Craft Focus - Feb/Mar 2020 (Issue 77)

10 Pantone announces C olour of the Year for 2020 Pantone has unveiled 19-4052 Classic Blue as its Colour of the Year for 2020. The timeless and elegant hue is intended to highlight the desire for a dependable and stable foundation from which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era. “We are living in a time that requires trust and faith,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “It is this kind of constancy and confidence that is expressed by Pantone 19-4052 Classic Blue, a solid and dependable hue we can always rely on. Imbued with a deep resonance, it provides an anchoring foundation. A boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky, Classic Blue encourages us to look beyond the obvious to expand our thinking, challenging us to think more deeply, increase our perspective and open the flow of communication.” Representing peace and tranquillity, the shade is non-aggressive and easily relatable. “It highlights the relationship between trends in colour and what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time,” adds Laurie Pressman, vice president. “As society continues to recognise colour as a critical form of communication and a way to express and affect ideas and emotions, designs and brands should feel inspired to use colour to engage and connect.” In fashion, blue is genderless in outlook and seasonless in endurance, taking on a distinct appearance through application to different materials, finishes and textures. In beauty, it can be used to make a dramatic statement for eyes, nails and hair. Across home décor, the shade can inject creative confidence, transforming a space through colour combinations and tonal statements. For packaging, it conveys a message of honesty, credibility and reliability that today’s consumers will respond to. Pantone has also collaborated with sensory experts from the worlds of music, food, fashion, beauty and technology to envision Classic Blue as a sound, smell, taste and feeling, inspiring creatives and consumers to think about colour differently. Find out more at pantone.com ETSY REVEALS ITS OWN COLOUR OF THE YEAR Online marketplace Etsy has revealed its own colour of the year, chartreuse. Intended to increase energy and encourage unconventional thinking, the statement-making shade evokes feelings of growth and harmony. Experts at Etsy expect to see this tone everywhere in 2020, from homewares to fashion. The website has already seen a 12 per cent increase in searches for green products and a 55 per cent increase in enquiries for neon green over the last three months. The announcement was released as part of Etsy’s 2020 trend predictions. The forecast also included an increase in colour blocking and a resurgence in 1980s style. Find out more at etsy.com Craft Buddy expands its portfolio with new signing Craft Buddy has announced its first new licensed product range of the year. The craft manufacturer will be working with fantasy artist Lisa Parker to reproduce stunning images in the Crystal Art format. Lisa is well-known for her work, which features mysterious and magical creatures. There will be a wide range of themes, from mystical cats to ferocious dragons, all available to order from February 2020. The collection will include a variety of formats and price points from greetings cards to large-scale canvases. “We set out to increase the number of licences that we have on our roster with the aim of making sure that we could deliver a high-quality product image that we know fans of Crystal Art will love, and with Lisa Parker we have definitely achieved this,” says Gary Wadhwani, the company’s co-founder. “As a renowned artist in her own right, Lisa has a vast collection of images that really lend themselves to the Crystal Art concept and we are excited to show the full range to fans and customers alike at our trade shows throughout the spring.” Find out more at craftbuddyltd.co.uk