The Complexity of Colors
A sampling of the colors I have painted.
The color cards I use to set up my palettes.
There is so much to know and understand about color. ‘Color’ may seem like a simple, easily defined word or concept, but the characteristics, associations, and connotations of it are certainly complex!
Naming colors is one of the first things we learn in our childhood acquisition of language and as kids choosing colors from a crayon box (if we are fortunate, a box of 64 or better yet the 128) we start recognizing which ones appeal to us. Usually, unless we have someone guiding our exploration and understanding, the true complexities of color become apparent much later.
I knew the basic concepts of primary colors and secondary colors, and perhaps the moods associated with certain colors, but hadn’t really thought about color much beyond my crayon-choosing experiences.
I have always admired the variety of hues so gloriously found in nature. I enjoy painting natural landscapes and flowers. In addition, the names I give to my abstract paintings are usually based on something the image reminds me of in nature — from Shady Glades and Desert Tempests, to Agate and Molten Lava, and even Oceans, Lagoons, and Cosmic Blooms.
Some of the many concepts related to working with color are: hue, tint, saturation, value, warm vs. cool, masstone vs. gradient, primary and complimentary colors, and so much more. I had no clue about many of these and so I set out to learn. After developing a good understanding, I created a set of color cards showing various characteristics of each paint that I use and even bought a color wheel to help me further understand these color concepts. If you are interested in learning about colors, there is plenty of information available online to get you started.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, it’s Midnight Blue. You know — my favorite crayon in the entire box. To this day. What’s your favorite color? Tell me in the comments! And if you want to see Crayola’s current colors, check here: https://www.crayola.com/explore-colors/
Enjoy the colors in your world!