Monday, September 22, 2008

Color Influence


Right on cue, our temps dropped a good 15 degrees and rains set in. The maple has started its slow turn and I find I'm not as drawn to work on my azalea mosaic piece as I was all summer. I'm ready to turn my attention to the more muted rusts and russets, golds and mustards that soon will take over outside.

I live where there are 4 distinct seasons, and this shifting of color palette with the changing seasons is something I've just recently realized I do. It's not 100%, but I do seem to want to work with the same colors I'm observing outside my doorstep. I have no desire to work with snowflakes and frost in the heat of summer, and likewise I don't care to warm myself up with tropical brights in the dead of winter.

What about you? Do your surroundings influence your color palette? If so, how?

2 comments:

Olga Norris said...

I think that I am influenced by the changing light and feel in the air rather than colours directly. In my work I suppose I'm more interested in the creation of a mood, and how colour can contribute to that. I do know that I loved it when I lived in New England and we too had four distinct seasons.

The Idaho Beauty said...

Yes, I can see that in your work. In fact, I think the term "atmospheric" describes the effect you get very well.