This painting by Monet is going to be the inspiration for a new set of beads. Which has me thinking about my use of color. I seem to be influenced heavily by the current season. In the spring, it’s soft florals, summer you’ll find an abundance of teals and sea-inspired creations, fall I’m all about autumn and her foliage. Even when I’m using a painting as the inspiration it seems to go with the colors of the season. So my question this week for you dear designer, does the season effect what color of beads you are purchasing and using? Do you follow more of the current trends & market news or do you color your own rainbow and go with colors that suite whatever mood you are in at the moment?
The prize for next week is a set of my very spring like Monet disk beads. I’m looking forward to reading your responses.
Studio Saturday – Season of Color
March 22, 2008Welcome to Studio Saturday. Where each week we share our creative insights, ask for comments and randomly choose a winner the following week.
Laurel is last week’s winner, she’ll receive a set of Elaine Ray’s collar components. Laurel email us your address by using the suggestion box and your beads will be sent right out to you.
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As The Bead Turns: March 23, 2008
As The Bead Turns: March 23, 2008
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LampworkDiva
March 22, 2008 at 3:36 pmWhat a great painting to use for color inspiration, Heather. I tend to color my own rainbow and adjust the shading based on trends.
Emma Todd
March 22, 2008 at 3:45 pmHey no fair! I thought we were going to get a look in your studio Heather?! I guess we’ll get the tour after your redesign maybe. I’m not very trend focused with my designs at least not from the onset. I’m sure though that great trends seem to work their way in almost without my knowing. These Monet beads you are working on are fabulous!
Heather Powers
March 22, 2008 at 3:55 pmha! Emma, I’m still waiting for ty pennington to show up! Seriously my studio is a scary sight at the moment. hopefully this chaos will start to look orderly, I keep plugging away at it!
Carlene
March 22, 2008 at 8:43 pmI think I am totally mood driven. I’ll look at a color or a specific bead and think “Gotta have it.” Some colors I’m always drawn to, but I’m definately not a trend follower. Unless of course the trend is in the colors I love!
Joann
March 22, 2008 at 9:05 pmI try to buy beads in the whole spectrum. So when I sit down to make something, I just play with the beads until I get a winner. I’ve done xmas colors in July, and spring in November.
The other thing I try to do is, when I’m doing a big bead buy, to buy at least one color I think is “hideous”. That keeps me from getting in a rut.
Bead-Mused
March 22, 2008 at 9:35 pmI try to follow trends and keep potential customers in mind, but it doesn’t always work. I do try to work with “odd” colors once in a while. Mind you by “odd” I mean colors I wouldn’t usually pick up. Mostly, I let the beads speak. I’ll come up with a design wanting to use specific colors, only to find out that it’s just going to work better, look better and feel better with those over there!
And yes, I’m waiting to see Heather’s studio, too!
Theresa
White Iris Designs
March 23, 2008 at 12:10 amI have been following you blog for a little while & thought that this is the time to post. My moods seem to lead me on my bead buying excursions. I buy what I love at the time & then see where they lead me as far as design. I tend to make what I love, so if that happens to be trendy…. well that usually is a happy accident! Love your beads!
Lorelei
March 23, 2008 at 12:28 amBeing a huge fan of Monet, I am so excited to see the new beads! 🙂
I normally unconsciously follow the current seasons colors. I can’t seem to get enough pale pinks, greens, blues right now for Spring.
Faerie-Jeweller
March 23, 2008 at 12:28 pm“does the season effect what color of beads you are purchasing and using? Do you follow more of the current trends & market news or do you color your own rainbow and go with colors that suite whatever mood you are in at the moment?”
Yes, yes and yes! – it depends on my mood, and what I’m aiming for (I will design tactically for some things because it makes sense to do so. Other times I’ll let my mind, dreams and surroundings inspire, which can include seasonal colours.
So I go with a combination. In the last couple of weeks I’ve worked with red & gold (because I like it), black, red, green and brass (aimed at competing), purples and gold (aimed at Christmas season magazine publication) and am currently working on a necklace which is a real mix of pale pinks, aquas, lilac, blues and creams. And there’s an as-yet unstarted palette of beads thats very soft, subtle sea blue-green-grey shades sitting awaiting me to get round to starting a necklace in those shades.
I love colours – all of them 🙂 I can’t imagine sticking to a single palette area.
abeadlady
March 24, 2008 at 4:58 pmI do mostly bead embroidery these days, so my palette varies with the project I am currently working on. Even in my bead weaving, I tend to go my own way with colors. I have a few favorites, but am not afraid to branch out with a new combination occasionally.
Arline
cserpentDesigns
March 27, 2008 at 7:07 pmThe beads and my mood do the speaking for me so I guess I follow my own rainbow. Sometimes I do “inspiration” pieces which are driven by challenges in one of the many bead groups I’m in (in fact I’m working on a rainbow colored bracelet right now which is inspired by a strange fruit-of-the-loom-ish picture in an inspiration thread – LOL!). Sometimes I purchase beads and know exactly how I want to use them. Other times I buy beads and eventually get an inspiration on how to use them. And sometimes I just have a set of beads I haven’t used and decide it’s time for them to move from the fondling stage into the designing stage (guess they all have to grow up one day – LOL!). I often think I should try to design for the season – but it doesn’t often happen!
susan
http://www.cserpentDesigns.com
Janel
March 28, 2008 at 6:30 pmI think that what I’m designing dictates color more than anything else. Fun and funky things need to be colorful. I often do more ornate designs with a combination of metallic and jewel tones. Other things need highly contrasted colors for the details to be noticeable.
I have to admit that the season is dictating my current color choices, though. It has been such a long, cold winter here in Michigan so my current project is being done in bright, citrus colors!
Heather Powers
March 29, 2008 at 2:20 pmthank you everyone for sharing your thoughts on colors. I’ve enjoyed reading them and a big welcome to some new folks!
White Iris Designs
March 30, 2008 at 1:11 amI won, I won, I cannot believe it!! Thank you so much, lampwork beads are some of my most favorite beads to use. I have even dabbled in trying to make my own. If only I had more time..ahhhh the possiblities!
Thanks again & I cannot wait to see them. You have been added as a link to some of my favorite girly blogs.
Warm Regards!
Tammy ~ White Iris Designs
White Iris Designs
March 30, 2008 at 2:05 pmI forgot in my last post to mention that I have just recently fell in love with ceramic & clay beads as focals in my work. I was just so excited that I won. Sorry for the mix up. I did realize what I had won. I knew that they were not lampwork beads.
Thanks again!