Here is a picture I was working on a while back. I'm looking at this as inspiration for the new pieces I'm currently drawing - some bits of it I like, some I don't (some of the colours are terrible, for example). I have to admit that I'm at my most creatively insecure when it comes to colour! I just don't know how to work out what goes with what. I blogged about it once many years ago and someone commented that it helps to paint one all-over base colour first and work up from there. That did help a lot actually, so if you're still reading my blog lovely commenter, thank you for your advice (I didn't follow it above obviously). Another thing I've noticed when looking at other people's pictures is that a lot of artists seem to choose two main colours and use variations of only these two, perhaps with occasional small highlights of another colour. This is also something I might try.

If you're reading and you have any particular tricks with colour I'd love to hear them!

Comments

[Michelle]

I think this is a wonderful piece! I really like the colour palette you have chosen! Is there any chance that you will be making this a print for your etsy?

[Betty]

Your colour palette is so different this time! Unfortunately in patchwork I can't start with the colour wash idea. Hence choosing related colours on either the CMY colour wheel or the RGB colour wheel then adding a tiny bit of the contrasting colour to highlight. I also am experimenting as I built my quilts and it is amazing how a bit of contrast somewhere will affect the whole. The Japanese tend to do it with red in their indigo work. I'd really like to know more about the CMY colour wheel though and experiment with that a bit. Wonderfully work!