Colors that don't "work" for you?
I recently had the opportunity to create a custom set of polymer clay covered votive candleholders for a friend/customer who was very excited about the color scheme she had selected for her brand new bedroom. After sharing a series of pictures showing the color palette (coral pink and mint green, with vanilla and gray as highlights) and some design ideas including chevrons and scrollwork, we struck a reasonable deal … and then I got stuck!
Her color scheme did not appeal to me -- I love vibrant Caribbean hues, summer popsicle colors that you can almost taste, and deep purples, greens and blues. I found myself having a really hard time working with the colors my customer wanted. I fussed and worried over the colors, since they didn't look nice to me but definitely matched her palette, and finally came up with simple designs that weren't exactly in her motif but that made me feel a bit truer to my own esthetic. Ultimately she was extremely pleased with the pieces, which made me feel so relieved.
It was a tough experience and I am curious if anyone has any comments about how you work with colors that are not in your go-to palette, and any suggestions on how to get comfortable so far outside of your color comfort zone? I really feel like I just barely pulled this off, and I want to do more custom work.
Thank you!
You can study color all your life and still have things to learn! When I was teaching myself oil painting I read a number of books on color theory which is, of course, useful to know, but we all have our own favorite colors. Working outside that preference can be challenging, but also rewarding!
In painting, whenever someone is struggling to capture some detail experienced painters tell them to alter how they are looking. Sometimes that can be done by turning a painting on its side or painting it upside down or just blocking out all the areas around what it causing difficulty. The point is to learn to paint what you see, and not what you "think you see".
I think color can be like that too - that we get caught up in our love for particular colors that we fail to see/appreciate the colors we're using because they are someone else's favorites. If we can find ways to see those colors differently, to stop comparing them to the colors we naturally love, we can expand our ability to work with any color successfully.
Glad your client was pleased with the pieces!! That's always rewarding!!
I love the idea of suggesting trim colors that bring the overall palette to a place that makes me more inspired -- that is a great idea and I will save that nugget for sure. My work surface is white, but I can see where swapping it for something different might be helpful to bring myself around to look at the colors in a new light. The palette in question wasn't awful, after all -- it is a classic combination and I can appreciate it. (I can definitely appreciate it a lot more now that the client likes the pieces!)
I am currently working on a rainbow series of pieces in a simple extruded clay pattern, and I mixed three values of each hue for the project. I was surprised by what ended up being the predominant value in the extruded pattern of each hue, and I came away feeling more comfortable with all of the colors.
Color = scary but fun, to me!
Sue
This is the sort of problem that all artists face at one point or another. When colors don't appeal to you, it is very difficult to evaluate how well you are actually doing. You end up too focused on the color and not on the project.
In my own work, I have purposely forced myself to work in colors that aren't my favorites. I've done three paintings that are predominantly pink, because that is one of my least favorite colors. I came away with a better appreciation for pink then I had previously.
I think the key to getting comfortable with such colors is to find ways to look at them differently. Maybe that can be done by googling for images that make use of those colors. Sometimes seeing how some other artist has used those colors effectively will inspire ideas of your own.
Photographing the colors/project in different settings can sometimes give you "fresh eyes". Photographing it on a neutral grey can make subtle colors seem a lot more vibrant.
What color is your work surface? If it is possible, maybe changing the color of your work surface can help you to see such colors differently.
Do you make samples for your customer to view? If it is possible/reasonable to make samples ( 2"x2" ) you could make a sample that adheres to the color palette they were suggesting and other samples that "punch" those colors up so they are more within your own comfort zone.
The fact that she commissioned you indicates that she likes your work. Don't be afraid to guide your patron. Commissions are a partnership. The happier you are making a piece, the more comfortable you are, the greater chance that your patron will be happy too.
Hope that help!
Jeanne
