Here are some ideas for getting you out of that color rut.
Idea #1: Go outside.
One of the best ways to get out of a color rut is to look around you in nature and find combinations of colors that you wouldn’t consider putting together. Neon yellow feathery clouds against a dusty pink and blue summer sunset, or the bright red of a Maple tree on a dreary fall day. Try adding black to your color combination, or white, or grey to separate the colors and make them pop! Colors inspired by nature will always create gorgeous, unexpected, yet timeless blends for your projects.
Idea #2: Close your eyes.
Often when I am carding art batts, I find myself gravitating to the same color combinations. To break yourself out of your comfort zone, try closing your eyes and carding fibers blind. Or if you’re shopping for yarn, have a friend pick a colorway for you to work with. At my last spinning class my friend and I carded art batts and traded them so we could work with each others colors. It’s so refreshing to work with colors you aren’t used to seeing in your work!Idea #3: Add a little bit of ugly.
One of my personal color theories is to add one color that I consider “ugly” into every project I make. I find that this unexpected, often opposing color compared to all my preferred colors adds a fresh organic element to my work that makes it sing and frees it from my own ideas and expectations of what looks good together.Idea #4: Swap with a friend.
At a recent yarn spinning class I found myself bored by every color I chose. It all felt the same. So I asked a friend to blend a batt of fibers for me to spin, and I blended one for her. Having someone else choose colors for you can help you appreciate new color combinations without you needing to think about doing it yourself.Idea #5: Find inspiration in art.
Look at famous works of art, consider a color palate inspired by Monet or Picasso. Or look at art prints and spin a yarn inspired by a photograph. That’s what I did for this tutorial. 1. I started with a photo I found on ETSY of the Milky Way.
Milky Way Photo by Jon Bilous Photography on Etsy
2. Then I took a blended art batt that I thought and felt represented the colors in the photo to spin into yarn.
Blend of Fibers by Atomic Blue on Etsy
3. And here is the finished result!
Share tips, start a discussion or ask one of our experts or other students a question.
No Responses to “Creativity Exercises for Fiber Artists to Get Out of a Color Rut”