The colors on the right evoke a certain feeling, don’t they? They are examples of the famous Morandi color palette. It’s hard to describe them using just blue, red, purple, pink, etc. These colors lack contrast, as if covered by a hazy mist, creating a dreamy atmosphere.
Color has a powerful impact on our visual senses, both in interior design and fashion. For example, in fashion, large swathes of the Morandi color scheme can convey a unique texture and warmth, making the wearer appear elegant. These soft-hued garments are just simple sweaters, ordinary jackets, and everyday shoes when stripped down. However, when paired together, they exude a sense of texture and convey an aura of grace and composure.
Today, we are gonna explain who Giorgio Morandi is, what Morandi colors are, and the utilization of Morandi colors. Hope this post will help you on the journey of design!
Who is Giorgio Morandi?
The root of these colors is in the paintings of Italian painter Giorgio Morandi. That’s why they got the name from the artist as “Morandi colors.”
Giorgio Morandi was born in Bologna, Italy, on July 20th, 1890. He lived a secluded life in the small town of Grizzana in Italy. According to his family, Morandi was a person who “wouldn’t even step into the garden to squish a bug.” He cherished his family and rarely ventured from his hometown, devoting himself to his craft in his modest studio.
Amidst the noise of the 20th-century art scene, while other artists flocked to Paris, Morandi quietly honed his craft in his studio, creating his art with peace of mind. He lived a life of solitude and never got married. Also, he rarely traveled beyond his hometown. “I have been fortunate enough to lead an uneventful life. “Morandi said in his later years.
Morandi represented Italian artists at the Venice Biennale, where he won the prize without attendance. The following year, he participated in MoMA’s 20th-century Italian art exhibition. After that, his works were displayed at the first Kassel Documenta in 1955 and the São Paulo Biennial in 1957.
Some Works of Giorgio Morandi
What is Morandi Color?
Morandi colors don’t refer to a specific hue but to a series of colors with low saturation and a hint of gray. These colors are created by adding gray and white to the original colors, making them lose their strong and bright hue, becoming neutral tones with purity.
In general, Morandi colors belong to the high-end color series, building a static and harmonious aesthetic that is natural and serene. The atmosphere portrayed is light and cool, displaying a unique quality that calms viewers’ emotions.
Why is Morandi Color Palette Popular?
Since last year, the “Morandi palette” has prevailed in the fashion world and has become the fashion darling of many young generations. Today, we will explain the utilization of Morandi color and its unique aesthetics.
The Restrained Aesthetic
The popularity of the Morandi color scheme reflects the contemporary aesthetic — a restrained and peaceful feeling with a hint of detachment.
What is the restrained aesthetic? The Bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind.” It is the act of restraining yourself for the protection of beauty that shows humanity’s tenderness and consideration. Many modern people strive for this mild, unassuming, and gentle form of beauty — you could even view it as a form of Asian Zen practice.
Although different eras have different interpretations of beauty, Morandi has predicted the beauty of the modern era. In the past, countless painters pursued rich and grandiose paintings because of material scarcity. However, with the development of the economy and the enriched spiritual world on the internet, grandeur has become cliched. People discard various complicated piles of decorations and begin to pursue the beauty of tenderness and harmony, which is also the glitter of humanity.
Application of the Morandi Color Scheme
Fashion Clothing
The utilization of Morandi colors in the fashion design realm is quite unique.
From a lifestyle perspective, the Morandi color palette is a sophisticated cool color scheme that doesn’t overpower with vibrancy. Its understated style offers a soothing, natural delight to the senses. Morandi-colored clothing creates a calming effect and conveys a longing for serenity and comfort in life. Fashion enthusiasts wear Morandi hues to express their dislike for chaos and rejection of the fast-paced city lifestyle.
In terms of color coordination, Morandi colors are relatively low in saturation, making them easy to match and combine, creating a gentle and graceful texture. They are also generally long-lasting and easy to use, not prone to missteps.
Package
Color has a different psychological perception on people. Beyond the warmth or coolness of a color, its luxurious or simple feel is also significant for packaging design. The packaging with different hues of color directly affects the feeling it gives to customers.
