Color Inspiration - Soft Pink Rose

 Another rose from our new garden - the name? "Beverly"

So of course we had to find a spot for it! Bonus, it has the most intense, sweet smell (winning awards for it's scent)

Using a 100mm fixed focus lens, stopped down to f/4, enabled me to blur the background into a symphony of sorbet colors and a yummy pastel color palette

Pastel color wheel in Eye For Color

Color Inspiration - Old Fashioned Rose

Color Inspiration from our new rose garden. Can't you just smell this David Austin old fashioned rose?

I accidentally over-exposed this shot, but ended up liking the result - soft, warm pinks, greens and taupe all on the Warm, Light Earthone color wheel (from Eye For Color)

Color Inspiration - Pink African Daisy

The color combo in this photo is so unique - adding a bit of grey-blue to the traditional complement of purple and gold, I just had to create a color swatch - hope you enjoy!

For an entire book of Color Inspiration - pick up a copy of Artful Color for Creative Projects

Publishing Artful Color for Creative Projects: From RGB to CMYK

Anyone who has ever published a book full of colorful photographs knows how difficult it is to replicate the bright, saturated colors in print.

I am in the process of converting all of the vibrant colors in my eBook (Artful Color) to a color language the printing presses can read, but oh so tedious as you can see above with 3 color swatch images stacked:

-Original in RGB on top
-Direct conversion to CMYK in middle
-Tweaked CMYK version on the bottom.

Luckily earthtones convert beautifully, however note how much the pinks in the middle change. Though I'll never be able to print the vibrant clear pink of the original, I'll keep working to achieve a scrumptious result.

My goal is to create a file ready to go to print by the Holidays, and to hopefully attain my eBook sales projection to enable me to get the presses rolling!

I'll keep you posted!

Color Inspiration - Guitar Pedals

A wall of pedals at Seattle's EMP glows with color.

Would love to see what you make out of this color palette!

Color Inspiration - Magenta Hydrangea

The deep intense color of this hydrangea is made even more luscious by the background medley of shiny leaves reflecting the blue of the sky and the blurred bit of peach from a nearby flower.

Color Inspiration - Seaglass and Paint

I use manilla folders for my paint palettes, then when they are heavy with paint, put them back in the file cabinet - such cheerful homes for future files. This one was drying on my table next to a bowl of deep cobalt beach glass. I thought the combo was too gorgeous to pass up!

Color Inspiration - Red Rose Glow

My husband put in a rose garden last spring and I got to help him choose the varieties. How could I resist this lipstick red with it's inner glow of orange, especially encrusted with water jewels?

This Analogous color scheme glows with its gradual transition of color and is set off by a splash of complementary. I used this palette to paint a bouquet of poppies.

Color Inspiration - Skim Boards

Jack'd Skimboards hosts a skim board/music fest every summer on Whidbey Island during the lowest tide of the year. This colorful stack of boards greeted us as we headed out onto the sand.

Inspired by these colors, I mixed petunias and rusty bits to create this photoshop painting:

Petunia Rust

Color Inspiration - Old Green Truck

An old Ford pickup (given to my Mother in Law for her birthday in 1960) sits behind one of the barns turning lovely shades of teal and green and rust. Bits of dirt on top and reflections in the chrome hint at a warm purple undertone... an Expanded Tetrad on the Warm Earthtone color wheel.

Color Inspiration - Faded Coneflowers

 A triad of Earthtones, one leaning towards the Warm dark color wheel, the other leaning towards the Cool dark color wheel. Both wheels part of the Eye For Color family

Which one works for you?

Color Inspiration - Bar Stools on Orcas Island

I poked my head (with camera attached) into the doorway of this little restaurant, tucked into an alley in Eastsound, Orcas Island. Deep blue/purple walls and incandescent lighting accent the yellow/orange hue in the bar stools.

p.s. this palette is for you, Dagmar!

Color Inspiration - Blackberry Vine

The essence of summer, blackberries fill the air with juicy sweetness. Blackberry cobbler, blackberry wine, blackberry jam, blackberry syrup, blackberries sprinkled on cereal, in salads, in pancakes. Eyes trained on deep purple black, it's easy to overlook the beautiful warm colors in all the other stages of ripeness.

Color Inspiration - Blue Sails

Hundreds of sailboats crowded the Penn Cove Harbor during Race Week and this one -  'Blue Martini' caught my fancy! I love how the bright cyan and cobalt on the boat play off the subtle earthy blue undertones of water and misty sky. 

Color Inspiration - Lavender Gift in Copper Urn

The kids and I wandered through rolling fields of lavender on San Juan Island. Just as lovely was the adjoining gift shop full of oil and watercolor paintings, lavender jellies and cookies, lavender tea, lavender chocolate (so yummy) and gorgeous gift packages in copper urns.  I wish I could share the smells and tastes on-line... simple photos will have to do. What a lovely, rich palette of purples and peachy copper.

Color Inspiration - Orange Seaweed

Stepping over bits of seaweed on our beach - shades of earthy green, red, brown. Who knew it would glow so beautifully when held up to the sun?

Color Inspiration - Blue Blown Glass

Looking on the inside of my wine glass as the light glows through it, I'm reminded that all colors go together, especially if they lie on the same color wheel and have similar saturation.

Now for the wine...

Color Inspiration - Cornflower

I love these giant cousins of the Bachelor Button with their center glow of pink flowing to forked petals of bluish purple.

What's not to love about purple and green? And expanding it into the pink tones provides added lusciousness!

Color Inspiration - Chartreuse Euphorbia

  Grass is Always Greener Seed Bead Soup Collection

 

Fresh spring greens of the Euphorbia pop with the brick red and blush background. I love the little accent of brighter red in the center of each tiny flower. Would be lovely with an eggplant purple accent to complete the triad!