This article describes:
What is Seasonal Colour Analysis?
Problems and adjustments
Problems not adjusted for
My 'Artistic Colour Analysis' research
'Artistic Colour Analysis' with me
What is Seasonal Colour Analysis?
The analyst seeks colour harmony between the client's natural skin tone and the temperature (warmth or coolness, determined by the levels of blue and yellow), as well as the brightness and depth of the client's natural colouring.
The goal isn't to find the client's perfect colour or colours, though this might be identified or chosen by the analyst, but rather to discover a set of colours that best complement the client's skin tone. The client's hair is tied back, pulled away from the face or covered.
Problems and adjustments:
As a ByFerial 4x4 Color Analyst, I have slightly modified the method I learned in training. I do not put clients into a season until the end of the analysis, assessing the depth of the client's skin tone as the final step. Over time, I found this allows clients of all colour depths and ethnicities to be placed in any season, without ruling out a 'best set' of colours until the last step of the analysis.
I created my own brightness scale with six levels to more accurately determine the brightness levels needed by a client (small differences in brightness levels can subdue or overwhelm a client's natural colouring).
I employed the Denman-Ross Value scale to precisely assess a client's contrast levels and whether that contrast is more mixed or simple (mixed hair and eye colours or more distinct and uniform hair and eye colours).
Problems not adjusted for:
Developing a keen eye for colour takes a a great deal of time and practice and being able to differentiate between different colours accurately is dependant on the analyst's ability to sort and classify information. Even done with skill, the outcomes are subjective.
Olive skin tones where yellow or yellow-green tones in the skin are dominant and effect the overall skin appearance more obviously than the skin's warmth or coolness.
Every skin tone is unique. Seasonal colour fans or palettes offer a wide range of colours for everyone in the same category. However, some colours in the fan are less flattering and some, even completely unsuitable. Additionally, a various colours from other seasons might suit the client better.
My 'Artistic Colour Analysis' research:
I decided to delve deeply into colour analysis, aiming to find an effective and universal method. This has involved:
Learning about different systems and methodologies of colour analysis. Personal colour analysis with Colour Me Beautiful, House of Colour, David Zyla, The Art of Dress, ByFerial, as well as colour training with ByFerial in the 4x4 Color System (2015).
Training as a makeup artist at The London School of Makeup (2016).
Experimenting with online colour pickers, HEX and RGB codes, using pixelated images of skin, hair and eye colours under various lighting conditions to understand light's impact on skin colour.
Reading books on colour such as:
'Interaction of Color,' Josef Albers (1963)
'Colour Me Beautiful,' Carole Jackson (1980)
'Colour Me Beautiful Make-Up Book,' Carole Jackson (1987)
'Color Image Scale' by Shigenobu Kobayashi (1990)
'Colour Me Beautiful Looking Your Best,' Mary Spillane, Christine Sherlock (1991)
'Timeless Beauty,' Carla Mason Mathis, Helen Villa Connor (1993)
'The Color Scheme Bible,' Anna Starmer (2005)
'Color Your Style,' David Zyla (2011)
'Return to your Natural Colours,' Christine Scaman (2011)
'Colour Me Beautiful Make-Up Manual,' Pat Henshaw, Audrey Hanna (2012)
'Color Theory,' Patti Mollica (2013)
'The Secret Lives of Colour,' Kassia St Clair (2016)
'Colors in Fashion,' Edited by Jonathan Faiers, Mary Westerman Bulgarella (2017)
5. Draping many people in person, with a large set of fabric drapes, to study and learn what looks good against different skin tones, as well as noting what colours individuals are drawn to wearing.
6. Studying body types and style and discovering what I call your 'Style ID,' the lines and shapes in your face that determine your overall best style. Some of this style can be created by the effect the colours you wear have on the overall composition of the outfit. The depth, brightness, hues and overall composition of your outfit's colours can either harmonise or disrupt the style lines and shapes.
7. Studying Jungian analysis, especially the cognitive functions and archetypes and researching how different personalities express distinct elemental and archetypal energies, through their bearing, appearance and mannerisms. Furthermore, understanding colour psychology can support us in expressing our innate personalities and emerging personality traits, as well as support us in our current identity and lifestyle. This may be crucial in understanding why certain colours resonate more with us, than others, enabling us to use them with more intention.
'Artistic Colour Analysis' with me:
I Identify the precise depth of colours that complement your overall appearance (as well as alternative depths, according to your Style ID).
I determine the exact brightness of colours that flatter your skin tone (as well as some colours of other brightness levels according to your Style ID).
I determine the exact contrast levels of colours that suit your skin tone (as well as showing you alternative contrast levels according to your Style ID).
I determine the exact hues of your skin, cheek, lip and hair colours and how to use these in your palette and styling.
I determine the any colours that harmonise with your depth, brightness and hues of your colouring, as well as your Style ID, using colour theory.
If you have a Psychological Style Analysis, I determine any colours that express your elemental energy and archetypal energies, as well as harmonise with your skin, hair and eye colours.
I create a precise, individual colour palette based on all the above on Coolors with Hex codes.