Color Scouting

Last month Stephen West shared with his readers about a new photo blog that he has started called  Color Scout. It is a fantastic inspiration in color.  Here is what he wrote about it:

I love taking walks with the purpose of color scouting because it makes me see things differently and experience the city with a different perception of time. Usually, I’m walking or biking with a destination in mind, but when I look for interesting color combinations I’ll walk down different streets and discover new pockets in the city I would never find otherwise.

I also notice I use my sense of sight in a more specific way, looking close-up and shifting to a wide overall perspective in order to find appealing colors. I think it’s a very healthy practice because so many days are spent doing something goal or task oriented. It feels good to take a break and shift focus because it allows something new to enter and affect you.

I pass several colors that are boring to me, so capturing an unexpected color and textural combination feels like finding treasure or discovering a secret that nobody else knows about. Picking yarns for a new knitting project can be the same. Some yarn colors don’t evoke any excitement, but you know when the perfect yarn comes along and makes you feel like everything is just right. Combining certain colors communicates very specific moods and when you add color to shape and texture, you’ve potentially discovered a cozy treasure chest full of magic.

I’m sure several color scout photos will inspire some new knitting designs, but in the meantime I’m enjoying the practice of observing my surroundings with my “color glasses” on.”

I have to admit,  I am naturally a very distracted individual.   I hate to drive for this reason.  I would rather let my eyes wonder to what is around me than have to stay focused on the road.  Small details capture my attention, & I often stop mid-sentence to comment on the color of something.  I have always been this way. I simply made the connection that it was a quirky trait that I picked up while growing up with my dad who is an artist, & from being an artist myself.  I have never put much thought into it or used this trait in a constructive manner, but Stephen has inspired me to be more intentional about my distractions. This is such a great way to explore a color in relation to other colors & experience the effect the combination has.

Did you know that colors set a mood. They inspire us to move & they beckon us to rest. A color can cause us to be still & quiet, or it can cause us to feel LOUD & excited.  Research shows that different colors stir different emotions in us. They even have a biological effect inside of us.  Because of this, colors are both powerful & personal.

I want to take a closer look at this & explore colors more deeply.  I want to discover the influence that colors have in my life, how they effect my artwork, & how they effect me.

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I found these red branches yesterday while I was out sledding.  I love the burst of energy they add to the quiet, still neutrals that surround them.