Color is a huge part of how a design concept grows muscle, flesh, and bones. It’s essential for making your idea manifest, and yet it can be so elusive. Essentially, color is a form of language, and this course is all about building fluency in that language as well as putting it to use in your creative process. Part 4 of Laura’s design course, all are welcome, even if you didn’t make the earlier modules. Everyone can strengthen their creative practice by building good muscle and vocabulary with color. Theory combined with practice is known as praxis, and this course is all-in for color praxis, no matter which medium you use to express your creativity.
We will meet via Zoom on Fridays Oct 27 and Nov 3 and 10 from 10am to noon CST. These Zoom sessions will be recorded. Class recordings will be available to registrants for 1 month after the final session date.
This class is inspired by Laura’s practice in the mediums of drawing, tapestry weaving, punch needle rug hooking, painting with wool needle felting, and more. If you are keen to continue the journey of being a designer, all mediums are welcome. No previous experience necessary.
Students will be working in their design journal for the exercises, though all manner of additional journals and sketch books are welcome. A collection of essays, examples, and exercises will be offered as a digital download for students, in addition to the Zoom time.
Suggested Additional Materials:
- Implements for cutting, such as a scissors or craft knife. You will be collecting images, so have a way to snip them out.
- Devices or adhering, such as double-stick tape, staples, or glue. You’ll want to save what you are collecting, adding it your design journal.
- Tools for writing and journaling. You’ll be asked to work through the stories in your designs, fleshing them out and giving them life. This is sooooo helpful to do on the page, not just in your head.
- Pieces from your stash, including drawings, photos, yarn, magazine clippings, greeting cards, etc. You’ve already kept these things because they spoke to you, so now it’s time to mine them.
Course Outline
This course can be self-paced, and students are welcome to embark on as much making as desired. The idea is that you’ll be actively working through the material, individualized to your interests and medium(s). Here are notes on how the Zoom sessions will be paced.
Session 1: Meet and greet. The Language of Color. What is color and how do we perceive it. Mastering color terminology. How to make the most of the color wheel. What’s in a name?: Ways to talk about color.
Session 2: Progress report. The Emotions of Color. Lessons from interior design. Warm/cool, light/bright, dark/dull–the push and pull of color. Cultural specific symbolism of color and the need to know your audience.
Session 3: Progress report. The Practice of Color. Welcome to color houses, and how your wardrobe can help. Developing color palettes. Stretching your color comfort zone. Backing into a color and building color intuition.
Please make sure the email you use during the checkout is the email you’d prefer Laura uses for class communications. This is the email that will receive the digital download of the photo essay Laura’s creating, as well as your Zoom link before the first class. Thank you, and happy creating!
