Pantone Book: Klein Blue

“As I lay stretched upon the beach of Nice, I began to feel hatred for birds which flew back and forth across my blue sky, cloudless sky, because they tried to bore holes in my greatest and most beautiful work.” - Yves Klein

Yves Klein was a French artist considered an important figure in post-war European art. Yves Klein created 200 blue monochrome paintings during his life which he began making in 1947, considering them to be a way of rejecting the idea of representation in painting and therefore of attaining creative freedom. 'International Klein Blue' is a shade of Blue that is 100% saturated and 65% bright. International Klein is still a source of inspiration for artists and designers, making a regular appearance on the catwalk, packaging, furniture and interiors.

Examples:

 

Kickstart Entertainment Brand Identity: MashCreative 

As a media-production company, Kickstart needed a vibrant identity that suggested energy and creativity. The limited colour palettes and well thought out layout reassures the target audience that the company is professional and trustworthy. Klein Blue is used to emphasise certain pieces of information and confirms the sense of identity within the brand. The brand logo is made up of 3 overlapping triangles, forming the letter ‘k’ and with the centre triangle representing the play button.

 

Addrn: Appelle Moi Papa (2016)

This identity redesign uses IK blue, white and geometric shapes to create a fresh aesthetic for the company. Although the use of IK blue is less of a trend in 2016, the design decision to use it is because people have the association with the colour and the successful pieces of design that have used it. The typography placement is only on the back with a left alignment. The small amount of words and clean space shows the organisation and trust that people should feel when using this company.

 

Pro-lite: Hats & Tales (2013)

The use of Klein Blue in this poster is for the background which makes the poster bold and eye-catching. The consistent use of white for the typography works well to make the poster legible and the purpose is easy to understand. The pale blue adds geometric shapes within the forms of the letters, fitting with the visual identity of the project. Pro-lite is a project focussing on the use of innovative lighting technologies, visually represented by the very fine repeated lines and unfinished circles. Klein Blue suits this poster design because the fact that it is a ‘trendy’ colour means that the social aspect of the project is take into consideration and the fresh and clean appearance of the blue clearly addresses the environmental issues that the project is addressing.  

Silarba: Another Collective

Another Collective have made the design decision to use Klein Blue as the dominant colour for the brand identity of Silarba. The use of white card for the majority of the brands materials works well to create a modern aesthetic, but the full blue envelope successfully draws attention to the colour choice, bringing all of the brand identity together as a whole. The typography placement on the envelope is not in the position that we may assume it to be, again drawing attention to the finer details of the company.

RCA SHOW 2016: Summer Studio (2016)

This poster is for the Royal College of Arts Graduate exhibition. The aesthetic is very simple and the use of only one colour onto the white background keeps the expectation of the exhibition neutral, as it is likely that there will be a lot of different types of art work. The blue may have been chosen as a way to appeal to visiting professionals as it shows the knowledge of design that the students have. The various letter formations are visually engaging and will inspire to a wide audience.

 

Sonnenzimmer: Ran Park (2016)

Ran’s style of work focuses on the balance of concept and aesthetics within her final outcomes. The choice to use a limited colour palette is effective as it makes the IK blue appear very vibrant and bold. This is important as the attention of the audience needs to be gained so that they will take the time to read the information about the print sale. The use of geometric patterns and the contrast between the IK blue and white create a modern aesthetic.