, from the earliest ages, that white is the most fitting hue, whatever may be the material. It is an emblem of the purity and innocence of girlhood, and the unsullied heart she now yields to the chosen one.”

Chapter 13 in Colors For Your Every Mood is dedicated to white and its mark in society. Here is an excerpt about “Innocent White”.

“There is an innocence to white, a christening-dress kind of chasteness, an unsullied childlike naivete. It is traditionally the color of babies or brides. Baptismal and confirmation dresses are white, and some orders of nuns are married ceremonially to the church in a white gown. The ancient Greeks started the tradition of white at weddings, which they saw as a bridal symbol of joy. On the eve of her wedding ceremony, the Greek bride painted her body white, on her wedding day she wore white flowers in her hair and a flowing white gown. For thousands of years, the Japanese have seen white as pure, innocent, and virginal. The ladies of the court and shrine maidens, however, wore their white kimonos over red pantaloons! In the United States, white did not become the standard color for wedding dresses until the 1800s, and colonial brides wore a variety of pastel colors.”

color colour fashion style clothes wedding bride marriage tradition