Good Morning Creatives!
It’s time for the first challenge of the year!
Every year, the rulers of the color world, Pantone, chooses the “color of the year.” For 2018 they chose:
What’s the Pantone Challenge?
When we saw this color, the queen of challenges, Tina Walker, reached out to 33 artists and asked “What can you do with this?”
So we all put on our artsy hats and used this amazing color as inspiration.
Here’s what I came up with:
How did I get here?
As you can see, this is very different from my normal style (more on that later.)
I wanted my Pantone Ultra Violet to be my focal point but I didn’t want it to be the predominant color.
I started by drawing a figure in my Dyan Reavely journal with a Bic mechanical pencil. I then went over those lines with a Stabilo Scribe-All Pencil
I then used Liquitex Clear Gesso and a small brush to activate my Stabilo pencil.
What I love about using my Stabilo Scribe-All is that it it adds instant shadows. Using the clear gesso adds texture.
I then used Derwent Inktense Blocks, Jane Davenport Mermaid Markers and white acrylic paint to add my colors.
Can I get a closer look?!
Yes…yes you can
I have the large set of Derwent Inktense Blocks so I tested 3 or 4 purples until I found one that was almost a perfect match for the Pantone Ultra Violet. I kept the hat in the same purple family without matching it to the Ultra Violet Pantone color.
Why so sad?
If you follow me at all, you know I am usually a bright, happy, sparkly kind of artist.
However, when I sat down to do this project, I found it really hard to wrap my brain around something happy.
If you are from the United States, you know that last week we had a school shooting where 17 people lost their lives. 17 souls who were just trying to live their life and was cut short by someone who (according to reports at the time I am writing this) had issues that were not properly addressed by those whose job it is to help him.
It has been sad to watch families crying and student afraid.
It has also been heartbreaking to watch the fracturing of our nation over it. There has been no time of mourning and grief before people starting battling over their perceived right and wrong way to fix them.
Please don’t take this as a political post. It is far from it. It is merely a post of sadness that even tragedy can’t seem to bring us together.
That is why my painting has this saying:
I pray we each take a moment in the next few weeks to take steps to make the world a better place and try to work towards understanding those who think differently than us.
Until next time..
XOXO,
Keri
PS: Want to see more! Here are more of the Pantone Color Challenge artists! I will add more as I get more links!
