Color Schemes

















"Silvi's Little Patch"
oil on linen, 8" x 12"


The time has finally come to begin playing around with some design alternatives. This time, I chose to set up a color scheme completely unlike that which was on my photo. (I don't like working from photos, but this was a scene in the Perigord Region in France last Summer which has haunted me). So . . . .we were talking about color . . .My photo is all brilliant green. And green doesn't sell . . .or so they say . . . . . . .


I chose to set up a yellow dominance and work with an analogous color scheme, rather than be enslaved to what was before me. Mind you, there is a good deal of creativity that comes into play to do this. For example, where do we put the less intense colors and where put the most intense? It is a choice, but when it is done, the entire design must reflect and support that choice. This time, there was a lot of niggling happening before the piece was completed. Translation: overworked. but Hey!, ya gotta step out of the rut now and then, right?


Actually, I have a vision for the sort of paintings I want to create . . . .with emphasis on 'create' . . . . .and most of my work up to now has been to build practice with technique and medium. As I get more comfy with it, I will play around with some different design alternatives.


Back to the color thing . . . . . .I should possibly have chosen red or orange or, even blue! Yellow has the least options when it comes to value and can become pretty yucky fast if you aren't somewhat familiar with the color wheel. I have to admit I struggled with this one. I spent all day (almost) with it yesterday and about an hour tweaking it this morning. . . . which tells me I have much more work to do. So, I'll dig in again and again. Color schemes are a great way to do something unusual and captivating versus 'just another picture.' Expect to see more from time to time.

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