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October 19, 2008
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Hot color and background trends for 2008
Color Marketing Group, based in Alexandria, VA, has for decades sought to forecast color trends years in advance, giving its members a better chance to get their production schedules in sync with consumer tastes. According to CMG, environmental interests, Politics, and technology continues to play out: |  Looking "Green" -- People want things they wear and things they use now to look "green," no matter what color they are. In 2008, looking stylish means looking natural. Materials will look hand-made, un-dyed and unbleached. Products will look more like what they're actually made of, with lots of texture and all the natural imperfections proudly showing through. Off-whites, sandy and linen-y colors, rock and soil colors, brownish-greens – the colors of nature are seriously fashionable now." There’s News in Blues in 2008 -- The "trust me" color will continue to show up on candidates' ties this election year. But in all areas of decor, blues that remind us of sky and water -- inspired by environmentalism -- remain prominent, even in the kitchen. New next year will be the emergence of a much blacker blue inspired by technology -- a deep, vibrant navy so dark you'll swear it's black. Specialized Finishes, Warmer Metallics -- Advances in technology have made shimmery, specialized finishes really hot. But in 2008, metallics will go warmer. After so many years of brushed chrome and nickel, look for warmer shades -- coppery, bronze-y tones -- to prevail. More Ethnic Accents -- Globalism continues to inspire our love for ethnic accent colors. They’re coming to us from India, China and Latin America. To Moroccan reds and glowing oranges, add rosy pinks, sunny golden yellows and lots of turquoise. Already here in fashion and home design, these ethnic accents will show up as "punch" colors in hotels, restaurants and retail environments, too – often paired with rich browns as neutrals. |
We have noticed a spark in "brushed chrome and nickel", and a trend in reds and yellows, traditional Chinese colors.
But colors can't exist without some sort of texture theme. So, what about background trends in 2007 and 2008?
Grunge paper backgrounds were very popular in 2007. During the last 2 months we were trying to analyze the searches, that deviate the most from a normal search pattern. There are a few of them that we organized into a series of images. | Natural textures are always are in demand. Grunge old paper was a favorite in 2007, but other backgrounds such as wood and sand are pretty noticable.
Wood Fence And Wooden Panels -- stained, weathered and closeups of many multicolored fence details. These types of textures make good backgrounds!
Weathered Wood Siding- Images of the differing colors and grains of various woods, after exposure to the elements.
Wood Texture With Knots -- Wood knots and patterns for natural knotty backgrounds
Nail Or Screw In An Old Piece Of Wood -- Wood backgrounds with nails or screw heads | 
Wood Fence And Wooden Panels | 
Weathered Wood Siding | 
Wood Texture With Knots | 
Nail Or Screw In An Old Piece Of Wood | 
Natural wood textures | Natural wood textures indeed were very popular in 2007. Artists know that the texture they use can make the difference between a good or a great final image. FeaturePics has a huge portfolio of "wood grain" photographs to choose from. These are some examples of patterns and colors you can use to create texture variations for complete texture sets. | 2008 - "Off-whites, sandy and linen-y colors, rock and soil colors, brownish-greens – the colors of nature are seriously fashionable now"
Sand Textures And Patterns -- Rippled sand, patterns of sand in dune, wet sand backgrounds.
Dry Ground Textures -- Dry land and mud fields, cracked dirt and parched land. Stone and rock textures -- Stone surfaces, stone and rock walls, cliffs, close ups of different rock formations, fragments of weathered stones, portions of old brick facades, stones with topographic textures, and sophisticated erosion effects, all contribute to this theme.
Soil Textures - Macro textures - cracked earth, rocky soil, mud. | 
Sand Textures And Patterns
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Dry Ground Textures | 
Stone and rock textures | 
Soil Textures | 
Natural backgrounds and textures | If you are looking for a rich collection of natural textures - check out this collection of images by Rockphoto. This series consists of natural textures and backgrounds from things such as tree bark, the ground, and rock surfaces. Rock types include sandstone, limestone, granite, gneiss, and basalt.
Please note, each image is available individually for purchase. | The natural backgrounds below are of interest in 2007, and, they will definitely attract attention in 2008.
Moss Background -- Moss and lichen on old stones and rocks, tree bark;
Birch bark -- Different views and uses of birchbark, in several seasons
Tree Bark Texture -- The bark and varied colors of many different types of trees. | 
Moss Background | 
Birch bark | 
Linen Fabric Textures | 
Tree Bark Texture | | And, just a short note about "metal backgrounds" in 2007 and already coming for 2008. | 
Brushed metal textures | 2007:
Brushed chrome, stainless steel, brushed aluminum - metal silver backgrounds and textures. | 
Brushed copper | Awaiting for 2008 - warmer shades of brushed metal - red, gold, and tungsten copper. |
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