Sunday, June 23, 2013

Summer of Color 3, week 3: Lime green and purple

It's time once again for Summer of Color 3, or as those of us playing along like to abbreviate it: SOC3.  This is week 3, and if I read correctly, our colors are lime green and purple.  Gotta love how Kristin our hostess from Twinkle Twinkle has given us choices this year.  Now I'm not sure who all those people were who wanted these colors, but I thought they were especially difficult.  Difficult not just to work with, but also to come up with ideas for.

So I started with wooden stamps I made during my annual April recycling.

To those stamps and lavender card stock I added both purple and green-gold fluid acrylics and two shades of purple acrylic paints, along with iridescent white, titan buff, and black fluid acrylics.  I wanted to have the option to tint (lighten) or shade (darken) whatever color I was working with at the time.

So, did I not mention these colors reminded me of puke?  OK, maybe not puke, but certainly not Colors of Summer.  As a result, I created a mess.

I tried to make an abstract piece using card stock as my substrate.  I plan to turn all my 8.5 inch  X 11.5 inch (21.59 centimeter X 27.94 centimeter) SOC entries this year into a book.  I'll add the three holes at the end of the SOC collaboration and decorate the book covers.

Things I learned while making this piece include:
1.  Although I had a definite design idea in my head when I started, I quickly learned I can't draw using a paint brush.  Instead, I made a horrible mess and had to figure out a way to make it salvageable.
2.  I'm not very good at abstract art.
3.  As I suspected when I first saw these colors, they quickly turn to "mud" if not used properly.  After all, they are practically across the color wheel from each other.  And when you mix purple with green, there's a good chance you're going to get brown "mud."

However, I was NOT about to only show that horrible abstract after my beautiful butterflies last week.  So, I first looked in magazines, then in my scrap paper, and when neither of those produced any viable images, went to the internet and found a lovely watering can at The Graphic Fairy's site.

After printing three images and fussy cutting everything, I came up with The Watering Can.  For the background I used some of my handmade shimmer mists.  The lighter color is supposed to be lime green, but looks more like lemon yellow when mixed with the darker red/purple.  Remember what I said about "mud?" 

At least I feel better about this one and they look more like what would pass for Summer of Color colors, this time being lime green and purple.  And of course, the watering can is just what we need to water our flowers on these hot days (if you live in the hot northern hemisphere like I do, that is).

Please don't forget to visit Kristin for links to others who are also playing in this Summer of Color.

45 thoughtful remarks:

Diana Taylor said...

Beautiful work - you are a quick worker - I've only just discovered this weeks colours and you've posted your work already! I love the composition of the circles one - the green and mauve look great together. That's a great background for the watering can - I'm impressed you make your own shimmer mist - I spend a fortune on the stuff!

Unknown said...

Fantastic creations and beautiful and extremely creative blog. Thank you for sharing.

dawn said...

I'm so sorry you don't like the colors this week. These are two of my favorite colors to play with. I am happy to see that didn't stop you from making beautiful art again this week. The first one looks good to me, I love circles and the words on it are cute for this piece. The second art is beautiful, love the background you made.
Don't be to hard on yourself, just putting the effort in is worth it and a learning experience. I think you did great with the colors!
Here's a couple ideas if this happens again though....

1. Remember you don't have to use paint, if you have another hobby do that instead. I like to collage with my scrap paper, so no muddy mess with papers. Even beads would be fun.

2. I know you found your own images but maybe using the links Kristin provided us will help inspire way to use colors your not use to or enjoy too much.

Hope these will help you and thanks so much for sharing your art with us. Can't wait to see what you make next week!

froebelsternchen said...

a pretty mess! Oh I can understand you.. I just tried this color combination too and must admitt that I am very unhappy with my result ---
I think your flower page turned out more happy.. it´s good for us to be challenged..isn´t it?we learn so much by doing Challenges!
I love also to alter bookpages -- mostly I use them as Art Journals -we have got a monthly Art Journal Journey Challenge-- I would be very happy to see you there once!
here ist the link:

ART-JOURNAL-JOURNEY-CHALLENGE

xxx from Austria

Susi

Becs said...

I was the same as you when I saw the colour combination but actually I ended up loving it. I'm a photographer and was quite literal in my interpretation so I didn't have the same paint issues - maybe that's the difference! That said, I love what you came up with. The watering can is so pretty and I love those shimmer mists you've used.

Ileana said...

I love this color combination and I know what you mean about overworking and the combination not always working out but to me you did a great job (if we wouldn't have known what the colors were) and I believe you do have talent for abstract art. You have a good eye for detail and composition and yes, COLOR! We live and learn; I know I've been disappointed by my work when others have liked it, so I get you. Can't wait to see what you do next!

BJ said...

For mud you sure did well - LOL. Love your circle page and look - even though I had a look at the colour result on Saturday I didn't make ahead!! BJ

Darla said...

While I like both colors, I can understand they might be difficult to paint with. You solved it all with the watering can though.

Darla

Jez said...

Purple and lime green are not my color combination of choice, but I think you were successful with both images, so I think it's "Job well done".

Alex said...

You should see it that way: you know at least what the difference is between lime green of week 3 and the citron green of week 1. I definitely don't. To me they both look the same. *lol*
I love you watering can. To me it looks very good!

Anonymous said...

I think it looks great and I love the words on it. Love your cat, I have one that looks like that :)

Monique said...

