The Digital Art world is limitless. We've explored scanners, blogs, wordle creating websites, cameras and photo touch ups. Now, let's make actual pieces of art.
This week we will be exploring the world of color.
Color Theory
The three Primary Colors are Red, Blue and Yellow. Primary colors are the 3 basic colors that all other colors can be made from.
When you're creating a work of art, or altering one, it's important tho think about which colors will look good with each other. This is when knowing about Complimentary Colors will come in handy. Complimentary colors are colors that suit each other, look pleasing next to each other. They reside across from each other on the color wheel.
For example, you'll notice that Red & Green are across from each other- Christmas colors! Not for no reason!
Secondary Colors can be made using 2 Primary colors. Yellow + Red = Orange.
Tertiary Colors can be made by mixing a Primary & Secondary color. Orange + Yellow = Yellow Orange.
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Andy Warhol
It's very likely that at some point in time you've seen something by Andy Warhol. Perhaps his most noticeable work of art is probably his images of Campbell's soup cans and Marilyn Munroe.
Around 1960, Warhol had decided to make a name for himself in Pop Art. Pop art was a new style of art that began in England in the mid-1950s and consisted of realistic renditions of popular, everyday items. Warhol began with Coke bottles and comic strips but his work wasn't getting the attention he wanted. In December 1961, Warhol gave $50 to a friend of his who had told him she had a good idea. Her idea was for him to paint what he liked most in the world, perhaps something like money and a can of soup. Warhol painted both.
Unfortunately, Warhol found that he couldn't make his paintings fast enough on canvas. Luckily in July 1962, he discovered the process of silk screening. This technique uses a specially prepared section of silk as a stencil, allowing one silk-screen to create similar patterns multiple times. He immediately began making paintings of celebrities, most notably a large collection of paintings of Marilyn Monroe. Warhol would use this style for the rest of his life.
Warhol's signature style is bright unnatural colors and repetition. His colorful icons were often displayed in a series.
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Using knowledge of the Color Wheel & Andy Warhol, we will be creating colorful artworks by altering our photographs in PhotoShop.
Start by choosing one of your favorite photographs you took last week.
Open this photo in photoshop and make sure it has good Contrast. Contrast is a strong difference in lights/darks/colors. You can fix this in PS if the photo doesn't already have it.
Tools to use to alter the color palette:
- Paint Bucket tool
- Adjustments --> Hue & Saturation --> slide the Hue bar
- Color Replacement Tool! This one will be your best friend if you want to keep lots of details.
Create at least 6 different versions of the same image and combine them all as one image.
We will talk about how to combine images into one later this week.
