color blocks

I'm going to design a necklace with one of my dichroic glass donuts
as a centerpiece today. This donut has a seafoam green background and
various accent colors, mostly a contrast colors of blue patterns and
gold. It occurs to me that I've been meaning to design this necklace
for some time and am doing it now to wear on St. Patrick's Day. But,
although I'm Irish and sort of like the color green, I have a great
deal of trouble designing with it. In fact, I'm only doing it now
because I'm going to the International Flameworking Conference in
Salem, NJ and we always wear our own work.
So, my question is - do other people have color blocks and how do you
solve them?

Patti (whose grandmother came from County Cork)
www.pattiwhiteley.com

I dislike bright orange and yellow. So I just avoid them. There are a few
nice orange colors like pink/orange and russet.
You could go with the accent colors - blue and gold.
Seafoam green doesn't sound to bad but might be hard to match.
Good Luck,
--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio

"Patti" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm going to design a necklace with one of my dichroic glass donuts
as a centerpiece today. This donut has a seafoam green background and
various accent colors, mostly a contrast colors of blue patterns and
gold. It occurs to me that I've been meaning to design this necklace
for some time and am doing it now to wear on St. Patrick's Day. But,
although I'm Irish and sort of like the color green, I have a great
deal of trouble designing with it. In fact, I'm only doing it now
because I'm going to the International Flameworking Conference in
Salem, NJ and we always wear our own work.
So, my question is - do other people have color blocks and how do you
solve them?

Patti (whose grandmother came from County Cork)
www.pattiwhiteley.com

I persevered on the necklace - I had bought some 8's in seafoam green
and used some clear and some light green faceted fluorite discs as
accent beads. Then I used a double strand of the 8's in between,
similar pattern to one in Kim Baillor's newest book. It made a lacy
pattern. I wire wrapped the dichro donut and hung it in the middle.
Very different for me - took me a long time to make, almost all
afternoon, and I'm pleased with it.
Patti

Patti-

Seafoam green; some suggestions - purples, pinks, deeper blue (trying
to match a light blue to a light green, even if you get the right
colors, it washes out.) Try thinking easter eggs and it might suddenly
click.

As for working with color blocks and style blocks -

I will force myself to go "outside the box" comfort-wise every few
months. Whether it is working in colors I don't like, (and I've found
that just about every color that I don't like can go with colors I do
like.)
for example orange. I am a red-head, and we know from a very early age
that orange is just not gonna work for us. (peach yes. deep russet
yes. orange, tangerine,etc NO) However, orange can be combined with
fuscia and yellow to look like a fiesta! Tangerine can be combined
with lime and purple for a funky, summery fruity look. (Go look at the
fun set Kandice had out... post was called "another boring AD lol") So
I made myself do a couple pieces with orange, and wow! What a fun
cheery color to work with.

Style blocks can be especially hard. Yes, we all have out own styles
that we like to do, and what is comfortable. However, if you look at
your last several pieces and they are like a suburban housing
development (3 house styles, move the garage from left to right,
shutters, no shutters and 3 basic colors. That's it) maybe it is time
to shake up your designing. (Now, before people start screaming....
there is nothnig WRONG with sticking to a style that works. However to
grow as an artist you occasionally need to stretch and grow.) I myself
am a VERY symetrical person. I design very symetrical pieces. So, I
will force myself to do a rrandom piece. The best thing I've found is
to grab several different bead types that go together, dump them into a
tupperware, and use each bead as i reach in and grab it. I have made
some really fun bangle bracelets this way, and after I do a really
random piece, I find that I can envision some new ideas, even if they
are more symetrical again.

Katie

p.s. Some of my 'challenge' pieces are the ones that generate the
most comments!

C Ryman wrote:
I dislike bright orange and yellow. So I just avoid them. There are a few
nice orange colors like pink/orange and russet.
You could go with the accent colors - blue and gold.
Seafoam green doesn't sound to bad but might be hard to match.
Good Luck,
--
Connie Ryman
Cryman Studio

"Patti" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm going to design a necklace with one of my dichroic glass donuts
as a centerpiece today. This donut has a seafoam green background and
various accent colors, mostly a contrast colors of blue patterns and
gold. It occurs to me that I've been meaning to design this necklace
for some time and am doing it now to wear on St. Patrick's Day. But,
although I'm Irish and sort of like the color green, I have a great
deal of trouble designing with it. In fact, I'm only doing it now
because I'm going to the International Flameworking Conference in
Salem, NJ and we always wear our own work.
So, my question is - do other people have color blocks and how do you
solve them?

Patti (whose grandmother came from County Cork)
www.pattiwhiteley.com

hi Patti! I love your work. Anytime you have problems figuring out
what-goes-with, I'd happily take those beads away.....but my purse is more
limited than my ideas.
I'm rarely stumped for the ideas part, UNLESS its involving a being told
what to do issue. I don't do well with that...tell me it has to be green and
I'll come up with twenty lovely ideas, and no green. So pretend the design
paramaters/restriction doesnt exist---THEN what would you do with it?
Also, take the donut with you to a different kind of options place, like a
paint store or fabric store (a fave) and hold it up next to stuff there.
Find a print that looks cool with it---not "what would you wear as a dress"
but just An Interesting Print. Take note of the colors used printing it,
find another...you may see a common thread, pardon the pun.
Sarajane
--
Sarajane's Polyclay Gallery
Beads-Dolls-Wearable Art
www.polyclay.com
see the current auctions at:
http://snipurl.com/aiid
"Patti" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm going to design a necklace with one of my dichroic glass donuts
as a centerpiece today. This donut has a seafoam green background and
various accent colors, mostly a contrast colors of blue patterns and
gold. It occurs to me that I've been meaning to design this necklace
for some time and am doing it now to wear on St. Patrick's Day. But,
although I'm Irish and sort of like the color green, I have a great
deal of trouble designing with it. In fact, I'm only doing it now
because I'm going to the International Flameworking Conference in
Salem, NJ and we always wear our own work.
So, my question is - do other people have color blocks and how do you
solve them?

Patti (whose grandmother came from County Cork)
www.pattiwhiteley.com

Glad you worked though it I too advoid some colors lol But i a drawn to
blues and greens so i also have to think out side the box and force my
self do something different and you want to know something dont be
surprised if the different piece sells first lol funny how that goes or
the last piece i just had to do be fore a show Will I tend to go though
my stuff and see what goes well with it surprising even my self at
times ! I lucky i can see what goes with what and i like it when i find
it i just keep going till some choices come into view! then i fiddle
till the piesc kinda stay or dismiss themselves ! Once i saw and
brought a purple and green set of lampwork beads from Kim here because
i never saw that combine of colors before it was a eye opener and i
made a fab set from it! Sometimes i hoard till the right pieces get to
gether maybe even years ! V

Leaf through magazines for color ideas. Ads are always color-coordinated
for best effect. Look at the color combos and feel free steal them like
crazy. Not everyone can get big ad designers working for them for free.*

I tear out the ads/photos that catch my eye and stash them in a special
binder I use for inspiration. I use the same binder to pick out colors for
the rooms in my house, clothing mixes and all sorts of other things. It's
great to have around.

*unless they read this, of course.