Haha, your post made me laugh so hard. Youy tell it beautifully. So funny! And yes they do make mud when mixed together. You did a great job however.
xx

Halle said...

I was also not excited about these colors this week. Love your humor with the abstract circles piece. Don't be square. HA!

joy said...

I'm not too crazy about these colors either, Elizabeth! But I do like your watering can piece and the abstract one has a lot of interest, too.

Terri Corona said...

I actually like your first piece, but I know, we're our own worst critics! And the watering can piece is so happy and summery, just perfect for summer of color.

Leslie said...

I too like the first one best. It's odd but in an interesting way, and I don't think it's a horrible mess at all lol!

Anne Manda said...

I love the first one, the colors work beautifully in it! <3

Ali H said...

The "mess" looks pretty good to me ! Always great to try something out of our comfort zone !! Ali #17

Šolanje na domu-Waldorf said...

Great background and I love the colors choices. :)

Tammie Lee said...

i think the way we feel about colors has an effect on our art. I like all the circles you worked with. wishing you colors that thrill you next week.

Maria Ontiveros said...

I'm totally with you on the colors this week (and I'm not sure which golden acrylics to use since lime green and the green from the first week are pretty close). Thanks for letting me know I'm not alone struggling with this combo.
Rinda

dawn said...

Hello again,
Thanks so much for the comment on my blog. I was actually going to come back and write you again. Was worried I said to much and shouldn't have given you tips. I always try to help others though, natural instinct so please know it was all said from my heart. Your comment made me feel better though so thank you!
I just read thru your icads and LOVE LOVE THEM!! How fun that you did mini quilts last year for SOC, will have to check them out. Oh and I'm doing icad too, first time doing this and love it.
Take care and enjoy your week. I will be posting my SOC for this week hopefully on Friday. I like to play around and make a few things and cards then post them all together.
Thanks again!!

peggy gatto said...

Awesome design, love the elements along with your color!!!

sharon said...

Love the first one, I discovered today that this combination made mud if not careful. But I love the two colours together, adds an edginess.

Miriam said...

Now, I like both of these much better after reading through your post. Thanks so much for doing that. I find it fascinating that when we do something from the heart it turns out to be so much more.
I am trying to learn to work with paint this year but mostly I end up in the mud section of the colour wheel!!

Unknown said...

Being opposite on the colour wheel does mean they are meant to work well together - but I find most opposites work better if they one of the colours is used just as a highlight colour. You are so right about the mud though - that is what I am fearing when I come to do my ATCs. I might just stick to the felt!

Shahrul Niza said...

Agree with you that purple & lime kind of hard to work with :). So my last resort was to create something whimsy or even magical to play up that mysterious purple. You did amazing job with the watering can!!. Hugs.

Karla B said...

Lovely artwork!

Ivy said...

Very nice! Love how you gave it a vintage vibe. Happy SOC!

sugar Creek said...

Well I think you did an awesome job with the colors !

Maria Medeiros said...

Wonderful!

Kristin said...

xo

Cheri said...

I think your second piece is gorgeous! I too found this week's combo difficult to work with and with the supplies I chose, a bit loud for my tastes!

Kathryn Zbrzezny said...

I found lime green and purple to be very challenging, too! I laugh when I hear what wins the Vote at times...! Keeps us on our toes, right?!

dawn said...

hello again, I've just posted my SOC for this week. Thought you might like to peek at mine after our comments back/forth. I didn't get to use as much paint as planned but will in the future.

Can't wait to see what next weeks colors are and what beautiful piece you will make next.
Have a good day!

Christine said...

beautiful work!

Carmen said...

I knew, I just KNEW this week was going to be a lesson in patience for me. I had to physically walk away from my piece to let each layer dry (I am rubbish at waiting for paint to dry - need to get a hairdryer!) because I just knew if the colours ran, what would happen. And as a result it took best part of a day.

I laughed hard at your puke sentence. Sorry :D But thanks for the giggle.

I like what you came up with - especially those paint mist effects in your second piece - can't wait to see your finished book :)

Carmen SoC#60

Unknown said...

Your work turned out nicely. I Love how you incorporated the colors by using colored paper, BRLLIANT!!! You hit the nail on the head when you said these colors would turn to mud. That's what kept happening to me. Live and learn, that's what these challenges are for, right? Have a great wknd.

Kim
WOYWW #145

Denise Price said...

I love how you did the background for your watering can image. Your wooden stamps are cool, too.

Linda Kunsman said...

beautiful projects-love your stamps too!

Natasha said...

I am so glad it was not just me that struggled with the colours this week. I love your stamps, I have reused some of the children's wooden building blocks for stamps, though I am now conscious that I can't take any more for my use without buying them some more replacements!!

And ugh the mud that resulted when I was too impatient!! So many layers on my pieces this week. Still that is the part of the challenge I love, forcing me to step out of my comfort zone.

Sharon Fritchman said...

I am glad you made your "don't be a square" project even if you didn't like the colors! You made an amazing work - I love it! And your second piece is beautiful, too!

Prairie Jill said...

I like both pieces!

Dreaming of Vintage said...

Super cool creations! I think you did a great job with the color combo!

Anonymous said...

I love that you stuck with it even when things weren't going your way-I'm not doing great with keeping up with the Summer of Color challenges at all but hopefully I'll be submitting something this week. (I love your art books by the way)