Classes/Lessons in Color

[lillianw]

I'm thinking about taking a class--color primarily for now. How do other people go about learning to develop their abilities? I think I need work on:

a) how to use color
b) stringer control (bought corina's dvd)
c) murinni
d) twisties

I'm somewhat of a newbie still--studio up for a year, but work a lot and am a single mom of a young child. I've been obsessive in my studio lately, but feel like what I pull out of the kiln is a lot of luck--for every 6 beads I make, I like two. I'm getting muddy ugly colors--can't seem to combine them nicely. I think I may be working too low in the torch. I do have a nice studio set-up--mini carlisle torch, oxygen concentrator, jen-ken kiln, and a ton of glass. Do you guys make those little beads like Corina suggests before commiting to making a bunch of the same bead, or do you just know what colors will work best together?

I do best with organic beads and love silver glass but do want to learn how to use pastels/pinks, etc. also. If I wanted to take a class with artists who are exceptional with color, who are the top recommendations? I'm in the north suburbs of Chicago--willing to travel for long weekend (can't go anywhere 'til January though). Any suggestions? How did you guys learn color? I love Kevan, Naos, Ashton, Hip Kitty--too many of you to mention!

[jaci]

I think you are correct in working to low in the flame.
I am also self taught, no lessons here... I just figured out that I could make good twisties not long ago! I had just never thought of making them
OK so what did I do.. humm (now you are making my brain think! LOL)

For colors. I keep it simple. Start with one color, or group of colors like red or grey. then add one color, just one, any color that you like. Either you will like it or not
I also love to go to the paint section and get color starter room idea cards. The colors can be really inspiring, and right there for you already. A color wheel can be a valuable tool as well. Matching opposites or tri split colors that you can see are split evenly on the color wheel is helpful too and there are websites for this.
Other valuable color combinations can be found in your favorite picture, a color swatch, a makeup pallet, dish-ware, magazine pages, photo hoots, fashion, nature, picture books, web pages, stationary.. etc... There colors are already there for you, you just have to pull them together in glass

Stringer control, if you are on a HH start at the very back of the flame and bring in your bead and stringer until you are comfortable with applying the stringer. If you are on a oxy propane torch, I hear that working at the side of the flame, not in it works well.

twisties.. I sucked at these until i realized it was a lot easier to make them on the end of a mandrel as a punty instead of trying to do it on the end of a rod. I always got an uneven pull on the end of the rod, but the mandrel works great! For more twistie tips you can check out the twistie exchange thread too.

I can't help you much with murinni, I don't really use them.. I have a few, I am just not a big fan,

I am sure that you can find someone near Chicago to take a few hours studio lessons with someone. That may be better than a standardized class. You can work on what you are ready for. And probably get more than what you ask for anyways . Then you can decide if a beginners class or intermediate class is right for you.

[Cindy2]

Just play with the pastels. Pick out a color combination and work with only that during a session. Make simple round beads with dots and/or stringers. See what you get.

Stuck and can't figure out what color combination to try? Try a color wheel. Here's one online: http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwheel.asp#wheel

Glass colors don't always come out the way they look on a color wheel because of the the compounds in the glass used to make the color. But, it's a place to start.

Keep playing and trying color combinations, you'll get it!

Cindy