Playing with Color

Play is the wood on the fire, the fuel that sparks creativity. Play is the pure fun of making art, it's trying something new or just cutting loose!

I am currently working on a commissioned portrait and have little time for play.

This week I decided to try to add more color to my portraits; I tend to be afraid to use "unnatural" color, as if there were such a thing! Preconceived ideas are tough to shake. And my ideas are often that skin is pink or brown or peach or tan. When things are getting boring, clearly it's time to play!

Have you seen the purple and green shadows, the orange transitions

or the blue highlights on a face? I was determined to find and use them.

The two 8x10 paintings above are the results.

I uploaded the photo images from flickr (thank you Mosippy and Spectacle Photo) and away I went. Drawing accurately was sacrificed for

color-play...and worth it; I discovered a rainbow of color.

I went back to my commission with enthusiasm and courage...

and color on my brush!