Monochromatic Color Scheme Challenge

The first color scheme for our challenge is the Monochromatic Color Scheme. Monochromatic schemes can be considered one color. So pick one color found on the color wheel and stick to it. You may use different tones and shades of that original color.

Tones and shades are found when you add either black or white to your starting color. An example of this would be red. If you start with red and add white you will get pink. So a red and pink combination is still Monochromatic because you didn’t add any of the other colors found on the color wheel.

I chose Yellow Green. I used dark beads in yellow green and lighter ones. The challenge I found was to just stick to one color. I think the challenge for me was to not let Green and Blue-Green into the mix. I love Moss agate and it kept trying to sneak in, but the moss agate I have has a bit of blue-green to it.

So here is my finished piece! I used my Small Style A Cabochons, Agates, glass, and a silk cord.

(Cabochons like this are available in my made to order website www.artisanclay.com)

This challenge will also take place on the Beads-of-Clay Blog. There are a couple of different rules for the BOC blog challenge, but there are also prizes to be won. Please become a follower of the Beads-of-Clay blog here.-- http://beads-of-clay.blogspot.com/2010/01/beads-of-clay-blog-color-challenge.html

Does this sound tricky to you? It's not! Give it a try! I will be listing bead sets in different Monochromatic "inspiration" sets in my etsy shop to help you get started

Are you up for a challenge? Wanna play along?

Hello!
It is the one year anniversary of this Blog! Hooray! I have enjoyed blogging so much this past year!
It’s a New Year with new goals, and I am renewing my commitment to blogging and improving my work by initiating a challenge to myself and to all of you who would like to join in. I hope that by the end of the challenge I will have new and varied work to show in the summer season

Here is the goal: To complete a finished piece of artwork, piece of jewelry, Art Bead or Beads that illustrates each of the following color schemes within the time allotted.

Each color scheme will be open for 4 weeks, and a new color scheme will be announced every 2 weeks. This is a rotating schedule—it’s a little crazy I know, but I would like to finish it up before the busy summer season. I will list the time frame for anyone (like me) who would like to plan ahead!

So If you would like to participate, please share your photos with me and add them to the flickr group ArtisanClay here-- http://www.flickr.com/groups/1241528@N21/ So please create anything in your favorite medium hopefully within the time frame listed and share your photos of what you come up with. So for the challenge on this ArtisanClay blog, you can make anything! No limits to your materials! It's just for fun! Please label your photo with the color scheme you are working with. example: Monochromatic, yellowgreen

There’s more! Many of you know that I blog for the Beads-of-Clay Blog. We will be holding the same challenge over on the Beads-of-Clay blog—there is just 2 differences in the rules.

1. Fabulous prizes from Beads-of-Clay bead and button artists will be awarded to one of the entries in each of the different color schemes at the end of the allotted time.
2. Each entry on the Beads-of-Clay color challenge must include a clay bead, button, cabochon ect made from one of these materials -- Porcelain, stoneware, earthenware, terra cotta, raku, Egyptian paste, and clay slip – so that means earthen clay only. The entry itself can be a Bead of Clay or Set of Clay beads, or an entry can include a bead of clay. Entries are not limited to wearable arts.

Entries in the challenge should be added to the Beads-of-Clay flickr group in order to be considered for the Fabulous Prizes! Please also label your photo with the color scheme you are working with. example: Monochromatic, yellowgreen

What do you think? Are you ready to have fun, and stretch your use of color?

I will attempt to define and illustrate each color scheme on or around the opening date for each scheme for those of us who may need a reminder.

Color Challenge Time line

Monochromatic color scheme January 8th-Febuary 5th
Analogous color scheme January 22-Febuary 19th
Complementary color scheme February 5th- March 5th
Split-complementary color scheme February 19th- March 19th
Tetradic color scheme March 5th- April 2nd
Neutral color scheme March 19th- April 16th
Accented neutral color scheme April 2- April 30th
Warm and Cool Color Schemes April 16th- May 14th

Here is a very useful tool that I found to help with the challenge-- http://websitetips.com/colortools/sitepro/
It generates color schemes!

Wikipedia says this about color schemes—Here is a link-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_scheme

30% off Sale At ArtisanClay!

SALE! 30% off everything in my Etsy shop except Gift Certificates! My husband recently hurt himself and I need to pay some doctors, emergency room staff and all that fun stuff. --ASAP

You can purchase your items and wait for me to invoice you for the sale price or you can pay and I will refund your savings if you would like your items to ship immediately. You may also purchase items and choose to hold items for up to a month and pay for them together if it is convenient for you.

You may also shop my www.artisanclay.com site for beads made to order to your color choices-- I am extending my 30% off sale to cover purchases from that site too! Just follow the paypal check out and I will refund your sale discount. Thanks!

So shop both sites www.artisanclay.etsy.com and www.artisanclay.com at 30% listed prices!
Don't let your favorite pieces get away from you! I can hold items for you for up to a month-- just let me know that you would like me to do so :-)

3 New Turquoise Cabochons

I added three new beautiful Cabochons to my Etsy shop today!
Big Beautiful Purple, Turquoise and Blue Cabochon

Shades of Blue Cabochon

And a lovely Aqua and Turquoise Cabochon

Color of the year?

Fantasy Colors

Word on the street is that Turquoise is this years hottest color....

Bright Turquoise Aqua and Black

My intuitive powers have done it again. I just made a fresh group of Turquoise based pendants and Cabochons!

Powder Blue and Turquoise

All three pendants are made in one style and finished in different colored recycled glass.


Ooohh, la la. I can also make these pendants for you in your own color choices! Just ask me about it!

I hope you are having a great day-- My one year anniversary of starting this blog will be on Friday the 8th and I will have a BIG announcement for you then! Please check back! I am so excited!

I read a quote today that is perfect for how I am feeling at this moment. "Transition and Change are painful not only because of the leap into the unknown, but because your self-image is tangled up in your work." Gail Platts quoted in Make it Profitable by Barbara Brabec

I have been really working hard the past couple of weeks. I try to work hard all the time but this working hard is different than my normal routine. This work is the stuff that is out of my comfort zone, the stuff that makes me feel scared and open to criticism.

So what's the big deal Kristie? Come on now! I set a goal to submit some work to magazines and to re-do my website to offer my work made to order. Good goals, but now that I have been working on it for weeks, and nothing is being expressed as I envision it to be. My confidence is getting shaken. I just want to make beads, and ignore the yucky stuff. But where would I be then? A quitter! That won't work.

I have asked some folks to give me input on my writing and website before I open up to the final audience. That will help. I hope.

Check this out!

Kool and The Gang

by Lorelei Hill Eurto

I just love this necklace by Lorelei Eurto. It includes one of my small smoke-fried Donut Beads.

I spotted it when she first listed it on Etsy just before Christmas, but I could not share it until now. I love that rectangle opposite the donut!