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R&D 233


Finally an assignment, I hope it's to your liking. Give it a shot, it should be fun.

I thought a few assignments using basic color schemes would be a good exercise
for newer members who might be a little intimidated by color. It's also a great
brush-up for folks who are more experienced.

The assignment will be to create a color drawing or painting using a pose by Ben
as the subject. The color choices will be using only two complimentary colors or colors
opposite each other on the color wheel (red and its compliment green or orange and blue
for example).

When using a complimentary color scheme you can mix the two colors to create
beautiful warm and cool grays. The addition of white or black will lighten or darken
the values.

On the example color wheel posted I've included some tube color names and
approximately where they fall around the wheel.

If using blue and orange, you can use most hues of blue with most hues of orange
(hue means the color name like cerulean blue or ultramarine blue).

Choose one or the other color, of the two compliments, as the dominant color and
then use the other as an accent color.

The example artwork I had to use is not a great demonstration of the use of the
complimentary color scheme. The colors are pretty much equally used and much too
intense unless going for a really abstract look. The one I wanted to use is from
a Watson- Guptill book but they haven't sent permission to use it (I asked weeks ago).
If they send permission I will post it.

I did an abstract-ish painting of Meghan, "blue nude", using complimentary colors.
I will include it as an example as well. It is not all that successful and I plan to get
back into it to adjust the values (the lightness and darkness) which I think are a bit off.
It is an example of how this color scheme might be employed. Also in my folder is a work
called "Red Delicious" another abstract-ish complimentary color work (with a little extra color).

I hope you have fun with this and experiment with the mixing and testing of the
color combinations before choosing the two colors.

Use any color medium you want for this.

Let's try to get something done by July 1.

I will be happy to elaborate on any part of this assignment and answer any
questions that might come up.

So,

Let's draw (and paint)!

art

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