Mastering Color

This is a 2-day workshop designed to clarify and familiarize students with the fundamentals of color theory. Through discussions and exercises, students will be acquainted with all the necessary/essential concepts for mixing & managing color, and for feeling confident in doing so!

Both workshop days combine short lectures with exercises that apply the principles and concepts discussed.

Among the first topics is that of perception – how varying circumstances constantly affect our perceptual judgments of color, and how understanding this dynamic is integral to making art.

Equally essential is a clear distinction between Value, Hue, and Intensity/Saturation – first to make visual judgments of these three dimensions of color, and second to efficiently mix paint/pigments that appropriately correlate to those perceptions.

We will also cover fundamental issues of Color Contrasts and Harmonies; a bit of color psychology, and, usually on the second day, use these principles to create some simple compositions that employ some traditional color strategies.

In addition to the exercise each student completes, there will be plenty of handouts provided for ongoing/future reference.

We generally use acrylic paint for the convenience and simplicity of its quick drying time, but occasionally some students substitute other media.