color

I love color.

Personally one of the skills I am most proud of is my eye for color. I really love color and enjoy working on color harmony in my work. Years ago I had a fantastic teacher, Elsa Warnick, who taught Illustration at the Pacific NW College of Art. She gave us a project where we were not allowed to use black. It changed my life. Really.

I recall how I struggled at first to work without using black. Then it came to me and the colors started to sing and the absence of black was not an issue. I didn't need it at all. Much of my personal art does not contain black. I rarely find it necessary. I find shadows are much more rich without black.

Recently when I was finishing up the Oregon Dairy Council artwork I found that even though there are many colorful panels altogether, the colors don't fight. They are harmonious and exciting.

Thank you Elsa, I owe you a lot, but that lesson in particular will be with me always.