tropit

Sometimes, I'm just completely taken with some of the unlikely, but amazingly beautiful, color choices that quilters make when designing their quilts. I've only been quilting about 10 years and so far, I've taken the obvious color choices when making my quilts. I've also been making a lot of scrappy quilts, so the colors that I use are limited. Now, I want to spread my wings and get more artistic and creative with my palette. I'm ok at Photoshop, so I might plug some blocks into that and see what color combos I can come up with. Does anyone use any other good tools, (besides EQ8?)

Thanks
~ C

oksewglad

Do a web search of "using color in quilts". You will often be referred to the color wheel. Learn the terminology that goes with the color wheel...primary, secondary, tertiary, neutrals, tints and shades. Find examples in your stash to familiarize you with these terms and make your own fabric color wheel. Next learn the properties, ie complementary and find those combinations in your quilts or fabrics. A hands on approach works well.

Look at your scrap quilts. Did you pick certain fabrics to go next to each other? Why? Do they fit the above definitions by chance? A fun thing would be to make a quilt using all complementary colors with one block ie a churn dash or shoo fly. The more you work with it the more you will understand it.

Enjoy the process.

bearisgray

I just put stuff together and see what happens.

One can also use the color dots that are on the edge/sevlagess of some fabrics.

Iceblossom

I do play with my EQ6. I also use crayons and colored papers and other things as well. I'm pretty good with my imagination but sometimes you just see stuff differently when it is real...

I do a lot of looking at things. Seeing what other people do and learning from it, what works/what doesn't. I've taken a couple of college level art classes and I have several books on color theory, mostly from a quilting perspective. It doesn't have to be a quilt, it can be a painting or a sunset or a motor home or whatever. I also had a class on Logic in college, the instructor in that really helped me tie together a bunch of things and figure out how to analyze and evaluate what it is I like about something. He said that "if you know what you like, then you should be able to say what that is" and I find breaking things down helps me. When you know what you like/want and then the reasons on why some things work better than others, or how to get different effects, you are on your way.

I think the mistake that I, along with many others, made too much in the beginning was being too coordinated, too matchy-matchy. You need some pops. You need to vary scale. Especially when going scrappy, I now push the boundaries and put in something that doesn't really work just to show that you throw enough fabric at it and it all sticks. At the same time I know that some things always stick out, so you either have to know that and love it in advance or do something so whatever it is doesn't show so much.

I've mentioned the book Scrap Quilts by Judy Martin before, the patterns and techniques are pretty dated but I think the pictures and the discussions are still worth it.
https://www.amazon.com/Scrap-Quilts-.../dp/096029709X

There are many books, videos and seminars on color theory for quilters, I think this is a good start
https://shannon-brinkley.com/blogs/s...he-color-wheel

bearisgray

When I started, I also was into super mathcy-matchy - even down to the little 1/16 inch flecks in a fabric!

I like Jinny Beyer's Color Confidence for Quilters. I think it was published in 1992 - but I still refer to it now and then.

Iceblossom

I also read things like this, came from recommended Pocket list:

https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/columns/hues-hue/

About Periwinkle... the color, the plant and more. Speaking of plants, there is a lot of about planning a garden that is similar to quilting. Juxtaposition of textures and colors and more -- plus in a garden you have the changes of the year.

PS: My yard is a declared Vinca-free zone. We have it all over the area but not here! I do, however, have grape hyacinths.

juliasb

I use a small color wheel that helps a great deal. I find it amazing when testing out different fabrics. Some of the most unlikely fabrics will match up adding to my palette.

Trapunta

Jinny Beyer's book Color Confidence for Quilters. Helped me a lot!

Krisb

Color theory, like that in Color Confidence for Quilters by Jinny Beter, also helped me a lot. Also recommend Joen Wolfram—great info on transparency (Color Play, The Magical Effects of Color) and Katie Pasquini Masopust (Color and Composition for Creative Quilters).

Also useful tools—graph paper, a box of colored pencils, and coloring books. And a color wheel. And a red lens to see values.

bearisgray

Another thing that I found interesting - jigidi.com is a site that has on-line jigsaw puzzles.

One can change the background color for the pieces - the pieces do look different with different backgrounds. There are seven color choices.