Less Color Art

My less colored ones do sell equaly to my colored ones - none! Guess that´s equaly fair treatment :o))) LOL

I'm sorry Hans. You are going to do fabulously well in the near future!! I'm going to promote your works today.

Too funny Lisa.
As I just clicked the tab from editing an image & over to the forums - I was wondering if my images always have too much of a punch of color ( Ya think ? )

My brain thinks, and craves Wythesque ; monotone, understated - somewhat drab.

But that hand that holds the brush always manages to punch things up - a thousand fold.
Can't seem to manage to tone it down.

Someone told me it was my subconscious speaking - and that underneath it all I am really happy, joyful and delightful.
I'm not sure that people who know me would use those words first to describe me.

FWIW - I love your punch of color.
always delicious.... & I would hate to see it go.
Please don't tone yourself down.

At a quick glance see about 75% color vs. BW

Do you think people are craving art with less color now?
I say keep creating for you...it will resonate with some and maybe not with some...do what you feel from within you...that which makes you feel good.

We did have that overly colorful phase of pop color. The trend is changing. Right or wrong?
I have no idea, but love what you have created and the colors you used allowing much interpretation!!!

Keep creating from within is my mantra.

I don't follow or care about trends. If your personal expression is served best through the use of intense color, do that. If your work is best served by using a more subdued pallet, then do that.

Lisa, you would do that? WOW :o) Thank you so much!!! @>--->----- you leave me speechless :o) *joydance*

What is colour? And if one cannot define colour then how would one know if there is less of it?

I seem to be going through a similar phase with B&W images. I have been producing a lot of B&W images of late vs. color images, I'm not sure why? I like them both maybe it was getting through the Winter and I'll have to change it up now. Like others have said I don't pay much attention to trends other than where my own work leads if I don't like it for some reason I certainly can't expect others too.

My best selling image is a pen drawing, black on white paper. Overall though I've sold more color than BW, POD that is. I don't think I've ever sold a BW original art piece online. Lately I'm been making a lot of colorful pop style images,, maybe that's why I'm not selling. lol

Can't answer with sales stats, Lisa...........nil

Can say: b/w for me, and all the nuances, shades of grey,lol, appeal to me for a lot of my handdrawn work especially, indeed because it's about the medium, say, charcoal, as much as the subject. Charcoal is my fav for b/w.

As to colour, I just answer to me, on that! Seems that I like bright colours, if you look at my profile page, and, I do indeed. (might have to do with vision issues, too.....overstating colour is just how it is for me, now)

No right/wrong, i.m.ho.

I don't know if it is a trend but more muted palettes sell too. I'd say if that's what you fell like doing...do it.

I just work on what I want when I feel like it. Following trends seems to me a waste of time...once we are aware of a trend it seems it's over.

Why not, Hans?

Your work is awesome, dark and dramatic, I think that is very in style right now.

VIVA, I think your vision is fine, and amazing, love your artwork.

Ronald, I would say that you are a trend starter, keep up the great work. Artists should never follow a trend.

I went to an art show last night and one of the artists there, a young man was being touted as being great, and his work is very trendy. The problem is the trend he's following has been in place for 15 years. I won't say what it is because I don't want to bring an art style down, but I wish we could move on from that style.

Me too Val, but some of my work is definitely not original. I never copy an artist, but find that there are great many donut artworks out there, but when you want a donut and don't have one, painting one sometimes takes care of the craving.

Less or more colors depend on personal taste. You are right, artist never follow any a trend.

When the crowd zigs, I zag.
Unless the crowd has tacos.

The only trends are ever followed were the styles of designers who bought my paintings. I wanted them to buy a lot of them.

I create digital works and love the bright colors: fuchsia, teal, aqua, hot orange, royal blue...I always go to them first. But here, and elsewhere, my designs that sell are more often understated colors, trios of colors (black, gray, red) even pastels... except for my restoration works (movie posters, ads... where I stay true to the original colors)... I have to say my more subtley colored designs are better sellers.

My thinking is, people don't want to be bombarded with bright colors in their home, not that much anyway. They don't want neon bright colors that leave a retinal afterburn. They want more calm images as decor. A bright pop of color in an otherwise 'calm' image seems to be ok though.

And black light posters and paints aren't popular right at the moment. But everything goes in cycles, so it may come back any minute :)

it is not a trend it been around for hundreds years, take a look at the Chinese and Japanese paintings most have no color or little colors.Some are into the minimal home deco (all white interior or just black and white) would choose art works like black and white photos or paintings.

Strange, and unusual mixed media art with some discreet color is what buyers want.

Hope it is not too imposing to include the link to my artwork. They are all Chinese brush painting with ink, mostly B&W. As Alfred said, it's been around for hundreds (or thousands) years. Just as example of paintings with less color.

https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/river-han.html?tab=artwork

Well I've got this piece here that incorporates selective color.
I can't imagine why nobody's bought it yet...

Here's my brand of subdued color;

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/rural-fence-david-king.html

No one has ever bought one though, but I'm not sure that means anything.

some of my more popular paintings are with little colors like this one just many shades of grey and the whites are the paper itself.

