We've spent the last three weeks studying what Steiner called "luster" or shining colors (red, yellow, and blue). Next week we will continue with "image" colors (black, white, green, peach blossom). We began to study luster colors by working with a large layered watercolor painting, first focusing on color movement (for weeks!) before allowing form to come into being.
Simultaneously we've also been working on various smaller lustre color projects that began more through line than with color. We took inspiration from the lines of trees, or color-themed still lives, set up by our teacher Laura Summer. Each exercise began with a color wash of either red, yellow, or blue. We then used the lines we had drawn as a means for finding and working with both color surface areas and structure. As we moved out of our initial lines and into colored surface areas, we could bring in other colors, while keeping in mind the color we first began with. These paintings were often layered with paper or white primer to help us adjust our prior layers and bring forth structure. Below are some examples of these color-themed paintings...
Red...
Yellow...
Blue...
And a few other variations, including some from trees...
And for those who can manage all of the above in three weeks time, we have further instruction for a blue and orange-based layered watercolor study for understanding image colors!
