Okay, before we get to talking about black, I just have to share what Janine from
Rainbow Hare Quilts added to our January challenge. She joined in February and actually went back and did January's challenge.
Welcome and great job, Janine! I love the value play of your red crosses. It's been a treat to see how each of the participants are interpreting the challenge. So fun!
For anyone else who is interested in this challenge, you can join in anytime and you don't have to go back to previous months if you don't want to. I put up a
Colour My World Challenge page that can be accessed from the toolbar above with info about the challenge and resources. If you know of any other good reference sources, leave me a comment and I'll gladly add them.
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| From creativeglassguild.co.uk |
Now onto March's challenge -- black. I'm definitely feeling the challenge this month. I love to wear black and I love to use it as sashing in my quilts, but to make black the focal point? That's another story.
First you might ask, is black even a colour? It's not on the colour wheel. Some say it's the absence of colour, and some say is it's all the colours. Color Matters has an
interesting answer to this question that I think is worth checking out.
Sensational Color also has a wonderful page with information about the symbolism and cultural meanings of black. For example, black is a colour of authority, power and mourning in the West, but in China, black is a traditional colour for boys clothing.
What do you think of when you think of black?
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| From wallpapervortex.com |
I think of night, sophisticated clothes, our beloved iPad, the man in black Johnny Cash, black cats, the little black dress, my favourite Doc Martins back in the day, Black Sabbath, Black Celebration by Depeche Mode, mods (kind of like goths), black holes, ebony, and black light. To me, black is also a feeling and a place. It's the deep pit of despair I felt when I was depressed in my 20s. Hope to never go there again! :)
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| Yin-Yang Symbol |
So this reflection is all fine and dandy, but what to do with black for the challenge? What to do...what to do...I just don't know. It could be cool to do some trapunto (see if I can get it right this time) and play with some different sheens of black thread. Or it could be fun to do some improv piecing using different black fabrics like
MC did with purple in February. Or...
What would you do with this challenge?
Black makes an excellent setting for other colors. It would be a challenge to make itthe focus of a design.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating challenge, unfortunately I can't add one more thing to my plate!
ReplyDeleteoh the man in black :)
ReplyDeleteFun post, I have NO idea what to do with black. I used it in my hacienda quilt but that's about it. I feel like you have to be confident to use it with other colours because it's so dominant. Intrigued to see what people make with it!
I have always thought of black as the absence of color so I was surprised when I saw that you had black (and white) on the list for the challenge. You already know that I am making a star. I am looking more at texture and patterns in the fabric.... definitely a challenge! Can't wait to see what you come up with!
ReplyDeleteHi, MR,
ReplyDeleteI just found a fascinating Ted Talk - Beau Lotto: Optical illusions show how we see http://www.ted.com/talks/beau_lotto_optical_illusions_show_how_we_see.html
You may have seen it already but, if not, I think you might find it interesting as it has a lot about how we see colours :)