![]() |
A basket full of colour |
1) Improve my understanding of colour.
2) Improve my understanding of composition.
3) Strive to infuse my work with more personal expression/interpretation.
That pretty much covers everything, doesn't it?
Maybe I'm a geek with my lists and my planning. I don't always accomplish everything I plan, either. But I can say with certainty that I get more done and get closer to my goals when I have a plan (and a list) than when I don't. Plus, it gives me some illusion of control in a chaotic world...but that's a discussion for another day.
Back to the list in question. Item one. Improve my understanding of colour.
![]() |
My home made colour wheel. Note the confusion over where to draw the line between warm and cool colours. The jury is still out. I learned a lot doing this! |
The first assignment is to create a piece in a monochromatic colour scheme, using different values of a single colour.
![]() |
Variations on a single colour. |
![]() |
Analogous blue-green/green/yellow-green colour scheme. |
![]() |
Colour Study #1, 5 " x 7 " x 1.5", Yellow/Violet Colour Scheme |
![]() |
Colour Study #2, 5" x 7" x 1.5", Blue-Green/Red-Orange Colour Scheme |
Step 4 in my colour assignment is to execute a piece in split-complementary colours, so instead of using the colour directly across the colour wheel, you use the two colours on either side of it.
My brain gets easily bored, however, and I also wanted to explore the psychological properties of colour. I've been tossing around this idea of 'Zen Art'; pieces that are meditative for me to create and meditative for the viewer to observe. I knew colour would play a large part in this. Green, not surprisingly, gives us feelings of harmony, balance, and peace. Using green as my starting point, my split complementary colour scheme would be green, red-orange, and red-violet.
Here is what I chose to work with:
![]() |
Green/Red-Orange/Red-Violet Yarns |
![]() |
The Sunny Day, 9" x 12" x 1.5", Green/Red-Orange/Red-Violet Colour Scheme |
Overall, this has already been a great exercise and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in brushing up on colour theory. It seems elementary, but my pieces are obviously strengthened by good use of colour.
Now we are a third of the way through the year and I am ready to add my second artistic goal into the mix. Improve my understanding of composition. I'll let you know how it goes!