Color Scheme of Golden Ochre and Teal: Two Artworks

I'm often drawn to yellow ocher and blue-green color harmonies in my work. The two pieces shown here are variations on that scheme.

This wall-hanging (left), Iron Man, is based on a vintage, very large anatomy chart. I added rusty bits, imagery, acrylic media, string, and much more. The texture is extremely palpable. Do you find it to be creepy and disturbing, or interesting and thought-provoking?

The collage/painting directly above, Abide in Me, is to honor my step-father, Cal Schultz, who was a very talented artist and a great dad. (He's the little guy being held up by his brother.) Cal had been stricken with polio, and wore a leg brace all his life. He was a model of courage and perseverance.

Here are links to more posts about color schemes! http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2012/08/three-color-schemes-and-contest.html  and http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2012/04/how-to-use-split-complementary-color.html   and http://mixedmediamanic.blogspot.com/2011/09/looking-for-great-color-scheme-try.html
 

HOW TO IMPRINT LEAVES WITH DYE & MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL!

This project is so easy, and yet the results can be very striking! 
Use the papers as artworks in themselves, or as backgrounds or collage elements in other works.


MATERIALS:

1. Absorbent, smooth watercolor paper
2. Liquid fabric dyes
3. Leaves with prominent veins
4. Pane of glass or plexi, and heavy books

PROCESS:

1. Arrange a variety of leaves (different sizes and shapes) on a pre-dampened sheet of watercolor paper. Add a few grasses here and there if you like.
2. Flood the paper with vivid, beautiful colors of liquid fabric dye. (Liquid watercolor paints or inks work, too.) Select a few colors, lighter and darker, that work well together.
3. Place the sheet of glass on top, and a heavy book to weigh it down. Let dry overnight. Try several of these, since results can be mixed.

Be sure to check out my previous post on how to select a fabulous colour scheme! And please see my photo blog on Tumblr, I Luv Photography!

How to Use a Split Complementary Color Scheme…Lovely!

The split complementary scheme is a variation of the standard complementary scheme. It uses a color and the two colors adjacent to its complementary color. 



Split-Complementary Color Scheme



An example of such three colors are yellow-orange, blue, and violet. Another split-complementary harmony is blue with red-orange and yellow-orange. The split complementary scheme offers more possibilities than the complementary scheme, and yet it has strong visual contrast for a striking effect.

Tips:

1. Use a single warm color against a range of cool colors to put an emphasis on the warm color (red with blue-green and a greenish yellow-green, or orange with blue-violet and blue-green).

2. You might wish to avoid using desaturated warm colors (e.g. brownish reds, brownish oranges, or dull yellows), because this may ruin the scheme.