what art represents, meaning, inspiration

This is the history of my color journey.  It is an article for everyone, artists and non artists.   So stay with me or skip the history by scrolling down to the ******

Lately I have been focused on color.

Being retired and quarantined I have lots of time to be creative. I have organized the studio, listened to many art videos, read about art, painted, and had lots of time to think. I thought about what I know about color, how I taught color to my art students and why I paint the way I do with muted color.

Each artist's video I watched showed me a palette of colors (names of tubes of paint) that the he/she used. I found myself writing down each set for colors in my sketch book thinking I would discover some magic color formula. I didn't find the magic.

What I did notice is that there are a few colors that everyone uses, and each artist deviates from the primaries in a way that suits them. The primary colors are red, blue and yellow.  And there are many reds, blues and yellows. 

In case you are a color fanatic as I have become I included links for you as I introduce the characters in the story!

I have taken many workshops, Mary Pettis (marypettis.com) was the first person that helped me to think about color. Before I took her class Mary suggested that I read Richard Schmid book “Alla Prima II”. Before the workshop I bought the $150 book and read in its entirety. I was serious to learn about color! In the book Richard discusses color charts.

Here is the book and a page from the book discussing color charts. If you want help making your color charts notify me and I will tell you how I made them and the perfect little squares.

Mary Pettis gave me her paint list. She uses Gamblin paints, and I proudly purchased each one of the paint names (colors) on her list. Then I proceeded to dutifully make my color charts. One for each color of paint I had purchased for the workshop.

All of these are Gamblin colors but the last one (Winsor Green) which is from Winsor Newton.  "Cad" is short for Cadmium and at the top of the chart are the abbreviations for the colors.  Each column has the pure color on the top and five tints of the color in the column. 

Next I made a color chart for each individual color and that exercise showed all the colors I could make if I mixed the main color with the other colors I had purchased.  Richard also discusses this in his book. 

All the colors I can make with my new tubes of paint. 

For example take a look at the chart for Cadmium Red Light.

The first column begins with the pure Cadmium Red Light, and each color in the first column shows a different value (tint) of that 'red'. These tints are mixed by adding more and more white.

The second vertical column is a pure mixture of Cadmium Red Light and Cadmium Lemon with five tints or variations.

The third is Cadmium Red Light and Cadmium Yellow Light. All the colors on the Cadmium Red Light chart have 'red' in them including the last column, which shows purple or greens.

I proudly brought all my color charts to show Mary when I went to the workshop. I laugh about it now. When I painted  outside with the group I  squeezed out all my colors, but was overwhelmed with so many colors of paint!

At the end of the workshop when everyone shared their paintings, I shared my color charts instead, my paintings were sad.

This exercise taught me what the colors I had did for me when I mixed them.  An artist learns about mixing paint, and how to choose colors that are complimentary to what is already on the canvas.  Also,  If I ever want to remember how to mix a certain color, all I have to do is find it on the charts!

A few years after Mary Pettis workshop, I took classes with Joe Paquet (joepaquet.com). Joe learned  color theory from John Osborn (http://www.johnphilliposborne.com/ )who was a student of Frank DuMond. I am mentioning those names because they are important names in the business of color.

Frank Dumond (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_DuMond) developed the Prismatic Palette which is what Joe taught to me. Joe liked to use Winsor Newton paints.

Before class began I called Joe and asked if I could use my Gamblin paints, and he responded that the colors might be off, so even though I had a Cadmium Red in Gamblin paints, I bought the Winsor Newton brand.I wanted to do it right!

I never made color charts from the Winsor Newton paints, but I dedicated myself to learning the Prismatic Palette. WHEW!

Lately, I must have had my ah-ha moment with all the videos I have been watching.  I think I have found my magic!

Mary use to look at a tree in full sun and say, “look at that beautiful color”! I couldn't understand, because as a photographer I would put the subject in shade because the sun would 'blow out' the color of the image using the camera.

Now I understand, the sun makes the color pure.  On a bright day, when the world lights up around us we feel a sense of beauty.  I love the breaking of dawn, when you first begin to see the color and the dusk of the sunset, when color again fills the sky. 

When watching my art videos I especially loved John Pototschnik (https://www.pototschnik.com). He is a great teacher on color! I took detailed notes excited about every word he said. He talks about the simplified or limited palette. Did you get that? SIMPLIFIED!

All the colors you will ever need can be made with three tubes of paint plus white! 

I have painted with a limited palette before and have taught it to my students … but for some reason I feel different now,  it was as if I was learning it for the first time.  

I decided to make a color chart with the three colors he suggested. I was pleased. 

His teaching also suggests using six colors (two sets of primaries) if you want too. This is because some colors are warm and some are cool.

I continued and made another chart of the three different primary colors. It turned out badly, not pretty at all.  I wrote John asking him about it. Apparently I didn't have the exact yellow he used. I had used a yellow color (with a different name)  from a different company.  You can understand by now that I didn't want to go and  buy more paint. I scraped off the 'bad' color, repainted the chart white, and remixed the colors that contained a different yellow, which was the one primary giving me 'the problem'. 

This is the new color chart.  Actually there are two charts on one board. 

The first set (top part) is 65 colors you can make from the THREE primary colors!  I especially love this color set. Winsor Newton Cobalt Blue,  Winsor Newton Cadmium Red and Gamblin Cadmium Lemon Yellow. 

The second set (bottom part) has 65 more colors you can make using three different primary colors. 

On the last column to the right I made a 10 value scale, using black and white paint.  There is no black used in any of the colors, except in the value scale. As an artist we really don't need black paint. It is not found in nature.  

With six tubes of paint I can make 130 colors!  

My next project is to paint a landscape with only three colors or tubes of paint plus white. 

I am happy to share my color history, as it may inspire you to try something new, and if you have color questions I will be happy to help you. As an artist I am a influenced by all my teachers and everything in the world that I see.

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What does blog about color have to do with you?

Because each of us, if we choose to endeavor, is challenged to learn how to see. When we learn how to see, the world seems to come more alive. The world becomes more beautiful.  

Learning to see takes time. You can't be doing other things when you are learning to see. Learning to see is a right brain activity and the left brain will make all kind of excuses why it is a waste of time. It is a little like learning to meditate or learning to 'just be'.

You have to look.

By looking carefully at things that you notice, you can train your eye to see what others may not notice. You will see the color in things that you never saw before. 

Do it now, just take a moment to look and really see. Maybe start with a deep breath to center yourself.  Look at something near to you.

Now, see it. Slowly, see it. What color is it? What shades of colors is it? What part of it is in the light, and what part of the environment is it reflecting? How is that one thing you are seeing beautiful for you?  Each of us sees color in different ways, and are attracted to different colors!

The world will never be boring when you learn how to see, because it is always changing. The light is always changing.

There is so much to see. Colors, lights and shadows, form and structure, movement and stillness.

What have you 'seen' lately? What did you notice about it. How did it make you feel? Write and tell me, I am interested in your response.