The Advanced Color Analysis System Simplified

The Advanced Color Analysis System Simplified

Traditionally, when one is trying to figure out her 'season' (or her best palette of colors), she will look to see if she has warm or cool undertones. While this is an important aspect to a color analysis, it is only a part of the equation. And it is not necessarily the first thing you look for. In the advanced 12 season color analysis system, the first thing you look for is the MOST dominant characteristic of the person.

19th Century artist Albert Munsell talked about color having 3 characteristics: Hue, Value and Chroma.

1. Hue means simply what color an object is, like red, orange, or green. Every hue will be either warm or cool, or some combination of the two. Example: Yellow is warm; Blue is cool; Green is balanced.

2. Value just means the lightness or darkness of a color. Typically, light colors have tints of white added to it. Dark colors have some shade of black added to it.

3. Chroma means a color's clarity or saturation. A sunny Yellow would be considered fully saturated or clear. "Mustard" would be considered a muted Yellow. There is usually a heaviness or grayness added to a muted color. So Chroma refers to how clear a color is or how muted it is, or as it's referred to in the system, its 'Softness'.

HUE= Warm or Cool

VALUE=Light or Dark

CHROMA=Clear or Soft

From these 3 aspects of color we get 6 dominant characteristics that a person can exhibit.

1.Warm

2. Cool

3. Light

4. Dark

5.Clear

6.Soft

It is these 6 characteristics that are most important in determining your season. Look for those traits FIRST. If you can determine your dominant characteristic, you are 75% there in determining your season. The secondary characteristic will finalize which season you are.

Here is a the 12 Season Color Theory in a nutshell:

Each person will have 1 of 6 dominant "characteristics" in their coloring which is the primary determining factor in analyzing them. They are:

Deep:Dark and rich. Think Cher or Kim Kardashian

Light: Light and delicate. Think Gwyneth Paltrow or Heather Locklear

Soft: Soft & muted. Think Sarah Jessica Parker or Jennifer Aniston

Clear: Clear & bright. Think Courtney Cox or a young Liz Taylor

Warm: No cool undertones. Think Reba McIntyre or Sarah Ferguson

Cool: No warm undertones. Think Christy Brinkley or Liz Hurley

To illustrate:

If you have deep coloring, then the second determining factor is whether you look better in warm colors or cool colors. If cool colors flatter you best, then you are determined to be a "Deep Winter." So while you favor cool colors over warm, the fact that you are DEEP is the most important aspect to your coloring. Your best colors will include the deepest darkest colors; you will want to avoid light colors. If your dominant characteristic is either "Warm" or "Cool", then decide whether you favor clear or muted colors next. Once you've figured out these two components, you've got your season figured out!

Deep, cool colors = Deep Winter

Deep, warm colors = Deep Autumn.

Light, warm colors = Light Spring

Light, cool colors = Light Summer

Clear, cool colors = Clear Winter

Clear, warm colors = Clear Spring

Soft, warm colors = Soft Autumn

Soft, cool colors = Soft Summer

Warm, clear colors = Warm Spring

Warm, soft colors = Warm Autumn

Cool, soft colors = Cool Summer

Cool, clear colors = Cool Winter

This is the essence of the 12 season system. Remember to look for the most dominant of the 6 characteristics first and you are on your way.