Trippy Holographic is the brightest abstract we make. It runs from hot magenta to electric blue to aqua green, with a swirl of liquid through the middle and pale shards scattered across it like pieces of foil. It is all colour and movement. This post looks at what is in it and how to live with it.
What is in the picture
The colour changes from the top of the picture to the bottom. The top is magenta and violet-pink. The middle is a deep, saturated blue. The bottom is aqua and sea green, with small touches of mint and yellow-green where it is lightest. The three run into each other without a line between them.
Through the centre and the lower half there is a swirl. Bands of blue and aqua curve round in a loose S, like syrup being stirred or a wave folding over. Thin bright lines follow the curves and make them look glossy, as if the surface were wet.
Across all of this are the shards. Dozens of small, pale, angular shapes, mostly triangles, are scattered over the picture, thickest in the middle and to the right. They are lilac, pale blue and pink, and they look like fragments of holographic foil or broken glass catching the light. Some are sharp and some are out of focus, which gives the picture depth: a few seem close to you and others far back.
What "holographic" means here
Strictly, a hologram is a three-dimensional image recorded with laser light. In everyday use, holographic has come to mean the rainbow shimmer of foil that changes colour as you tilt it: the patch on a bank card, a trading card, a sticker.
That shimmer is called iridescence. It happens when a surface has very fine layers or ridges that split light, so that different colours are sent in different directions. Soap bubbles, oil on water, the inside of a shell and a peacock's feather all do it.
A print can't change colour as you move. What this piece does is show the look of iridescence: the smooth run from pink through blue to green, the glossy highlights and the bright fragments. It is a picture of a holographic surface, in ink. On the wall it stays as it is from every angle, which is what you want from a picture you look at every day.
Where the look comes from
- The 1980s and 1990s. Holographic stickers, trading cards and album sleeves. For many people it is the texture of childhood collections.
- Y2K. Round the year 2000, iridescent plastic, shiny fabrics and silver were the look of the future. See cyberpunk vs Y2K vs Y3K.
- Vaporwave. Pink, blue and aqua gradients are its house colours. See vaporwave vs synthwave vs outrun.
- Now. Holographic finishes are back in fashion, packaging, phone cases and interiors, as part of a wider taste for glossy, otherworldly surfaces. See holographic and iridescent wall art.
- Psychedelic art. The liquid swirl goes back to the light shows and posters of the 1960s, where coloured oils were projected on walls behind bands.
How it works as a picture
- The gradient gives it order. Warm at the top, cool at the bottom. However busy the surface, the picture has a clear structure underneath.
- The swirl gives it movement. The eye follows the curve round and through the picture.
- The shards give it sparkle. Small bright shapes against deep colour read as light.
- Sharp against soft. Angular fragments over smooth liquid. The contrast keeps it lively.
- Neighbouring colours. Magenta, violet, blue and aqua lie next to one another on the colour wheel. They blend without clashing, which is why a picture this bright still holds together. See why magenta and cyan work together.
The mood
Bright, playful and energetic. It is a happy picture. It has the feel of a party, a festival or a favourite record.
Where it works
- A white or pale room that needs colour. This is the best use for it. One piece does the work of a whole colour scheme. See wall art for white walls and dopamine decor.
- A desk or gaming setup. Pink, blue and aqua are the colours of most RGB lighting. It will match whatever the lights are set to.
- A teenager's room or a dorm.
- A studio, a dressing room or a creative workspace.
- A music room.
- A party space, a bar corner or a games room.
It is too lively for most bedrooms, at least on the wall you face from the bed. It doesn't sit well with warm, earthy schemes.
Living with a bright piece
- Let it lead. One loud picture in a room. Keep the other art quiet.
- Keep the surroundings plain. White, grey or black walls and furniture.
- Repeat one of its colours once or twice. An aqua cushion, a pink vase. That ties it to the room. See the 60-30-10 colour rule.
- Pair it with black and white. A monochrome piece beside it makes both look better.
What to pair it with
- Purple Pink Wormhole and Light Nebula. They share its pinks and blues.
- Liquid Metal Mist Pink. A quiet abstract in violet and blue. One loud, one soft.
- Chrome and Blue. A liquid swirl in silver and navy. The same movement with the colour taken out.
- In the room: clear acrylic, chrome, mirror, glass, and white.
The formats
- Matte poster. From 8 × 10 to 24 × 36 inches. A white frame makes it look fresh. A black frame makes the colours look stronger. See black frame or white frame.
- Tapestry. In four sizes up to 88 × 104 inches. A wall of this colour changes a room completely.
- Acrylic keychain. The colours suit a clear charm very well.
A note on the finish
The prints are matte. They don't have a foil or mirror surface, and they don't shift colour as you move. The holographic effect is in the artwork. We mention it so that nobody expects a foil print. On a wall, matte is the better choice: no glare, and the colour reads the same from every seat in the room. See matte vs glossy prints and why colours look different on screen and in print.
Hanging and lighting
- Centre it about 57 inches from the floor. See the 57-inch rule.
- Use neutral white light to see all three colours. Warm bulbs dull the blue.
- Keep it out of direct sun. Bright pinks are among the first colours to fade. See sun fading.
Each piece is made to order, so allow 2 to 7 business days for production and 3 to 7 for US delivery. Browse the poster prints and tapestries collections for more.