Pantone Booklet - Klein Blue

Klein Blue was a hue created by Yves Klein; a frenchman who was not only an artist but an inventor and showman too. The colour was based upon the use of Ultramarine, when experimenting with pigments and polymers, Klein created a colour that when suspended in synthetic resin, produced an extremely high pigment. It was eventually officially registered in 1957. The colour was first displayed at an exhibition named ‘The Blue revolution’, where Klein used naked models as live paintbrushes, encapsulating movement and the human body within an art piece. He also displayed the colours has huge hanging monochromatic paintings, based on his previous idea of ‘The Void’. The vastness of the colour across the painting, was done in a way which removed people out of reality and acted as a source of meditation and relaxation, it took people elsewhere within their minds. Klein’s main aim was to capture a hue of blue that would hold an entire experience when looked at. and each painting created different atmospheres and emotions, as well as each being sold for varying prices. Klein described his colour as ‘a blue in itself, disengaged by all functional justification.’ He wanted both the colour and paintings to have a tangible and visible nature of the sky and sea, to reach out to all five senses. It became known as International Klein Blue (IKB), and during the 1990s it became hugely popular, within design, it was said that ‘it had replaced red as a signal colour’.

Designed by Sagmeister, the contemporary rebrand of The Jewish Museum in New York. The colour was inspired by Tekhelet dye mentioned within the Hebrew Bible, and a reference to the Israeli flag and Jewish culture and religion. 

Design for Generation Press by Studio Build, the colour used has a resemblance to Klein Blue. The contrast against the red is similar to two points work creating a bold statment using two very basic colours.

Found upon Trendlist, this is a poster designed by Jean Ducret. Klein Blue has been used throughout the whole piece. Hinting to Klein’s own monochrome paintings, creating a single piece creating different emotions and feelings.

Designed by Studio Dumbar for OVG Real Estate, Visual Identity. The colours chosen read Europe, taken from the European Flag. But the design also emits passion, which was the drive behind Yves Klein production of IKB.

Architecture Magazine designed by TwoPoints, uses a contrast of Klein blue and red. This issue was about preservation therefore the choice of colours could represent stripping back to basics using primary colours.

This was designed again by Studio Build, for a conference branding for Sex, Drugs and Helvetica. The colour choice relates to Klein’s controversial use of Klein Blue, using women as paintbrushes, it is used again herein a similar context.

Created by Vallée Duhamel Studio, for Google and Android. The shade of blue could be a reference to the colours used within the google logo and to contrast against the shade of pink. Making a gender neutral brand for the product.