color blocks

I dislike bright orange and yellow. So I just avoid them. There are a few nice orange colors like pink/orange and russet. You could go with the accent colors - blue and gold. Seafoam green doesn't sound to bad but might be hard to match. Good Luck,

I persevered on the necklace - I had bought some 8's in seafoam green and used some clear and some light green faceted fluorite discs as accent beads. Then I used a double strand of the 8's in between, similar pattern to one in Kim Baillor's newest book. It made a lacy pattern. I wire wrapped the dichro donut and hung it in the middle. Very different for me - took me a long time to make, almost all afternoon, and I'm pleased with it. Patti

Patti-

Seafoam green; some suggestions - purples, pinks, deeper blue (trying to match a light blue to a light green, even if you get the right colors, it washes out.) Try thinking easter eggs and it might suddenly click. :)

As for working with color blocks and style blocks -

I will force myself to go "outside the box" comfort-wise every few months. Whether it is working in colors I don't like, (and I've found that just about every color that I don't like can go with colors I do like.) for example orange. I am a red-head, and we know from a very early age that orange is just not gonna work for us. (peach yes. deep russet yes. orange, tangerine,etc NO) However, orange can be combined with fuscia and yellow to look like a fiesta! Tangerine can be combined with lime and purple for a funky, summery fruity look. (Go look at the fun set Kandice had out... post was called "another boring AD lol") So I made myself do a couple pieces with orange, and wow! What a fun cheery color to work with.

Style blocks can be especially hard. Yes, we all have out own styles that we like to do, and what is comfortable. However, if you look at your last several pieces and they are like a suburban housing development (3 house styles, move the garage from left to right, shutters, no shutters and 3 basic colors. That's it) maybe it is time to shake up your designing. (Now, before people start screaming.... there is nothnig WRONG with sticking to a style that works. However to grow as an artist you occasionally need to stretch and grow.) I myself am a VERY symetrical person. I design very symetrical pieces. So, I will force myself to do a rrandom piece. The best thing I've found is to grab several different bead types that go together, dump them into a tupperware, and use each bead as i reach in and grab it. I have made some really fun bangle bracelets this way, and after I do a really random piece, I find that I can envision some new ideas, even if they are more symetrical again.

Katie

p.s. Some of my 'challenge' pieces are the > I dislike bright orange and yellow. So I just avoid them. There are a few

hi Patti! I love your work. Anytime you have problems figuring out what-goes-with, I'd happily take those beads away.....but my purse is more limited than my ideas. I'm rarely stumped for the ideas part, UNLESS its involving a being told what to do issue. I don't do well with that...tell me it has to be green and I'll come up with twenty lovely ideas, and no green. So pretend the design paramaters/restriction doesnt exist---THEN what would you do with it? Also, take the donut with you to a different kind of options place, like a paint store or fabric store (a fave) and hold it up next to stuff there. Find a print that looks cool with it---not "what would you wear as a dress" but just An Interesting Print. Take note of the colors used printing it, find another...you may see a common thread, pardon the pun. Sarajane

Glad you worked though it I too advoid some colors lol But i a drawn to blues and greens so i also have to think out side the box and force my self do something different and you want to know something dont be surprised if the different piece sells first lol funny how that goes or the last piece i just had to do be fore a show Will I tend to go though my stuff and see what goes well with it surprising even my self at times ! I lucky i can see what goes with what and i like it when i find it i just keep going till some choices come into view! then i fiddle till the piesc kinda stay or dismiss themselves ! Once i saw and brought a purple and green set of lampwork beads from Kim here because i never saw that combine of colors before it was a eye opener and i made a fab set from it! Sometimes i hoard till the right pieces get to gether maybe even years ! V

Leaf through magazines for color ideas. Ads are always color-coordinated for best effect. Look at the color combos and feel free steal them like crazy. Not everyone can get big ad designers working for them for free.*

I tear out the ads/photos that catch my eye and stash them in a special binder I use for inspiration. I use the same binder to pick out colors for the rooms in my house, clothing mixes and all sorts of other things. It's great to have around.