Designing Quirky Artwork with Pantone's Color of the Year: Embrace the Unexpected

Every year, Pantone announces its *Color of the Year*—a shade that sets the tone for the design world and influences fashion, interiors, and art. For designers, artists, and creatives, the Color of the Year offers a unique opportunity to explore new concepts, inspire fresh perspectives, and, most excitingly, add a bold splash of colour to the artwork.

This year, the colour is PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse, which Captures a Global Mood of Connection, Comfort, and Harmony. It is a warm, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us by suggesting the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort. Let's dive into the art of designing quirky, unconventional artwork while using Pantone’s chosen colour. We'll explore how to blend your creative style with the year's colour, push boundaries, and make something fresh, exciting, and—most importantly—distinctive.

1. Start with the Essence of the Colour

Pantone’s Colour of the Year is more than just a shade; it’s a reflection of the cultural climate and the collective mood of the world. When using the Color of the Year in your quirky artwork, the first step is understanding the emotion or concept that this colour represents.

2. Break Free from Traditional Color Combinations

One of the core principles of quirky artwork is the willingness to break the rules. Don’t be afraid to pair Pantone’s Color of the Year with unconventional, clashing colours. Where traditional colour schemes often stick to complementary or analogous palettes, quirky art thrives on unexpected combinations.

For example, if the Color of the Year is a vibrant hue, pair it with contrasting shades—think neon pink against mustard yellow, or electric blue paired with a rich burnt orange. These colour clashes can create visual tension and excitement, pulling viewers in and making them look deeper. By deviating from expected colour harmony, you’ll create fresh, bold, and memorable pieces.

3. **Play with Patterns and Shapes

Patterns are essential tools for creating quirky artwork. When using the Pantone Color of the Year, try infusing your design with playful patterns that make the colour pop. These could be anything from abstract geometric shapes to whimsical doodles, stripes, polka dots, or even organic, fluid forms. The key is to embrace variety and surprise.

If the colour is particularly bold or intense, experiment with creating playful yet sophisticated patterns. A swirling pattern that uses the Color of the Year can evoke a sense of movement, while a repeating, cartoonish motif can add a whimsical touch. Don’t be afraid to juxtapose simplicity with complexity—think of a large, minimalist object in the color of the year surrounded by chaotic, detailed illustrations.

4. Incorporate Unexpected Elements

What sets quirky artwork apart from the conventional is the element of surprise. Look for opportunities to incorporate unexpected elements into your design. This could be surreal, out-of-the-box visual concepts like oversized objects, exaggerated proportions, or scenes that defy logic.

For example, if you’re using a deep purple Pantone shade as your main colour, imagine pairing it with an illustration of a giant, oversized jellybean floating in a cosmic sky surrounded by quirky creatures. The playful scale and combination of whimsical objects with a serious, sophisticated colour create a tension that makes the artwork more intriguing and memorable.

Another idea is to blend natural elements with fantastical ones. Picture the Pantone colour as the backdrop for an abstract landscape where trees are upside down or flowers are made of geometric shapes, injecting an element of surprise into a traditional scene.

5. Embrace Minimalism, but Make It Fun

While quirky artwork often thrives on chaos and maximalism, minimalism can also play a big part in creating quirky designs. The key is not to overdo it—use Pantone’s Color of the Year sparingly and allow it to be the hero of the design. Think of quirky minimalism as a visual puzzle that leaves space for imagination.

You could create a minimalist composition with the Color of the Year as the focal point, surrounded by simple, bold lines or small, unexpected details. For example, if the Color of the Year is a pastel pink, you could design an abstract face using only the pink hue and bold black lines, adding quirky features like oversized eyes or a tilted nose. The simplicity of the layout can add a sense of humour and surprise, especially when the playfulness of the chosen colour is paired with.

6. Use the Color for Narrative Contrast

Colours often tell stories, and quirky designs can take this to the next level by using Pantone’s Color of the Year to represent contrasting narratives or emotions within a single piece of art. Think of the color as a symbol, and how its application can tell different sides of a story. For instance, you could juxtapose the Color of the Year with an element that disrupts or contrasts it—an ultra-saturated background paired with a pale character or object, or a bright, vibrant color set against a dark or muted setting.

7. Experiment with Mixed Media

Quirky artwork isn’t confined to one medium, and that’s part of its charm. If you’re designing artwork with Pantone’s Color of the Year, consider stepping outside the traditional realm of digital art or print design and experimenting with mixed media. Incorporating elements like fabric, found objects, collages, or even 3D installations can take your colour usage to new heights.

For example, Mocha Brown, you might design a mixed-media piece with painted wood, metallic elements, and fabric swatches, giving the piece a tactile, multidimensional quality. By bringing in different textures and materials, you can create visually engaging artwork that invites interaction.

8. Use Humor and Playful Character Design

Quirky artwork often thrives on humour, so don’t be afraid to infuse your designs with playful character creation. Whether it's a silly, cartoon-like character, an anthropomorphised object, or a surreal creature that challenges the laws of physics, adding humour can create a memorable piece of art.

9. Mix the Pantone Color of the Year with Custom Textures

Texture adds a quirky, tactile element to design that can completely change how a piece is experienced. Try incorporating unconventional or unexpected textures for the year's colour—whether through brushstrokes, digital noise, or scanned-in textures like crinkled paper or fabric.

For example, consider adding a rough, hand-drawn texture over the colour, making it feel more organic or raw.

Make the Colour Your Playground

The Pantone Colour of the Year is not just a shade—it’s a canvas for creativity, innovation, and play. When designing quirky artwork with this colour, the key is to experiment, push boundaries, and approach the colour as a tool for visual storytelling. Whether you're embracing bold contrasts, mixing media, or introducing humour into your designs, quirky artwork allows you to embrace the unexpected and transform a simple hue into something extraordinary.

So go ahead—take that colour and make it your playground. Explore, invent, and create something that’s as quirky as it is vibrant, and let Pantone's Color of the Year be the spark that ignites your wildest artistic ideas.

Contact me for custom artwork to bring your ideas to life!