“Not always sunny, but in a sunny state of mind.”
-Lilly Pulitzer
One of the philosophies I have is making colors work all year round. Last week we discussed the value of black and neutrals in life, which are particularly useful during the fall and winter months, but color is the goal above all else.
This past week, I stumbled upon a quote about the influence of architecture on what we wear. It was something along the lines of not wanting to dress in a loud way in a quiet room. I could not disagree more; I think there is something very interesting about the juxtaposition of a loud outfit in a quiet room or a quiet outfit in a loud room.
“These clothes make people happy. You feel happy wearing bright colors. It makes you smile. Who doesn’t want to smile a little more these days?”
-Lilly Pulitzer
This week I have been feeling particularly inspired by the nice weather. The increase in temperature brought on a whole increase in energy.
Although it can be difficult, I have been striving to reach the act of doing something daily. For example, painting daily, reading daily, and writing daily. I think we all have a tendency to think we do not have time to accomplish that much along with our regular jobs and requirements, but I think it is amazing what you actually can do in a day.
Yesterday, as a print design warm up, I began making a small painting to get my mind thinking about pattern and color.
The process of print making typically starts at this stage level for me. Although the look is often mistaken as watercolored, the print designers begin using gouache paints and pen/ink on top. Gouache paints, like acrylics and watercolor, are water based but have the ability to be completely opaque. I prefer them because of their versatility.
The process then moves onto the computer once the artwork has been scanned. Here, I am using Adobe Photoshop to clean up the artwork to be able to used for any purpose, print or digital. This makes it easier to be distributed as promotional material.
The final work has no definite purpose, as it was used for simply brainstorming. Items like this typically go into my archives for potential use on social media as promotional material.
I use painting as my medium to express my creativity. Whatever the medium is, I always try to make something everyday. Most of all, despite the forecast, live like it’s spring today.