Blue Trees in Seattle

Which one of these blue trees doesn’t belong? The residents of Seattle have been wondering just that. Those who visit Seattle’s Westlake Park this summer are sure to witness a unique change of scenery.

Australian artist, Konstantin Dimopoulos is responsible for transforming the usually brown bark on these trees bright blue. No, she didn’t climb these trees and paint them blue. The blue coloring comes from biologically safe pigmented water.

As simple as the process may seem, its end result is quite complex. In fact, the park is other worldly. Anyone who witnesses these blue Seattle trees is sure to feel as if they have entered a strange new world. It’s a fairyland where one’s imagination can run free.

Another amazing aspect of this art project is that the blue trees will revert back to their natural color. The pigment will fade over time. The trees were turned blue on April 2, 2012. It is expected that they will remain blue for several months.  Visitors to this Seattle Park can see these blue trees for themselves throughout the entire summer season.

According to Dimopoulos, “Color is a powerful stimulant, and means of altering perception and defining space and time.”  Blue is definitely not the color that we associate with trees.  The striking color contrast forces one to consider what must be out of place and what has changed in the world. 

How does one relate to this type of change?  The phrase; stop and smell the roses comes to mind.  Maybe it is time to stop and experience how we relate to the natural world.  Thanks to Dimopoulos and her creative artistic expression, art has once again encouraged individuals to appreciate the art that nature provides us every day.  She has definitely put a new spin on the natural art we tend to believe will never change.

We all can agree with Dimopoulos that color is a powerful tool of perception.

Do these unordinary blue trees spark any emotions in you?  What do they cause you to consider?  Does the color blue make a different kind of statement than yellow or purple trees would?

Do you want to know more about Dimopoulos and her project?  To read more about the blue trees in Seattle’s Westlake Park visit the website provided below.

Images and story available at: http://weburbanist.com/2012/04/03/blue-trees-surreal-spectacle-coming-to-seattle-parks/

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What are your Summer Colors?

Thinking about summer usually evokes thoughts of vibrant colors and warm temperatures. In fact, mental flashes with shades of yellow, sky blue and soft orange can be tormenting during drab winter months. Let’s face it, a 90 degree summer day is the only appropriate time to pull out the yellow linen table cloth, light blue Bahama-shorts and fill your drink glass with colorful fruits.

So, we have to ask: What are your summer colors?

In Martha Stewart’s 60 Days of Color 2011, she shares 19 colorful images that are sure to spawn ideas about how you can incorporate summer colors into your warm days. After flipping through some of the pictures, Martha’s favorite summer colors become apparent.

Summer Colors according to Martha Stewart

• Dramatic Yellow
• Martha Stewart repeatedly uses yellow as her primary color. To compliment this shade she pairs it with a variety of greens. The yellow has a deep tone, closer to a shade of mustard, and nowhere near the color of a street sign. This allows her to use the summer color in large, solid amounts. However, the shade can also carry an entire design and dominate the swirling motion of flower patterns. No matter how it is used, this deep shade of yellow adds brightness to a room without overwhelming the eyes.

• Shades of Blue
• Martha Stewart uses a myriad of blue shades in her collection of summer colors. She often uses light blues to cover large background areas, such as walls, bedspreads and curtains. This allows light to flow through the room and reflect off of dramatic blue accents. Various pieces that are dark blue include throw blankets, vases and paint trim.

• Orange: the soft and the bold
• In her 2011 collection of summer colors, Martha Stewart features some bold rooms with bright accents. Perhaps she does this because her readers spend so much time surrounded by dark colors in those drab winter months. The bold rooms photographed are filled with burnt orange, dark woods and deep greens. Something she uses to splash these dark settings with summer color are light orange accents, soft peach center pieces and lots of complimentary candle light.

Martha Stewart has named her summer colors. Have you chosen yours?

There is still time to pick your 2011 summer colors. Immerse yourself in a world of color by doing a leisure summer activity. Paint by number with Segmation is certain to bring out the color expert in you.

Image made available by Shahram Sharif on Flickr through Creative Common License

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The Many Different Hues of Blue

The Many Different Hues of Blue.

The Many Different Hues of Blue

The Many Different Hues of Blue.

The Many Different Hues of Blue

The Many Different Hues of Blue.

The Many Different Hues of Blue

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If you want to paint a seascape with soaring blue skies and rippling blue water, you might go to the art supply store and stand in awe at the sheer range of blues available with different shades, tints, and variations in hue. For instance, a major paint manufacturer offers at least 15 different types of blue, from Cerulean Blue on the lighter end of the spectrum to Indigo Blue on the darker end.

The more you work with your paints, the more you’ll intuitively recognize which tube of blue to choose when you need to paint blue eyes, a bluebird or a deep blue sea. Although the distinct characteristics of each blue might be familiar to you, do you know where the name for each particular color comes from?

As we discussed in a previous article on the origins of color names for artist pigments, many paint colors derive their names from what they are made of: for instance, Phthalo Blue is named for the synthetic pigment Phthalocyanine, and Cobalt Blue is named for the lustrous metal cobalt, etc.

Let’s explore where some of these other blues get their color names:

• Anthraquinone Blue – “Anthraquinone” is an organic compound that forms the basis for many dyes.

• Cerulean Blue – “Cerulean” has its roots in the Latin word caelum which means heaven or sky.

• Indigo – “Indigo” is named for the Indigofera genus, many plants of which are used as a dye.

• Navy blue – The color “Navy blue” is named for the dark blue uniforms worn by officers in the British Royal Navy and was first used as a color name in 1840.

• Primary Cyan – “Cyan” comes from the Greek word kýanos, which means dark blue substance.

• Ultramarine blue – “Ultramarine” derives from the Latin word ultramarines which means beyond the sea.

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