This month life has gotten in the way and I do not see it easing with Christmas on the horizon. So I have decided to work on exercises to keep me painting.
I have two books on color in my art library. "Exploring Color" by Nita Leland (listed in favorites on right) and "Painter's Guide to Color" by Stephan Quiller. Both are award winning and published artist. They each teach workshops on color and other topics.
In Nita's introduction, she states that she wants you to play and have fun as learn about color. She uses exercises along the way to help you understand and use color. Nita feels color can be taught. She states what she wants you to learn from her books as:
- Develop your appreciation of color, science, history and theory
- Build your colors vocabulary
- Explore strengths, limitations and idiosyncrasies of your paints or medium of choice
- Make intelligent choices from basic and expanded palettes
- Understand and use color schemes and designs
- Experiment and develop distinctive ways of using color based on sound theory
Using her book, Nita feels that you can "master basic color mixing, explore compatible triads and using expanded palettes you will build a solid foundation for creative color."
Stephen Quiller's book is the second book he has written on color. In this book he feels that he has "refined techniques that will help painters understand color more thoroughly." Stephen created a round painter's palette to locate and mix colors. He feels that once you learn his method to organize your palette, mix colors and understand color relationships you will have a better understanding of color.
Stephen's chapters (with exercises) are as follows:
- Introduction of the Quiller color wheel.
- Discusses value-intensity foundation
- Color relationships and the mixing of harmonious color families
- Describes how color can express moods and ideas
- Demonstrates how the twelve color palette and expanded palette can be used on location
- Devoted to master colorists throughout history
By using his book, Stephen Quiller hopes the reader becomes more confident in their palette when they paint.
So there it is...two artist with two different ways at explaining color. I plan on doing some of the exercises in each book over the next several weeks. My goal is to get a better understanding on mixing and using color in my paintings. I will post my exercises and findings on each of these methods as I go along. Wish me luck :-)
Gaylynn
Comments