I absolutely love color. Mostly bright, bold colors and rich earthy tones. Mixing colors is one of my favorite parts of painting. I have a few tried and true color combos that I use on a regular basis, but would like to have a better handle on color.
To truly understand color, it’s best to get back to basics and play. I researched many books about color theory, and decided I would give A Field Guide to Color: A Watercolor Workbook by Lisa Solomon a try. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned artist, this is a great resource.
The exercises start with creating your own color wheel. I do think about the color wheel and compliments fairly often while painting. But It has been a while since I had actually a painted one that I could use as a visual reference. It is definitely worth having in the studio.
So far, my favorite activity was creating different color schemes. I typically don’t work with a limited palette, but after doing this exercise, I realize I should. I created some beautiful colors that I really didn’t expect. I love when that happens. Plus, Lisa provided a great little illustration for the activity which I absolutely love.
This exercise increased my love of color and has gotten me really excited/confident about experimenting more with different color combinations.
As person who likes lists, I really enjoyed charting my colors. This is something I have never done or even thought about doing. Its very helpful when you need to adjust a color. Plus, the chart is very pretty to look at.
I am slowly working through this workbook so that I can apply what I am learning. I know simple exercises like these can only improve my use of color, and I’m excited to see the impact it has on my work.