Crusade No. 52 ~ Seasonal Wardrobe

 

First let me extend a thank you to all who particpated last month, sharing an interpretation of Home.  Loved being able to get to know you a little better.  Second, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the friends, old and new, who have contributed to the conversation below.  If I ever begin to feel burnt out I will hop right back over there to read the encouraging words and thoughts.  You motivate me to carry on and validate my efforts.  I truly appreciate the love.  *group hug*

Before I begin let me apologize to our Southern Hemisphere crusaders - I refer to change-of-season and summer but I fully understand your temperature is declining while mine is rising.  The concept is still applicable, just slightly different.

As the banner states, I'm curious to know if you find yourself shifting your working palette and/or creative style with the change in season.  It seems every summer I deliberately select fresh new paint colors and brightly colored supplies.  I tend to think lighter and work looser.  I also feel like I see more - observations much more acute than in the colder months.  Is it because I am outside often or that I am hungry for new visual stimulation and seek alternative directions?  Establishing a new palette is more of a mental task...I adjust my viewfinders a little wider, latch onto a handful of concepts, and see how that all fits with my default ways of operating. 

 

 

To offer a comparison, here is my comfort zone palette that is utilized twelve months of the year.  It is a good thing to know what color combinations you default to especially when you are shopping for supplies.  Got it in red?  I'll take it.  Oh, you have black too?  I'll take two.

 

 

Last year I recognized that I make this seasonal shift.  Below is a journal page that illustrates that.  I'm falling under the same spell this year...

 

 

A few more examples to show that I am not a huge adventurer when it comes to color.  I find I get distracted by too many choices and limiting myself allows me to focus on composition and texture.  You'll see my defaults are evident, but personally I observe some influence from last summer.  Notice I eventually allow more open space and begin using organic images?  Probably sick of winter and ready for some daylight and bare feet.

 

 

 

 

 

  

This month, should you accept the challenge, make some observations of yourself and your work and notice if you have actual palette changes or mental shifts due to the transitioning seasons.  Maybe you paint less and knit more because you are sitting around a pool.  Maybe you sit in the shade and bead or carve stamps because you have more free time.  Maybe you have less free time and hardly craft at all in the summer.  Tell us about your seasonal wardrobe and support with visual evidence if you can.  For instance, compare a winter page with a summer page and if you can tell the season by the style of work.  Or, simply show us your current palette and remark whether it differs in the darker months.

I'm really interested to know if your artistic behavior adapts seasonally.  If you can't play along with a link we would still love to hear your report so leave a comment with your thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Judy Neubert]

Michelle-
I am so happy to see Crusade 52 posted...can't wait to get started, I have just a couple of finishing touches on 51. I will have to really give this crusade some thought tho. I am going up north this weekend and perhaps I can formulate a plan. I already had one idea (already posted about it on your blog) but in rereading the Crusade I may have to rethink what it is I want to accomplish. This crusade may take up a few pages!

Thanks again, you always give me something to think about.

Until later,
Judy

[viki]

Whoot!!! Wow! I guess if I look at pages I favor I think I lean toward citrisy colors most of the time. I know one year I did kiwi and pink for Christmas cards I will have to have a look at my pages and see. Great challenge.

[Cath S]

Hi Michelle. Great timing as always. Today is a public holiday here, so I had time to do some looking and thinking - then writing about what I discovered. Here's the link http://cathsheard.wordpress.com/2011/06/06/crusade-no-52-seasonal-wardrobe/

[Paula]

Try two is up! I enjoyed the process! Thanks, Michelle!
http://littlescrapsofmagic.typepad.com/little_scraps_of_magic/2011/06/summers-palette-take-2.html

[iamrushmore]

Great concept, Michelle. I'm such a new artist that I don't have past seasons for comparison, but I've been thinking a lot about this over the past few days and have many ideas brewing on how to respond. I will post a link later in the month, but wanted you to know you've got me thinking and dreaming!

