Exercise 1: Exploring contrasts.

In this exercise ( as in the whole  project about colours relationship and interaction) we were required to study how one  particular colour “behaves” if surrounded by its complimentary or not complimentary colours. We were required to experiment with a particular colour applying it with different spectrum colours and write down our observations, however the overall result was already indicated in the task on the page 64 of the course book: “…. when colours  that are not the opposite to each other on the spectrum (i.e. not complementary) are seen together, they have the effect of cancelling each other”.  On the page 63 : “… When two perfectly chosen complementary colours are placed side by side, they each appear more vivid and intense and a vibrating boundary between them creates a sensation of movement”.

I have picked up an orange colour  as a colour “A” because I had an idea to paint the flower Sterlitzae reginae which always attracted me with its intense orange colour. For the exercise I used ink in  Orange colour    by Windsor and Newton. The  first palette I did using Naphtol crimson colour ink from Liquitex,  magenta colour from Encre Permanente, carmin from Nan King, 967 Scarlett from Winsor and Newton, vert olive  colour from Encre a Lavis;  I added and tried the olive colour because I wanted to try and find a proper green shade for the stem and leaves of Sterlitzae. As it was expected the orange as a colour A  was losing it`s identity surrounded by colours which are close to him in colour spectrum; For the second palette I used complimentary colours for my orange “A” colour:  carbon black from Liquitex, Indigo blue from Encre Sennelier, Emerald from Winsor  and Newton; I also tried yellow  from Nan King and gold  shade acrylic ink from Liquitex.

Complimentary to orange – black and indigo blue hues  indeed make the orange vibrant as it is made in nature: Sterlitzae contains them in it` s parts. Green in the shade of emerald colour I would say doesn’t cancel the orange but definitely  there is no nice dialogue between them, while olive shade of green does speak to orange kindly:)). Orange and yellow are in total harmony even though they are not complimentary but they are analogues, which are next to each other on the colour wheel and i.e. belong to one group of colours.

I have tried to paint my Sterlitzae flower  using the  above mentioned inks and 300 gr. water colour paper by Clairefountaine. I did a yellow wash what gives the painting a juicy and rich look.

Study of Sterlitzae Regina, aquarelle and ink on paper and

Exercise 2: Successive contrast.

This is exercise on the page 65 of our course book is about observing  optical effects caused by stimulation and exhaustion of colour receptors in human`s eye retina. We were required to stare at very vivid colour then close eyes and check on the colour appearing. Red appears as green.

Exercise 3: Colour accuracy;

Exercice 4: Still Life with complimentary colours.

Below are some more  quick paintings of Chrysanthemum flower which contains yellow and orange as analogues colours and a complimentary  hue of  dark brown almost black colour.

Exercise 5: Still Life with  colour used yo evoke  mood.

For  this exercise we could pick up any colour but had to make the decision in advance about the range of colours that we would use.  We should “aim to create a mood or atmosphere in our use of colours and handling of paint”.

For this exercise I picked a group of flowers I bought recently in the grocery store: my eye were very much pleased with a flower bouquet  which was done  almost in monochrome colour  of green and outs shades with a very subtle light pink hue.

In order to create the mood and atmosphere I used the Sennelier aquarelle paintings and a special ink brush which allows handling paints as they are inks, basically i was putting clean water in required shape of petals, stems  and leaves  adds some tiny drops of water which moved inside the wet spot-shape, giving very light and airy strokes and spots of colour on paper. In terms of colours I used 805 Vert Anglais as a primary colour and mixed it with 755 Noire D` Ivoire to obtain darker shades of green; 635 Rouge Carmin for light pink shades on the petals and 501  Jaune  Citron to highlight the painting. The overall mood came out as clean, wet, crispy fresh spring.

I did another painting to create a different, autumn mood with my Chrysanthemum flowers. I used the same Sennelier aquarelle paints in 675 Rouge Vermil which I mixed with  252 Ocre Jaune and 211 Terre Sienne Brûle to obtain the colour I needed for my flower`s petals. I also used 755 Noire D` Ivoire.

Below are my works in two different moods: fall and spring.