Color: A Journey and a Destination
color, you’re like a traveler who left your
luggage at home. Sooner or later you’ll
have to go back and get it if you want to
get very far.
Art without color? Inconceivable! But
why settle for ordinary color when you
can create radiant works of color?
Beautiful color is no happy accident.
You can have fantastic color, too. Color
can be learned. This book will help you:
• Build your color vocabulary.
• Explore your paints or medium of
choice.
• Master color mixing with a split-
primary palette.
• Use harmonious triads and color
schemes.
• Apply color contrast and design.
• Discover distinctive ways of using
color.
• Expand your appreciation of color
science, history and theory.
To explore color, you can use any
type of artists’ paint, pastel, oil pastel,
colored pencil, yarn, fabric or paper
collage—whatever medium you work
with. Make collages with colored papers
to plan your paintings; make watercolor
or acrylic sketches to design your oil
canvases. Color knows no boundaries in
art media.
Within these pages you’ll fi nd
fabulous artwork by top artists to
inspire you in your color journey. The
illustrated glossary in chapter two (and
many more terms defi ned throughout
the book) will help you build your color
vocabulary. You’ll also have a brief
introduction to some newer paints and
media: interference and iridescent
colors in acrylics, PrimaTek mineral
pigments, and alcohol-based inks for
the adventuresome. Triads and color
schemes have been expanded with
modern pigments.
Play with color and have fun
while you learn. Easy, eye-opening
exercises placed throughout the book
are designed to help you expand your
color skills. Artists in many mediums
can do most of these exercises. Reserve
some time every day to do one. Collect
as many color samples or paints as you
can and use them for the exercises.
Share with your artist friends and make
exploring color a group project. As you
do the exercises, you’ll see that mastery
of color is an achievable goal. Exploring
color will make you aware of your color
preferences and strengthen your color
knowledge.
Once you learn how to mix and
arrange colors, exploring harmonious
color triads and expanded palettes along
the way, you’ll have the tools to build a
solid foundation for creative color. In no
time, you’ll start solving the mysteries
of color and be well on your way to
becoming a master colorist. That means
that, if you love color, you can unlock its
secrets—if you work at it.
So, begin your travels now in the
wonderful world of color, and have a
great trip.