High-purity colors combined with diverse patterns will create a dazzling effect, while low-purity colors tend to create a peaceful and elegant atmosphere. Currently, some packaging designs use high-purity colors to create a stimulating visual effect. On the contrary, other designers use more moderate hues, like the Morandi color scheme, to create a soft and calming effect.
The Morandi color palette is particularly trendy in makeup packaging. In today’s market, makeup products such as eyeshadows and perfumes are no longer solely focused on dazzling but instead emphasize low-key and refined styles. Buyers are seeking spiritual enjoyment beyond material basics. The pure and elegant atmosphere presented by the Morandi color scheme is where its charm lies.
Jewelry
In the world of jewelry, many gems boast a Morandi color scheme, adding a touch of sophistication to those already precious jewelry pieces. For example, gems such as aquamarine and morganite from the green beryl family serve as ambassadors of the Morandi hue. White opal, with its dreamy quality and a combination of low-saturation colors, perfectly embodies the charisma of the Morandi color.
Honestly, Morandi-colored gems may not be the brightest or most attention-grabbing, but they exude serenity and harmony. The jewelry designs with the Morandi color palette are not the most extravagant, but they are graceful and elegant, making them timeless. The Morandi color is a technique that conveys a not overpowering beauty without conflict, making it undeniably upscale.
Interior Design
The seemingly simple and ordinary hues of the Morandi color palette can enhance the beauty of space when used for wall decor. It can add vibrancy and brightness to the whole room.
Just like lipstick shades, there are various branches of the Morandi color scheme. For example, light green Morandi is a refreshing and lively color, often used for decorating kids’ rooms. Both boys and girls tend to like this natural and energetic shade.
Another example is the dark pink Morandi color, which is very girly and not jarring in home decorations. This pink color makes a home feel cozier and creates an artistic atmosphere.
Moreover, the deep blue Morandi color is suitable for living rooms and dining rooms. Since guests will visit these areas, using an upscale color tone will make the owner seem sophisticated. This deep blue color has the unique depth and serenity of the Morandi brand, mostly favored by men.
How to Match Morandi Color Clothing?
Using the Morandi color palette in fashion also requires attention to detail. Although Morandi colors are relatively easy to match and most tones are subdued, it will still look ordinary if you don’t know how to match the clothing.
Advantages of Morandi colors: texture, softness, subtlety, timeless classic, flatters skin tone, looks high-end.
Disadvantages of Morandi colors: if not paired well, they may look dirty, dull, and even sickly. The colors are not outstanding, and difficult to attract the attention of passers-by.
Given these characteristics of Morandi colors, we have compiled the following suggestions to help you better master Morandi colors in fashion.
- To avoid a “sickly” look when wearing Morandi colors, the first step is to select an accessory with a highly-saturate color that complements your overall tone. That will help make your outfit brighter.
- By incorporating Morandi’s basic colors, we can utilize natural inspiration in our fashion choices. For example, if you have a brown item of clothing, imagine a natural landscape that surrounds a brown wood or stone. Then choose colors from that scene to match this clothing.
- Another simple approach is to find color inspiration from the paintings of Giorgio Morandi. His works are renowned for their simplicity and stillness, making them an easy yet effective choice for fashion.
- However, we must be mindful not to overdo it and stack multiple Morandi colors together. Instead, choose a limited number of colors, usually not more than three, to create a visually harmonious balance.
Final Words
The preference for gray tones by Giorgio Morandi is quite evident. Regardless of the subject, that eternal, serene gray tone always manages to add a mysterious and dignified feeling to his drawing at the right time. When viewing Morandi’s paintings, one cannot help but quiet down and connect directly with the soul. This serenity is achieved through the balance of mutual restraint and mutual cancellation of power, which is an artistic effect that Morandi pursued throughout his life.
The popularity of Morand’s colors reflects contemporary people’s pursuit of spiritual tranquility under the excess of material goods. That is a restrained aesthetic, a human beauty that applies to both fashion and life.
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