Color makes the world go around!!
Can you imagine a world where the leaves on the trees are not green and the sky is not a sparkling blue with a bright warm yellow sun shining down upon us? I know I can’t... nor do I want to. Color is such an integral part of our lives that we don’t really think about it as we walk through our days. It hovers right there on the edge of our consciousness, highlighting our experience, altering our moods and saturating our lives!
I consider myself a colorist and quite honestly a bit of a color nerd. I love, am fascinated by and obsessed with just about every aspect of color there is: the science of how we perceive color; the theory and chemistry of hues; the chromatic psychology and history; and the language of color. I’ve had this dream for a few years now to create and organize a color club experience where we immerse ourselves in many facets of color. I believe that my partner in hue, Karen Alfke, and I have figured out just how to make this painted dream of mine a reality. So here we go…
Color plays such a predominant role in the lives of artists and makers. For me as a colorist and dyer, it is basically my toolbox! So for all of us who love textiles, having a good working knowledge of how color works is essential. Since I started teaching color/dyeing classes I have been lucky to witness the power and joy that a deeper knowledge of color brings to people. Color just makes us happy! Our goal in this color immersion study is to enhance, enlighten and empower your understanding and use of color while regaling you with colorful tales of the who, where and when of how a color hits the eye. We also get to explore why certain colors makes us feel the way they do, plus all kinds of other fun and fascinating bits of hue-story. Basically spreading color joy!
Since the best place to start is usually at the beginning, our first three color stories will explore color theory in general and also how it pertains to us fiber artists specifically. How does color theory inform how we create knitted, crocheted, woven and sewn fabrics? By the time we are done you will have an in-depth and hands-on understanding of: the color wheel and how to use it; primary, secondary and tertiary colors; color harmony (analogous, complementary and triadic); color 'temperature' (cool to warm); plus the terms 'hue, shade, tint, tone and value'! Choosing and combining colors will be a joyful ease, and you will be 'fading' hues with the best!
And after this foundational beginning? What comes after all of these three color theory stories? We will then be delving into some seriously saturated, in-depth, color-by-color studies!
Color Story #1 - Ships in September
Primary ~ Secondary ~ Tertiary, Warm and Cool Color
The illustrious color master Johannes Itten said, “Each individual color is a universe unto itself.” A powerful visual force of nature that defines our world. In this color story we are going to focus on the color wheel as a tool for understanding the complexity of each color and the relationships between them in the ways we use them to create more and more colors! We will also be reflecting on how we see and perceive color.
What you will receive: A color wheel. You will also receive a template to make your own color wheel!! A set of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary mini skeins (12 ~ 100 yd each skeins + 1200 yds) in Socks that Rock Lightweight. Color Story notes that tell you all about this level of color theory and give you all kinds of experiments and fun knit projects to better understand and to also experience the warm and cool side of a color. Mixing and making color ~ hard to get better than that! Also included will be a small artsy dyer surpirse.
Color Story #2 - Ships in November
Color Harmonies: Monochromatic ~Analogous, Complementary, Split Complementary and Triadic
Color is never experienced in isolation. Our perception of a color is influenced by its context with other colors. Color harmony is basically a satisfying balance of color that is pleasing to the eye. Color harmony has been extensively studied with codes and combinations that create pleasing contrasts and congruity. In this color story we will be experimenting and playing with all of these combinations and looking at those relationships as they apply to perception, design and emotional reaction and of course fiber arts!
What do you get: A mini set of watercolors. (I know!!) A set of mini skeins (12 ~ 100 yd each skeins + 1200 yds) in Socks that Rock Lightweight dyed in our color-wheel house so that we really explore each one of our color harmony trios plus a split or two! This is where we get to play with balance between warm and cool, levels of contrast and color dominance! Let’s hear it for color dominance. And... a little depraveDyer color treat!
Color Story #3 - Ships in January
Hue ~ Shade ~ Tint ~ Tone ~ Value
What happens when we take a pure color (hue) and tint it (add white) or shade it (add grey) or tone it? What do we get and how is it applicable? Does it add warmth of cool down a hue? How does it fit into the whole spectrum of color harmony picture? Is it lightening or darkening a hue and if so, how much, which bring us to color value!! Value is the relative lightness or darkness of a color. The quality of light it reflects or projects. In this color story we are going to trip the light fantastic in relationship to tint, tone, shade ~ value. Since right now we are all about creating with graidents and fading this is a valuable tale. (Get it!)
What do you get: A grey scale and value finder and a tonal estimator. A set of mini skeins (12 ~ 100 yd each skeins + 1200 yds) in Socks that Rock Lightweight that consist of a saturated hue and then its shaded, tinted and toned counterparts. Color notes chocked full of shadey info and fun knit projects to play with as we explore these qualities of a hue. And ... a little depraveDyer color treat!
