What a gorgeous painting, and an awesome way to kick off the new year, don't you think? What catches my eye about this month's challenge artwork, Black Peacocks with Japanese Persimmons by Jessie Arms Botke, are the patterns I see everywhere. The movement of the water, the delicate feathers in the tails, the stylized plant life - it's all lovely and so pleasing to the eye. It also doesn't hurt that Botke uses some of my very favorite colors, either! The teals and mustard yellows pull me in, naturally, while the dark browns and almost blacks help ground the palette. Creamy beige, light gray, and touches of light blue help keep it from feeling oppressive, and the sprinkling of medium or dark blues hidden in the feathers and grass at the top are a fun touch of color. I think this is a great choice for inspiration, especially since there are several different color directions you can go in. With the first half of the swatches falling into an analogous relationship, and within the same value range, they'll look great together no matter the design. The last four swatches can help lighten up or darken the color scheme, and using them would add a lot of interest no matter the combination you choose. What about you - which combination pulls you in? Which are you planning to use this month?
