In the 17th century, scarlet became an adjective to describe a glaringly offensive sin. The word entered English via Anglo-French escarlet-a derivative of the Latin word for the cloth, scarlata-and became associated with bright red colors because the cloth was commonly dyed red. Scarlet was not originally a word for a color but a name for a high-quality cloth, which is believed to have originated in Persia where it was called saqalāt. Frances Hodgson Burnett, In Connection with the DeWilloughby Claim, 1899 … the trees were dropping golden, amber, and scarlet leaves, while under the pale yellow ones which rustled beneath the chestnut-trees, there were brown, glossy nuts….

It is from the color of this resin that amber has come to refer to a dark orange yellow. Species of insects and plants have been found as fossils in this yellowish to brownish amber, and deeply colored, translucent pieces are used in making jewelry and ornamental objects. In English, amber was originally used as the name for this substance, with the name ambergris developing later in French from ambre and gris ('gray') to differentiate it from the fossilized tree resin type of amber, which is also found around the shore (of the Baltic Sea, largely). It is derived from Arabic, anbar, which refers to ambergris, a waxy secretion (there's that word again) of the sperm whale that is used as a spice and in perfumery. Robert Pack, 'Mountain Ash Without Cedar Waxwings,' 1993Īmber can describe the dark orange-yellow color of a floating leaf or a substance found floating in the sea. The likely last nostalgic warmth of autumn / has gone by, the amber leaves / have fallen from the mountain ash, and still / luminescent berries / hold their positions on the chill, stiff branches. In the 17th century, russet was planted in the field of agriculture as a name for pears and apples with rough skins of a russet color, and again in the late-18th century when it became the name of the popular potato. English borrowed the French term for the cloth in the 13th century before using it in its color sense.Īssociation of the word with rural living led to its use as an adjective meaning 'rustic,' 'homely,' and 'simple.' For example, Shakespeare's character Berowne in Love’s Labour's Lost, frustrated by Rosaline's literal interpretation of his words, swears off courtly wooing and decides to answer simply in 'russet yeas and honest kersey noes.' Its name is a borrowing of an Anglo-French adjective, meaning 'reddish' or 'reddish-brown,' that came to designate a coarse, homespun cloth used to make garments. 2019īeing a reddish brown, russet is a popular fall color.

Robert Miller, The Litchfield County Times, 9 Oct. Because of the emerald ash borer, their claret foliage may be missing from the landscape. The oaks are yet to make their move to russet. It's about personal preference.I found no pleasure in the silent trees, the falling fir-cones, the congealed relics of autumn, russet leaves, swept by past winds in heaps, and now stiffened together. Which one is the 'right' one? Neither is right or wrong. Take a look at the sample below and you'll see an ombre I've created using Colors A-I then a similar ombre where I've swapped Colors B and C with each other. Sometimes you just need to try a few things to see what works best for you. If you're interested in learning more about color depths, it can help to understand RGB vs HSV.) If you feel really unsure and want to learn more about color gradients, you can use tools online to help you select the right color gradients. Consider it more of an art than a science and trust what looks best to your own eye.īut there is a science. You'll notice in the samples below that I separated the blue-greens from the true blues for my ombre. Select only the colors that are truly in the same color family. A very vivid blue (such as Color B Royal) can be placed next to a dark grey-blue (like Color C Windsor Blue) and a deep blue-green (like Color J Real Teal) and it can be really difficult to tell which one is actually 'darkest'. Blue includes true blues, grey-blues and blue-greens. In our samples, we are creating a blue ombre. However, the eye can sometimes get tricked when looking at different hues within the same color family. You want to order your colors from dark to light (or light to dark) to create your ombre.

Omber color