Aewsome shares, you people are rock stars.

This is my favorite one of my BW images. I have only a few. I have no idea if it will ever sell, but I really liked working on it.

I'm all about color amplification! That is my style!

My recent sales seem to be mostly the earth tone colors, green, blue, brown.
Last years sales seemed to have a bit more color, rainbow, yellow, reds, but still the earth tone paintings keep the lead in my sales.
So, I think you caught on to a new trend.

I'm still going to paint COLOR !

Not that I was looking, but I never noticed a trend coming or going. My tastes never went toward overpowering color. Less color or even no color has always lent itself to more artistic art generally. Depending on the subject and what you're trying to accomplish with the art... color can distract from the more simplistic values of some artwork. There's a place for everything for those with tastes that run in a particular direction. I've never been concerned with jumping on a trendy bandwagon. If that's what others want to do... it's up to them I suppose.

When I was in art college the first painting lesson was to paint in monochromatic by using only one color which we learn how to use shades and tones for painting.

Me too, Alfred....we only got Payne's Grey for about a few months!!

Marlene we used only black and white paints, a great way to learn about mixing color.

Yes,
Back in the day, we only had primary colors in tubes...didn’t have a choice but to learn!

That's how I too learned how to paint with colour. The triad plus b&w. No instruction, and most import NO Overlords dictating my next step!

Carlin, I'm still going to paint with color as well, but I add a drop of black to all my colors...I just love a little smoke damage or influence.

I just finished another low key drawing with subtle color. Sometimes it's nice to make art that doesn't hit you over the head to get your attention. Subtlety imparts calm and peacefulness.

I think you are hitting on what people want right now in their homes and businesses, David. Great job, why not share this work you just accomplished?

I haven't scanned it yet, don't even know if I will to be honest, just not feelin' the whole online art business thing right now. My charcoal/pastel drawings don't reproduce well anyway.

Well known Canadian artist David Milne (January 8, 1882 – December 26, 1953) has a very distinguish style, most of his paintings used only black , white and gray with few colors only as ascent, especially the ones he produced during the great depression. Reason, he was very poor and the color paints were more expensive!

Here's a snippet from good read from FreshHome....the culmination on research of clients and designers...Lisa, I think you would be very surprised:

Bold colors

“2018 will be about anything but neutral tones. Things are moving in a bold direction. Reds, strong blues and vibrant greens, in particular. People have tired of neutral, sometimes boring palettes.” — Rainey Richardson, Rainey Richardson Interiors

This is officially your incentive to push the boundaries of pattern and color. While neutral shades should still make up a portion of your design, in 2018 it looks like we’ll see them take much more of a background position. You can either go big with statement furniture or use these shades throughout your accessories. In particular, rugs, throw pillows and blankets are a great way to get in on the trend without feeling overly committed.

Here's the whole article for other trends for 2018: https://freshome.com/2018-interior-design-trends/

Wow, Marlene, I was and am indeed surprised! Thankfully I didn't shut down this thread before your post!

Again, thank you!

Just goes to show that it's easiest to just keep doing what is authentic to ourselves and our craft and left the design trend pendulum swing whatever which way it wants to go!

I'm not even capable of making art to someone else's taste. I just do what I do because it's just what I do.

My commissioned drawing pieces are almost exclusively b&w. Clients tend to like the timeless feel of black and white. Photography - b&w is outselling color slightly. Paintings - color definitely wins out. The color palates used in my paintings varies greatly. I am now trying out a restricted color painting method, where I identify a color palate and limit myself to using only those colors.

Okay Lisa, you got your wish. I scanned and uploaded the drawing I just finished the other day.



Yes, I know I don't have enough keywords or description and I really don't care right now.

David King, that is a gorgeous work!

Thanks Lisa

This piece was actually drawn using coloured pencil but as some of my other coloured pieces I just did a quick photo edit to make it b/w. The b/w always sell better than the colour.
I suppose it depends on the subject though.

Oh my Gawd, that is so fabulous, Andrew. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you Lisa and you're very welcome :)

I uploaded an image with less color lately perhaps you might find it (or the message) interesting / important

Love big beautiful color in 98% of my work. I've started a series where there is a lot of black in the background, but there is subtle but bold color as well. They're too new to know if they'll sell or not, we'll see.

I ask myself what is Color expressing? I it is expressing emotion. Do we sometimes want less emotion? I know I need my visual world to be less emotional when I am tired or stressed. Think of it as music......loud rock and roll serves a purpose but a steady diet of it?

I don't view subdued color as less emotion but rather a different emotion.

Lisa, seldom do I use a single family of colour in a composition but using conte' crayon I've found a single colour against a monochrome background effective. The emphasis on colour and the lack of emphasis on the background reminds me of John Singer Sargent's method of painting.

Drew, that is an amazing work, so awesome you are in your figures. Everyone should check out your drawings.

Hans, I found the message and liked it very much. Thank you for that.

L. Cecka, I find that color helps me express my emotion as well as a lack of color does, David.

I am wondering, however, if our customers are tired of strong color on their walls at work and at home.

Oops