While I am feeling rather chatty this morning, let me ask you all this question:

When beginning new jewelry projects do you look to see what the color trend is for the current or coming season or do you just create to make something beautiful?  If you  go by color trends, on what resource do you base it.

While I don't really go out of my way to use the current color trends in my jewelry specifically, I do find that I am usually drawn to some of the colors (like chocolate and turquoise colors currently).  That being said, since color trends are just that -- trends, I know they will change soon and try not to use them too much.  I go with what makes me feel good about the beads.  For instance, I look horrible in reds and oranges, but I love carnelian and make lots of jewlery with it.  My taste in colors change, sometimes due to the seasonal changes, or my mood.  Right now I'm in the mood for the natural colors in Jaspers and Agates, and absolutely love the Vintaj brass.  Last year I was really into silver (and still use it a lot), and crystal beads.  Choose what makes you happy, and I'm sure something beautiful will come from it!  Alice    

How about another interesting twist to this topic....

Do you ever choose colors on the basis of a personal and completely illogical drive to use a particular color or shade?

To answer the original question,  I don't give a hoot about trends in color. I often make things in what are traditional summer colors in the dead of winter and vice-versa. Sometimes I choose the color scheme only after picking out a focal component I've eventually decided to incorporate in a design, but I never choose a focal according to a pre-existing color scheme.

To answer my own twist to your topic, sometimes I have an insane urge to use a certain color and lots of it, and nothing I make with any other color will please me until I get the urge out of my system. The last time I had this urge I produced a monumental necklace entirely in black, silver and black diamond and jet swarovskis. Before that, I had a compulsion for hot pink that to this day leaves me puzzled, I'm not a pink person, much less hot pink....but it took me a bead sculpture of a pink flamingo made over the course of 3 months to remove pink from my system...now I'm ready for it again - two years later LOL! Wonder what my next color-compulsion will be....

 I love loads of bright colors, but seem to produce lots of monochrome (or almost) pieces. My conclusion is that my use of color is "spiritual", coming from the inside, rather than tied to any particular fad, trend, or seasonal thing.

 Nice topic, makes for some interesting conversation...and while we're on the subject - I discovered a very cool free software download on Eni Oken's site - IMO an EXCELLENT tool for all mediums involving color in some way:

Have a link and a nice evening!

http://www.enioken.com/jewelry/colorschemes.html

Original Sin,

I enjoyed reading your post!  I can relate to using a color until it's out of your system, and in my case it's the red of carnelian and jasper stones.  And as I said in my post, I look horrible in red, so this fixation on this color makes absolutely no sense at all.  I have found that everything I have made with these stones is the first to sell at my shows. Ironically, I'm thinking about painting my front door a nice barn red.  When I was a child our livingroom had red carpet, red vinyl at the front door (linoleum back then) and a red front door. 

Thanks for the Eni link too!  Alice

I've been thinking a lot about color this week, and how we choose colors for projects. I was already writing a blog on the subject, but I thought your question was excellent, so I included my response to your question there. Hopefully you'll get a lot of responses here. Both Peachtree and Original Sin have made good points. I've made jewelry in trendy colors, just to have it look dated the next season. I also tend to go through color phases, sometimes with colors I've never been drawn to before.

I'm curious to see how many people look at color forecasts for inspiration, and how that works for them. Good question!

Hi Alice,

It's curious to see that you and I seem to approach color more or less in the same manner..and its also interesting to see that other people have these strange color-cravings! Red is one color that scares me - I've never made anything predominantly red, but at this very moment am working on my first red piece. Dorrie (eeyorefan) and I have challenged each other to a red showdown since we both have such a hard time approaching the color . It's a fun exercise in approaching colors that usually keep you away for some reason!

I read the blog entry this morning and found it interesting - I do like to read the forecasts and trends because....well, I like color! I like to look at the different swatches of color that someone else has chosen and even though I'm not subscribed to the podcast, I do receive Margie Deeb's newsletter, not for the readable content but to look at the color samplers she sends . Then I go ahead and totally ignore whatever I've seen when choosing a palette for a project, but I do feel its useful and enjoyable to see not so much what the trend is...but what the colors are, if that makes any sense.

I typically use colors I am in the mood to use. I dont watch the magazines to see whats "in". Some bead manufacturers DO pay attention to the trends, though as I have noticed that they work in some of the more popular colors.

I do occassionally pop into a clothing retailer to see whats out there. I want people to be able to wear my jewelry with lots of things...and I think its nice to have an idea what some of those things are. I pay attention to necklines and overall cuts as well as to color. But color isnt my guiding force in those expeditions.

How interesting that you're doing your "first red piece".  I've not done a predominantly red piece, either, because, as a natural redhead, I don't wear much red.  I tend to work in colors that I might wear.  I'm looking forward to the results of your red challenge!

I, too, have color cravings and have to get it out of my system before I can work successfully with other colors.  I do look at the color forecasts, so I can have a few pieces in the current color schemes available for my customers, but I basically go with my instincts. 

I'm glad to see that I am not the only one that has color urges!!   I asked the question because I tend to create from what ever urges come from within.  It usually starts from a trip to a bead show.  I find a color that I absolutelyMUST HAVE.   When I get it home, a frenzy of inspiration attacks and I make several pieces adding different colors and using different techniques.  I end up with 4-5 pieces before I am done.  If I haven't been to a show and need inspiration on colors I might wander through shops until I find something that catches my eye.   I also try to calllenge myself by making something with colors Either I don't like or haven't  used before- Maybe we need a color challenge.  There hasn't been one on here in a while.  Anyone up for it?

What a great question!  I don't tie into trends but do check out the mall for inspiration.  I often find colors used together that I'd never have thought of trying myself.  I tend to use colors that inspire me, not what the fashion trends dictate.  I find being "true to myself" is the best for me.  If someone requests a certain color scheme for a custom order and it's a color I don't care for, I find it very difficult to make that piece.  I make it, but I don't feel like it's my best work.  They usually love it and that's the most important thing but the process is usually a difficult and not fun one for me.  In the past, I checked into the market trends and then would make things in those colors and often, they were the last things to sell.  I think the market trends are not universal and many things that might be so very popular on the west coast or the east coast don't appeal to the market in the midwest. 

Bear

To be honest I don't know what the colour trends are and wouldn't know how to find out what was forecast as a trend or in fashion now!

Who decides these things anyway and what does it matter? I just make what i feel like making - I like most colours and use beads according to my mood. I'm sure we all go through phases of liking different colours and combinations thereof but using a colour just because somebody you've never met decides it's trendy...I can't understand that concept. But then I don't understand some people's slavish attitude to clothing fashion either - i wouldn't wear something i don't like no matter how "fashionable".

I suppose if you were making jewellery only as a business you might try to match your items to clothes in the shops so as to maximise sales - but are jewellery colour trends the same as clothing fashions? Even if so it would probably be a bit pointless as high street fashion chains will churn out costume jewellery far more cheaply and in greater quantity than we ever could so beaders aren't looking to compete directly are they?

I try to choose one "trend" and make a corresponding line of jewelry. I start off with a few pieces and add more if there seems to be interest. My target market is trend oriented to a point.