The Ultimate Guide to Creating Colorful Art
Do you dream of painting vibrant, colorful artwork but are unsure how to start? In this blog post, I’ll walk through what I believe are the three essential things to know if you want to bravely create colorful artwork.
But first, a little background on me. I’m Jessi, the artist behind the colorful brand, EttaVee! My vibrant art business was born out of my need for color during a dreary Paris winter. (I know… Paris may seem magical in the wintertime, but trust me – it’s pretty gray!). I started painting with the brightest acrylic paint I could find. I instantly fell in love, and my colorful brand was born.
Now, I sell my artwork to collectors and partner with brands like Target, Pottery Barn Kids, Erin Condren, Sam’s Club, Home Goods, and more to print my bold artwork on their products.
I believe that color has the power to elevate our emotions, bring joy in the dreariest days, and bring out our inner confidence. If you’re a color-lover like me, read on to learn my favorite techniques and mindset shifts for those that want to make colorful art.
Be Bold
Let’s start with a mindset shift. I know that using color can feel intimidating. It takes a brave person to use the colors they dream of to create a stunning work of art. But the key is to feel the fear and boldly move toward your vision. Sometimes the wildest, most colorful pieces can get the best response! You have to stay true to who you are and create art you love.
When you do that, your people will most definitely find you. And it’s ok to know that your art isn’t for everyone. There are some people who hate my art. But that’s ok! Everyone is different. Color happens to deeply resonate with me, and if you feel the same way, it’s time to make a bold move and share your colorful vision with the world!
Don’t be afraid to use color in unexpected ways. Try a color you’ve been dreaming of using. Paint something “realistic” using bold, bright colors. You may just discover your signature style and find that your confidence and bravery in other areas increase as a result.
Learn Color Theory
This one’s a little more practical. If you want to create unique, colorful works of art, it’s important that you understand the foundations of color theory. Colorful compositions can easily start to look scattered if you’re not sure which colors look good together and how to balance the color in your composition so that it’s pleasing to the eye.
Part of this comes with practice. If you’re ever painting something and find yourself thinking that it just doesn’t look quite “right”, you may have a color issue. I paint with acrylics primarily, and the best part about that is that you can always paint over parts of the composition that don’t work as well.
In addition to color theory, it’s helpful to learn how to mix unique and vibrant colors. Have you ever mixed primary colors and found that the resulting mixes were a little muddy and dull? I feel you! Sometimes primaries lack the pop of vibrancy that makes colorful artwork truly shine. If you want to learn how to mix vibrant colors (that are never muddy) check out this blog post!
Find a Signature Color Palette
Color can be a strong part of our visual identity and as an artist, I find that having signature colors can help your brand stand out. Over the years I’ve discovered certain colors that I use over and over again in my paintings to help my whole body of work feel cohesive.
I love Fluorescent Pink, Light Blue Violet (Periwinkle), and Prussian Blue. I also use nontraditional primary colors so that my mixed color palettes all have a similar vibe across different pieces.
As you’re creating your colorful pieces, take note of which colors you gravitate towards. Keep using them in future pieces and eventually you’ll become known for your stunning signature color style!
I hope this post has inspired you to create a beautiful, colorful piece! If you’d like to learn more about color mixing and bold, intuitive painting, check out my class Joyful Abstracts on Skillshare!
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