[Kathryn - Collage Diva]

OOoh what a great concept. I'm looking forward to pulling out my journals and reviewing my blog posts to see what patterns emerge. It has been a while since I participated in a crusade. My son will be leaving in a week for 9-1/2 weeks which will open up a lot of solo time for creativity. I'll be back! {soul hugs} k

[betsy harting]

Thanks for the inspiration, Michelle! I always use AQUA in the summer, but tried something different. I had pale ale pages staring at me, so I decided to do something with yummy summer colors. Looking forward to everyone's posts!

[Jacqueline]

This post struck a chord. With the brighter and warmer days, my ways of working certainly changes. I have yet to compare my colour palettes, but the other changes are more evident.
Here is my blog entry:

http://exploringart.blogspot.com/

It is the entry of June 13th
( http://exploringart.blogspot.com/2011/06/change-of-season-change-of-heart.html )

[Jami]

Interesting thought & definitely got me thinking! I love trying out new materials & think about color palettes, but inevitably what is in my head & what emerges naturally don't match. There is definitely a pattern of consistency w/what I create.

[Maria]

i figured I would post my "work in progress" entry about my "Home Sweet Home" pages...i see chaos in my near future, so not sure when i will have a chance to work on it again...

http://mariasangel.blogspot.com/2011/06/hey-tomato-catch-up.html

[Pam Holladay]

Hi Michelle, Love Crusade 52. Looking forward to warm day is the Northwest.
http://pamholladay.blogspot.com/2011/06/summer-bike-ride.html

[Paula]

Here's another! I'm on a roll!
http://littlescrapsofmagic.typepad.com/little_scraps_of_magic/2011/06/hello-summer.html

[Regina]

Ok, I've actually posted something for this crusade. xo

[Regina]

A guess a link would be helpful. :*)
http://rgrdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/06/gpp-crusade-no-52-seasonal-wardrobe.html

[Melisa]

I do tend to change my art palette a little with Spring/Summer & winter. We don't really have fall. I don't have a favorite palette that I stick with, though. I love to try different combinations. I don't think I'm going to be up for this challenge though, because when I let my old blog go (Gottamake) I lost most of the photos of my older art. I could rescan some things that I still have, like journal pages, if I get time. I may just visit and see what everyone else does this month.

[Melisa]

I just realized I forgot to comment on your pages. Sorry! I got too involved in looking and reading, LOL. I think your pages are easily recognized as yours, partly due to your preferred color scheme, and that is great. Your style extends to other things besides color, but the color is a big part of it. If I came here and saw a page that was pink and yellow with no black, tan, or red anywhere to be seen, I wouldn't recognize it as yours. I think it's great to have your own look but I can't do it as far as color is concerned. I just love to see how different colors will work together and I have too many favorites, LOL. I'm still working my way through them.

[iamrushmore]

Did it!
http://iamrushmore.blogspot.com/2011/06/gpp-streen-team-crusade-no-52.html

[Helen]

Great challenge: found out I tend to use the same colors again and again. Have to try something different next time. Looking forward to see what the others have come up with!

[Joan]

Here is the link to my crusade # 52 piece:
http://joan-discoveries.blogspot.com/2011/06/gpp-street-team.html

I enjoyed it and just let myself play with lots of different art supplies!! Thanks!

[sheila]

This was a great challenge and I decided to move away from paint and paper and go to something I had been wanting to have a go at for a while - alcohol inks on tiles! I had a lot of fun and now there's no stopping me - it's additive!
Thanks again for the challenge Michelle.
http://sheilasteaandtoast.blogspot.com/2011/06/gpps-street-challenge-no-52-seasonal.html

[Manda]

I am new to your blog and love what I have seen so far. As I don't have any journals to look back on, as I have only just started mine, I decided to make my palette based on my surrounding here at the moment which is winter.

[betsy harting]

Added some aqua pages for fun!

[Maria]

http://mariasangel.blogspot.com/2011/06/home-sweet-home-complete.html

Crusade 51 complete! now onto the photos for 52!!

