I saw a digital art show at the local library that made me think about color

I was at the downtown library last Saturday and they had a small digital art show set up in the main hall. One piece was a huge screen showing a forest that slowly changed colors with the time of day. It was so smooth, like watching real light move. The artist said they used a program called Procreate on an iPad to paint each hour of the day, then stitched it all together. It made me realize I always stick to the same five colors in my own work. Seeing those soft morning pinks shift into bright noon greens was just different. How do you guys pick your color palettes for a big piece, do you plan it all out first or just see what feels right?

3 comments

3 Comments

jade_hernandez1mo ago

That library show sounds really nice, especially the forest changing colors. Getting stuck in a color rut is so real. Last month I tried to paint a desert sunset and ended up using the same old warm oranges and yellows I always do. My sister looked at it and said, "Where's the purple?" and I had no answer. Now I just grab a random color from my palette and force myself to start with it, even if it feels wrong at first. Sometimes a weird purple base makes the whole piece pop in a way I never planned.

james5331mo ago

oh totally jade_hernandez, that purple thing is wild. see, i think the trick is you gotta commit to the chaos. like if you start with a weird purple base, you're basically saying "alright universe, throw your worst at me" and then everything else has to fight with it. what happens when you go full opposite though? have you ever tried starting with like a neon green or a hot pink and seeing if it forces the sunset into new territory, or does it just feel like you're wrestling the painting the whole time?

nina_sullivan611mo ago

At my age, "grabbing a random color" usually means I just closed my eyes and picked the one closest to my coffee cup.