Colour for drama

I do like dramatic colour -- there is no question.
It's funny too because I'm very plain in my
choice of clothing most of the time. I found this
sketch I did a few years ago in my drawing group
and thought I'd post it tonight. I have been so consumed
with holiday running around that I haven't had time
to paint today. A great pity, because I am eager to
get to it, and know I will tomorrow at some point.

Class sketch on blue ground
acrylic on watercolour paper

This little painting made me remember how
experimental I used to be. I'm not a big fan of
colour wheels, and I am not crazy about rules.
I'm what my students would call a visual
learner -- so I've learned to figure out colour
by trial and error. This painting was from my
blue period. In class with my art group they
always tease me asking, "where's the turquoise?",
because I love a certain colour of turquoise blue
-- and use it in many of my paintings. But at
this stage I was trying it out as an underpainting.

This model's expression was annoyed, so maybe
that evoked the blue. I guess my point is that
although it did create drama, it isn't the kindest
colour as an underpainting for skin. Any colour
in the warm range does a better job. Plus I've
never been moody enough to go through a
blue period. I'm more of a primary colour
person -- you can usually find red, yellow and
blue in almost everything I do.

Have a you-are-the-drama-that-matters day.