4/16/09

Color Considerations, Beach Walkers, Studio painting by Everglades artist Jo-Ann Sanborn

Beach Walkers
20x20

It's been a really busy time for me, and will continue to be throughout the month, but by May I'll be back on schedule and beginning my summer body of work. It's something I look forward to every year, the end of the busy, selling season, and down to some serious work! I have a couple of commissions to finish up, but then should have some time if you're needing a special painting. Just give me a call or email me and we'll talk about your needs.

I've been teaching recently, and talking about color always gets me excited! Color is everywhere today, more color than at any time in the past. Everyone enjoys color in their home, clothes, and in the objects they use every day. We relate colors to psychology, and most colors have both a negative and positive connotation. The way you use color in your painting can set the tone or mood, and provide harmony.

When you’re considering what colors to use, you may choose a traditional color harmony, such as compliments, triad, or analogous colors, or you may look outside the traditional harmonies as you look for ways to establish a relationship between the objects in your painting. Here are some considerations:

Color can lead you on a visual path
Repeated colors can provide a rhythm in the painting
Colors reflect on and off the objects around them
Either warm or cool colors should be dominant in the painting
Colors must support each other rather than clash
Look for a dominant, a secondary, and an accent in both color and value.

Happy Painting!

3 comments:

  1. Love the lesson on color!

    I think I could look at this painting all day and not get tired of it!

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  2. I really like the colors in this one.

    Great aerie view in all your "elongated" palms.

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  3. Eizabeth and Patrice. I worked the colors a while on this to get the balance right, but was pleased at the end. Thanks for your comments!

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