[michelle ward]

hey gang - i am away for a few days so if you leave a link and don't see it posted to the list right away that is why. i will take care of it upon my return. behave while i'm gone ;)

[Michelle Brown]

Hello Crusaders,

here is my seasonal selections:
http://aztecmichelle.wordpress.com/2011/06/19/gpp-no-52-seasonal-wardrobe/

Happy Crusading!
Michelle

[Marie Z Johansen]

Michelle:
I've been wondering how you make your color chips appear inside grey bounding boxes - and also how you add the color chips in a circular form (left side of some photos). If it's a secret process I understand. I'm teaching myself PS CS5 and always have questions.

Working on my page as I write - well, almost as I write !

[Marie Z Johansen]

Got it done and posted!
http://mzjohansen.blogspot.com/2011/06/seasonal-wardrobe-seasonal-color.html

[Penny Stuart]

Hey Michelle,
Thanks for bringing me back to GPP! I am just now getting back into art but am drawn to extremely bright colors, primarily greens and blues. I am also drawn to bright pinks, reds and oranges as well. I can't wait to start playing with my acrylics again! Oh my, I'm so excited!

[QuinnCreative]

What a fascinating challenge this was! I chose to shift it slightly because our seasona are a bit different--right now, the heat is set to "broil." But I noticed something really amazing when I flipped through my journals--I used to live on the East Coast, and my art work used little color, was jammed into small spaces or was very spare. It looks like I have emotional claustrophobia.

When I moved to the desert, the whole page is suddenly splashed with color and different techniques. How odd is that? What a great evolutionary shift! Thanks for making me pay attention Michelle! You can see the result here
http://wp.me/p2H1i-1GV

[Maria Day]

Hello fellow artists. A friend of mine told me about GPP Street Team and the most recent challenge.

Thank you to all of your wonderful artists for being here and inspiring me! GPP Street Team is an amazing network of talent.

I was so excited that I had to create a response of my own. My own response to Challenge No. 52, posted to my Pull of the Tides blog.

http://runningwave.blogspot.com/2011/06/trying-on-seasonal-wardrobe.html

[Carrie]

I'm BACK in the saddle again! http://pocketsizestudios.blogspot.com/2011/06/turn-turn-turn.html And I brought a friend! Hi Maria! Warning: I had so much to say about this one that I had to really hold back so as not to write a BOOK. This might turn into a blog post series. This crusade is made of win, Michelle!

[Maryanne]

Just had to join in this one, Michelle! Color and how I use it seasonally is a topic I could on about for pages and pages. Loved this!

http://zingalasworkshop.blogspot.com/2011/06/seasonal-colors-or-how-i-love-all.html

[Nathalie]

Dear Michelle,
I am so sad that the crusades are almost over!!!
I've participate for this last one here : http://nathalienayer.blogspot.com/2011/06/seasonal-wardrobe.html
Hope that you'll still post your wonderful works of art!
Nathalie

[Maria]

Hi Michelle! Great challenge--and WOOHOO!! I posted before the end of the month!! I wanted to add sooooo many of my favorite color schemes...but at least i captured my favorite summer ones!! Thank you for continuing with this challenge :)
http://mariasangel.blogspot.com/2011/06/crusade-52-seasonal-wardrobe.html

[Kimber]

Hi Michelle, What a thought provoking Crusade. What fun to think about. Here's my take on it:
http://kimberiginals.blogspot.com/2011/06/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-52.html

[Marie Z Johansen]

OMG - did I red the crusades are nearly over? no! I am devastated. It's one of the best monthly challenges on the web! Oh woe is me !

[viki]

Dear God. I missed yet again another deadline. It has been an insanely crazy month. My roomate signed us up to sell at several festivals and I have been making jewelry like crazy. Hopefully she is done making me sit in the heat for awhyle and I can catch up. Sigh

[viki]

Yay! I decided that I realy didn't need new pictures and went with what I already have on hand. So, It may not be awsome but I have posted my citrussy pictures for your parusal.

[Tusia]

Hello again Michelle :) Here is my entry: http://ototusia.blogspot.com/2011/07/mad-scientist-and-seasonal-wardrobe.html

Have a great day! Tusia from Poland :)

[Chris]

Sorry so late, but here's 52.

thanks!
Chris

[Chris]

I totally forgot to put the link with my last comment.

working on 53 and looking forward to 54.

Chris

http://parabolicmuse.blogspot.com/2011/07/color-me-me.html