Pantone’s Color of the Year
Since 2020 has now come to a close and a new year is upon us, people all over the country, and all over the world, are delighted with the idea of a brighter future and a potential return to normalcy very soon. The pandemic of 2020 has many people searching for new hope and embarking on resiliency that is common among people everywhere.
The two ideas of resiliency and a brighter future are what has inspired the Pantone Color of the Year for 2021. Typically, Pantone chooses one outstanding color per year; however, this year, Pantone has chosen 2 colors to represent the year 2021. The two colors of the year are; Ultimate Gray (Pantone 17-5104) and Illuminating (Pantone 13-0647).
Ultimate Gray is meant to represent strength and resiliency. It is a solid, dark, warm shade of gray that makes many people think of natural elements, such as well-worn stones found in a creek bed, or large boulders found along hillsides around our country. Pantone executives describe Ultimate Gray as a color that is “emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation.”
In comparison, Illuminating is a brilliant, cheerful shade of yellow that is inspirational and awe-inspiring. Next to Ultimate Gray, Illuminating is a pop of color that is unmistakably uplifting and eye-catching. It is a color that represents hope, light, and things that are good and promising. For such a challenging year that the world has seen with the 2020 pandemic, the color choice of Illuminating represents an uplifting year to come in 2021, with the prospect of worldwide vaccines and a brighter future.
The Pantone Color of the Year, or Colors of the Year as this case may be, were first announced at the beginning of December 2020. The chosen colors are sure to influence much that we see this new year, and many industries will embrace these contrasting, yet complementary color choices. From paint companies to furniture companies, art displays, food choices, entertainment venues, and social media websites, we are all surely going to be influenced by these two beautiful and meaningful color choices. Happy New Year 2021!
