1. Home
  2. Quilting Forum
  3. Newbie ?s Re: EQ6 color palettes

Newbie ?s Re: EQ6 color palettes

I'm fairly new at designing quilts with EQ6 (spouse does the sewing).

First, I prefer using the color palette to the fabric palette, as I can see the colors better (sometimes the fabric patterns get in the way - that's just how my brain works...) and we never know what we'll find when we go to find fabrics at the LQS anyway...

My problem comes in figuring/deciding on a color scheme/palette. There are so many colors - many too close together to each other to discriminate - that I get confused and overwhelmed. I have one of those color guide tools, but it isn't much help since there's usually a huge difference between how a color (value) looks in a book (or some sample), on the screen, and as it comes off the printer. (This isn't a huge problem for me - the colors I pick at the LQS are what really count anyway, where the only difference is between flourescent, incandescent, & sun-light.) At this point, I don't use many colors in a sceme/palette anyway (usually 6-12), but picking out which ones TO use is causing me immeasurable angst. Is it supposed to be this way? Maybe I'm obsessing over it too much, but as I say, I'm a newbie, and haven't quite got my act together yet...

So is there someplace online where one can get theme palettes of oh... half a dozen or so colors (with RGB values) that go together well for quilts?

Also, the way EQ6 works (as I understand it) it seems a pain to define my own custom colors, sort them to the beginning of the default palette, and then delete the other few hundred unwanted colors. Or am I missing something? Are there any kind of themed downloadable palettes with less than several dozen colors at a time? How does this stuff work?

And/or, how do you folks decide on/come up with a palette for a particular project (when you're not making a quilt around a given palette)?

Or what questions SHOULD I be asking? TIA

Oh, the pain... THE PAIN... Dr. Zachary Smith, Jupiter II

Reply to
Dr.Smith
Loading thread data ...

I use EQ6 quite a lot to design my quilts, but more on the design side than the color. Having said that, there are times when I 'audition' color palettes. Have you purchased the STASH product from Electric Quilt Co? Because you could go through some of the individual manufacturers current range of a particular pattern (for example, tonal or batiks) and they can give great ideas on what colors go with what. Not sure if I am making sense??? LoL The color wheel guide is good at working out what opposites attract to a certain color. I think (but not absolutely certain) that the EQ Co website has down- loadable fabric ranges each month for free. It is probably less stressful to look at a set range from a manufacturer and use that as a starting point. It is probably how alot of kits are put together. If you walk thru a LQS, packs of fabrics may point you in the right direction to a palette. Some else may have a clearer answer.

Cheers Bronwyn Down Under

Reply to
Bronnie

A good old fashioned colour wheel might help!

Reply to
Estelle Gallagher

Reply to
Roberta

I don't know anything about EQ6 but I would suggest checking out Joen Wolfrom's books.....Color Play and/or Visual Coloring. She is a master at creating illusion with color and describing how colors work together.

Reply to
Jeri

I use Quilt-Pro instead of EQ, but I think this advice will hold true for EQ. If I don't have a specific color palette in mind when designing a quilt, I do my design in shades of gray. It lets you concentrate on light/dark rather than the colors themselves, because that contrast defines your pattern more than the actual color you use. Then you can go to the fabric store, find a fabric you love, "match" it to one of the grays you used, and find coordinating fabrics for the other gray shades. I often start choosing colors for a quilt with a print that I like, because all the colors in the print are likely to go together pretty well. I may or may not end up using the print in the quilt.

Julia > I'm fairly new at designing quilts with EQ6 (spouse does the sewing). >

Reply to
Julia in MN

I agree with what Julia said about designing in shades of a color. An often forgotten maxim about quilt design is that "value does the work, but color gets the credit". Any good design will work in a number of different colors or themes, but if there isn't enough value contrast then the design will "disappear". However an occasional "zinger" also sparks a quilt. So I often just do my designing in different values of one color, with one or two of a contrast color, knowing that I will specify "dark", "very dark", "light", "medium" and so forth for the values needed. Another way to see some different color themes, in EQ6 is to use the "Random Recolor" tool to see what happens with changing the colors. Understand that not all the colorations that happen are "good" ones, but it does help to see the same design in different colors. I understand the problems with using the fabric palettes as opposed to just the solid colors. However, after designing with solids, it does help to see what happens when multicolor prints are introduced. It takes time to develop an "eye" and be able to be able to visualize the project in actual fabric. For some people this type of thing is intuitive, for others it takes training.

As for selecting which color/fabric to use, that is personal choice. It is easily changed, so I will just randomly choose a focus fabric/ color and go from there. One suggestion I make to anyone who is having trouble with color choices is to start collecting the part of the selvedge that has the "color dots" on it. If the overall print appeals, then the colors used in that print, used together, will probably appeal. You will start to see what colors you like, and which ones you like together. Go with how you feel about it and develop the skill from there. Remember that EQ is a great way to PLAY with all of this. None of it is written in stone, and you can make all the changes you want to get used to using color in various ways. See what happens when you change one or more of the colors/values. It is useful playtime. Doesn't mean you have to keep any of it. Have fun,

HTH, Pati, > I'm fairly new at designing quilts with EQ6 (spouse does the sewing). >

Reply to
Pati, in Phx

I didn't know what to suggest because you mentioned EQ. But, I do second Jeri's book suggestions. Joen's work on colour is wonderful. . In message , Jeri writes

Reply to
Patti

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.