What's new about placid blue?

It's not a new color at all. It has always been with us. It is what we want to see when we get up in the morning and look out the window at the sky.

It is one of the top ten Womens's Pantone Colors for Spring 2014, which makes it noteworthy.

See the Pantone fashion color report for Spring here

Placid Blue is a soft pastel that is a wonderful compliment to the strong and bold Dazzling Blue. Pantone describes it as a picture perfect, tranquil and reassuring sky that induces a sense of peaceful calmness.

     Placid blue bracelet upcycled from artist palette


What is great about placid blue:
It is calming.
It works well as a background color.
It harmonizes with soft pastel greens and violets.
It is a great solution for "what to wear with jeans"

Here's a recipe for placid blue, according to Bustanoby's Color Manual, copyright 1939:
It was called Forget-Me-Not Blue

"Slightly neutral tint of blue, resembling the delicate blue flowers, with yellow centers, of this perennial herb, which grows in wet or damp places in the United States, Europe and Asia."

16 parts Zinc White
2 parts Cobalt Blue

Forget Me Not flowers

1 part yellow Ochre
Trace of Burnt Umber

From this list of ingredients I can tell you that placid blue is mostly white with a little blue, and the yellow ochre and burnt umber would act to tone it down. So it is a tint of blue with a bit of its complement added, making it a gorgeous gray blue.

What will you wear with placid blue this season?

Comments

Winter Work

Now that my show season is over, it's time for what I lovingly call winter work. Winter work is studio time. It's when I light the fire in the wood stove and sit down at the drawing table and/or easel, both of which are pulled close to the wood stove. It's winter work because when the weather cools off and the leaves fall, the studio is the most inviting place in my life. The warmth of the fire and the smell of the wood and the blank slate on the easel are what inspire and motivate me to work. At one of my shows I bought this glorious coffee mug from Paige @rockbottomceramics. It sits on top of the woodstove and keeps the coffee warm for hours. It's a studio staple. There is purposely a blank canvas on the easel, or in this case, a smooth panel which will eventually be gessoed and painted with an expression of light through leaves. The blank canvas is self care. It's a sign of hope for my future. What will go on ...

Show Season preparations begin

It's March, and that means one thing: TIME TO PREPARE FOR SHOW SEASON! That's right, it's about to get crazy around here. And I mean that in a good way. I've been waiting for show season to start ever since it ended back in November. Even with all the work, all the energy, all the artistic endeavors, all the money and time invested, and all the headaches that come along with it, I am nonetheless excited and ready. So call me crazy, I can take it. And please come see me and hopefully add to your collection of my work. Here's my booth in the process of getting set up in my yard. I know it's only March 13th, and my first show isn't for two months. But here's the deal. Right now it's a gorgeous sunny and 70 degrees here in Indiana, so I absolutely HAVE TO be outside. It's been a long winter, and even though this is only "fake spring," I'll take it. Also, I have intended to give my booth an update and take care of...

In the Woods Again

I'm in the woods again. And that's a good thing. My art is all about light through leaves. The path of light. Solace. My aim is to give you that place of solace, so that, like the tallest trees, you can reach up to the heavens. Next up: Art in the Village in Franklin Michigan. Mon, Sept, 2nd. Then it's Penrod Arts Fair, where I'll be in G24. Same spot as last year, but a lot of new art. Sat., Sept 7th. New this year are my 1/1 monoprints, mounted on 16 x 20. A mono print starts as a linoleum block print but is then embellished with paint, handmade paper, pencils and crayons. Each is one of a kind; hence the 1/1 on the lower left hand corner. As you know, if you are one of my wonderful clients, you receive 20% off on your purchase of art. Not able to get to a show but ready to add to your collection? Shoot me an email or message me on Instagram @ parts.of_art and we'll make it happen. Hope to see you soon!

Parts of Art

Search This Blog