What is seasonal colour analysis?
Seasonal colour analysis is a scientifically-based process that assesses the colours that are fundamentally a part of an individual’s natural colouring, and identifies a set of colours that is most compatible with it.
COOL TONE
In a color analysis consultation, a large number of colour coded drapes belonging to different colour palettes (also known as “seasons”), are tested against an individual’s skin tone to determine their compatibility with the skin.
The compatibility of different colours against someone’s skin is determined on the basis of the effects that they produce on the skin, which can either be positive or negative.
Since the study of colour can easily be influenced by contextual factors such as lighting conditions, color analysis sessions are generally done in a colour controlled setting that has bright full-spectrum daylight lighting in order to facilitate the most accurate comparisons.
WARM TONE
In a color analysis consultation, a large number of colour coded drapes belonging to different colour palettes (also known as “seasons”), are tested against an individual’s skin tone to determine their compatibility with the skin.
The compatibility of different colours against someone’s skin is determined on the basis of the effects that they produce on the skin, which can either be positive or negative.
Since the study of colour can easily be influenced by contextual factors such as lighting conditions, color analysis sessions are generally done in a colour controlled setting that has bright full-spectrum daylight lighting in order to facilitate the most accurate comparisons.
Colour theory and seasonal colour analysis
Seasonal colour systems objectively define and classify colours into different seasonal palettes according totheir Undertone, Chroma, and Value.
Undertone
The Undertone of a colour refers to the degree to which it is either cool, neutral, or warm. Cool-toned colours are blue-based, and are characterized by the absence of warm pigments such as yellow.
In contrast, warm colours are yellow-based, and are defined by the absence of cool-toned pigments such as blue. Neutral colours are balanced in the amount of cool and warm underlying pigments that they contain. A colour analysis determines the degree to which someone’s skin has either a cool, warm, or neutral undertone.
Individuals with a cool or cool-neutral undertone are classified into seasonal categories known as “Winter” or “Summer”, while individuals with warm, or warm-neutral undertones, are classified into seasonal categories known as “Autumn” and “Spring”.
Chroma
The chroma of a colour refers to it’s clarity, brightness, or saturation. Colours with a high percentage of grey are considered “low-chroma” or soft, while colours that contain very low amounts, or no grey, are considered “high chroma”, or bright.
A colour that is considered medium chroma is one that is neither very soft or very bright. A color analysis will determine whether a person is best suited to low-chroma, medium chroma, or high chroma colors. High chroma shades are most often found in the Spring and Winter seasonal palettes, while low-chroma, or more muted colors, are most often found in the Summer and Autumn seasonal palettes.
Individuals who are particularly flattered by bright colors are usually Springs or Winters, while those who do better in softer colors are most often Summers or Autumns.
Chroma
The chroma of a colour refers to it’s clarity, brightness, or saturation. Colours with a high percentage of grey are considered “low-chroma” or soft, while colours that contain very low amounts, or no grey, are considered “high chroma”, or bright.
A colour that is considered medium chroma is one that is neither very soft or very bright. A color analysis will determine whether a person is best suited to low-chroma, medium chroma, or high chroma colors. High chroma shades are most often found in the Spring and Winter seasonal palettes, while low-chroma, or more muted colors, are most often found in the Summer and Autumn seasonal palettes.
Individuals who are particularly flattered by bright colors are usually Springs or Winters, while those who do better in softer colors are most often Summers or Autumns.
Value
The value of a colour refers to it’s level of darkness or lightness. Higher value colors are lighter, while lower value colours are deeper. A colour analysis identifies the range of colour values that an individual is most flattered by.
Although there is a wide range of values in all of the seasonal palettes, high value, or light, colors are most often found in the Spring and Summer palettes, while low value (or dark) colours are most frequently found in the Winter and Autumn color seasons.
Individuals who are particularly flattered by light colours are most often Summers or Springs, while those who are suited to deeper tones are most commonly Winters or Autumns.
Our approach to colour
Colour analysis approaches have evolved greatly over the last several decades. From four seasons colour typing, to 12 seasons colour typing, to 16 seasons colour typing, and beyond, each step in the evolution of color analysis theory and practice has led to the development of significantly more accurate and refined methods of classifying human colouring.
16 Seasons color analysis
Colour analysis has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent years due to the development of more expanded colors classification systems that are able to colour classify individuals with a higher degree of accuracy then earlier methods of color analysis. In our practice, we have adopted the 16 seasons approach to analysis developed by the International Image Institute in Canada.
This colour system utilizes 4 seasonal palettes for each of the basic seasonal tones of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter for a total of 16 different seasonal color types, and incorporates a range of neutral, cool and warm colour categories.
Our experience of working with hundreds of clients and applying this typing approach successfully in both in person as well as online color consultations has demonstrated the efficacy of this approach and we believe that as far as seasonal analysis goes, that this system is the best of the best.