Thoughtful Thursdays: A Primer...

I thought (pun intended!) that I would start a new segment on my blog. Something where I could share a little bit about the inspiration behind my creations, the things I'm drawn to (another pun!), and what really turns me on creatively. And I'd do this toward the end of the week on the same day... so I  figured I'd call it... Thoughtful Thursdays.

So today's primer (yup, one more pun) is not only to introduce you to the segment, but to showcase one of my favorite creative themes I'm drawn to in my work... a monochromatic color palette. I love to start with a single color and then add onto the project with similar colored elements...

I'm not sure what drew me to this technique... although the first time I used Ranger's Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers in their coordinating palette trios, I settled in. They kind of took the guesswork out of color matching and from there I was hooked. At first I used just the paints themselves, but then branched out into using similar colored objects. Since I've been collecting "stuff" for over 20 years — ummmm — I've got plenty to choose from.

But why have I stuck with it? I'm not quite sure. Perhaps because having a singular color scheme really unifies a piece. Maybe it's easier on the eyes (and my brain) to only use one color group. Or it could be that it adds a certain whimsy. No matter the reason, you can count on seeing more monochromatic looks in my work for years to come.