Color 134
Color 134 is an introduction to the study of color using acrylic paint for studies and small paintings. This course develops understanding of the characteristics of color through color theory, observation, and experimentation, and build skills in visual perception, visual thinking, and creativity. Guided exercises explore the role of color in compositional relationships, the phsychological and expressive effects of color, and the physical properties of color mixing.
The course will provide opportunities for students to develop a heightened viual awareness of color and the attributes of color through an examination of various theories. Develop compositional strategies for studies that emphasize the element of color. These may be in the style of historical and contemporary painters and designers. Students cultivate a working process that encourages experimentation of a variety of painting techniques within non-objective designs as well as representational compositions, refine one's critical judgement during individual and group critiques, and review basic history and science of color through the ages.
First project required students to create an achromatic painting using black and white and a monochromatic painting using one hue and black and white. I painted three achromatic value scales with high-key, middle-key, and low-key, and three monochromatic value scales including tint, tones, and shades. We study the history of grisaille paintings dating back to the ancient Romans who painted frescos. This assignment was done from direct observation. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 14"x17"
By changing the value of the surrounding ground, the perceived value or relative lightness and darkness of the figure will be altered. We discovered this through this very small, simple painting. If the figure is middle grey and surrounded by a ground of black, the figure will act as a "visual magnet" and subtract the darkness out of the lighter figure making the figure appear lighter than it is. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 8"x8"
Warm colors perceptually appear to advance while the cool colors recede. This assignment was to create a composition that demonstrated how the illusion of distance can be created using one warm Co-Primary and one cool Co-Primary along with black and white. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 8"x8"
The task was the design an image with overlapping geometric and abstract figures in order to create a transparency. By mixed 50% of each color overlapping you reach a middle tone that suggests that the objects are transparent (like cellophane). 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 8"x6"
This assignment required students to create 2 geometric post-modern mandalas that were related by theme and using three different color relationships. Either triad, tetrad, and/or split-complement. I was inspired by kaleidoscopes when designing these mandalas. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 8"x8"
This project allowed further investigation into the world of Mandalas and Tessellations and looking at the Primary Triad, Secondary Triad, Complementary Hues, Analogous Hues, Tertiary Colors, Triadic Hues, Split-Complement, and Tetrad colors over a 12-step Color Wheel. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 8"x8"
This project was very fun, interactive, and expressive. One day every student came to class with a poem or song and we put it in a box. Everyone drew one poem and had to create an original composition that expresses the mood or inherent feelings conveyed through the words of the poem or prose. My song was "Baby Blue" by Bob Dylan. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 36"x23"
After painting scales of earth pigments and their tints, tones, and shades, I created a self-portrait in the earth pigment palette of late Italian Renaissance and Northern European Painters. Techniques such as chiaroscuro, dramatic lighting and shadows, and scumbling were used in the creation of this piece. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 17"x14"
At the end of the semester, students had a choice for their final project where they continued to develop theories that were studied throughout the semester. I chose to further investigate the earth pigment portraiture by painting my two younger cousins. The challenge here was that the painting itself is very small which meant attention to detail was crucial. 2015, Acrylic on Bristol, 8"x8"