Name the primary colors. Red, blue, green, right? Yes! Name the secondary and tertiary colors. Well, that would be quite a detailed list. But, rest assured, I know my primary color from the ones that are secondary. But, have you ever wondered which color was discovered first or which color was first named or whoever decided to call red as red and not blue? But, how can one call red blue? Over the years, your mind has become acquainted with the names that go with the tint, if someone would have named red as blue, you well would have been calling it blue, period! And then, the million dollar question-who comes up with new colors? Thousand and some odd years into civilization, are we still discovering colors? The result of which has given us names (of colors) such as aeneous, corbeau, fulvous, radiant orchid, honeysuckle, mimosa….and now Marsala.
You may have been reading a lot about Marsala these days. Newspapers, blogs, television and then some have been raving about the color of the year since day one of the year. They would have told you of this seductive blend of earthy wine and other colors which would be a hit on the runway, tech expo and would even be found gracing your dining tables and the room’s of your resident’s walls this year. While, you are making googly eyes at Marsala, let me introduce you to the pioneer of Marsala and other fancy sounding (and, looking) names-Pantone.
Owned by X-Rite, Incorporated, Pantone is a genius in color matching. Pantone’s Pantone Matching System (PMS, weird, I know) is a unit which does the job of a color match(er) which in its processed form is used in various segments in life (think, fashion, interior and the like). Marsala is a result of this color matching technology.
The king of the color empire was born of a simple dilemma. We all, at some point in time, are found describing colors. “You know, not as blue as the sky, a little blue like the Caribbean sea, but a shade lighter than that….”, the dilemma of color matching has hounded us all in the past and Pantone was born to free us (and the, professionals, of course) from this evil spell.
The company, the brainchild of Lawrence Herbert, back in 1963 came up with PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM®. Fancy? Very, but not at sight. At first sight, it looks like a book shaped like a fan and that’s what it is. It had cataloged colors with codes which would make interpretation of color simple and easy. You say blue, he understands blue, the very blue your mind visualized.
Over the years, with the descent of technology and growing need of color everywhere, Pantone has immersed itself in digital technology, textiles, plastics, architecture, contract interiors and the like. But why them? As these industries are always in need of color. These industries also happen to introduce new colors amongst the masses.
But how did Pantone went on from being a mere color cataloger to being a leader in color technology? In 2007, Pantone was taken over by X-Rite, previously famed for their color management systems and software solutions. These in collaboration colorntinues (quoting their very words) come up with new colors by way of using variety of digital technology.
The result of these all? Marsala, of course and other robust colors which have been the trends of the years gone by. Thank you Pantone for these heavenly colors. Alas, the color blind would never know the pleasure of coming across a new color.
