Where do I begin? This is a question that I get asked pretty often. There are many ways to help yourself to get started with a new painting, but this time we are going to just take a look at one.
COLOR!!
The best place to begin is with colors that you LOVE!
I’m in the process of creating a series of landscapes and the colors in these paintings are what I chose before I even thought about the subject.
Color can express feelings and I needed to feel calm, quiet, warm, and relaxed. The colors I chose give me that feeling.
Pink, blue, brown, green, and a lot of white….these colors say serenity, peace, quiet moments, nature, space to breathe…all the things my heart needs right now.
In this podcast episode, I talk a little more about color and where to begin looking for color palettes that you love.
In the podcast, I also talk about taking an inspiration photo and making color swatches from it. Here’s an example of one of my paintings that I’ve uploaded to PicMonkey (an online photo editor). I chose an overlay (the circles of color on the left) and then used the color picking tool (which looks like a dropper) to make a sample palette from the photo.
This is one way to find some colors that you love! Look for ideas in your home decor, wardrobe, nature or your own photography. Start looking for colors that you love all around you. You’ll be surprised by how much beauty you’ll find in even the most simple things.
What colors do you love?
