Power of Complementary Colors

Color is the most powerful tool at your disposal to evoke mood, emotions and the WOW factor in your work. I naturally gravitate towards complements- colors opposite each other on the color wheel. The best known pairs are red/green, blue/orange and violet/yellow. These combos, in their purest intense forms, are really active and sometimes garish. However, tweaking and toning them down doesn't diminish their power. In the detail of my mixed media piece above, the indigo dyed fabric and orange accents give this piece energy and a playful mood. Without the orange, the blue and pink would have been pretty, but predictable. Even pastels and muted colors have complements. Study a detailed color wheel and you will see the possibilities for adding a pop of color magic to your next piece.

Sigh- working out of a slump

We all get them, we all suffer with them- the inevitable creative slump. The ideas dry up, the energy ebbs and your studio makes you feel guilty every time you walk through the door. Why can't you just sit down and work- where's the joy and energy that are as natural as breathing? I have projects all over my studio- all in the beginning stages and they have just been sitting there for over a month. I feel like I've run out of gas. So, to ride out the down time, I've been working on TINY little faux postage. I use a full sheet(www.100proofpress.com) and they can be separated so it's easy to trash the rejects. This is very freeing and feels like play. I leave all my supplies out and just take a few minutes here and there to work on them. Above is a sheet in several stages of completion. They all start with little doodles, then Derwent watercolour pencils then a touch of acrylic medium on the higlights and a sprinkle of Martha Stewart glitter (LOVE her colors and it's super fine). It's not much but it's fun and I know I can use them on ATCs and collages in the future. And funny thing, this morning I picked out beads for one of those projects gathering dust and I think I'm ready to start!

LOVE Mingle Magazine from Stampington & Co.!!!

Stampington & Co.is famous for their original paper arts publication Somerset Studio and now they have added another fantastic magazine to their 30+ titles. MINGLE is a visual treat with amazing ideas for unique gatherings. If you love making life special for your loved ones, this magazine will be a catalyst for so many festive occasions. As always with a Stampington publication, the magazine is so beautiful you return to its pages again and again for inspiration. To get your copy and start planning some magic for your next get together, visit www.stampington.com