Weekly Challenge #5... Understanding Color

Girlz, you're doing a primo job and I've so enjoyed watching you all grow and develop your skillz! You're making so much progress that it's kinda freakin me out!

Last week's participants: (will update if necessary)

Nitza

Moi

Christy

Kay

Shell

Brenda

Me

I wanted to leave January by giving you all a valuable tool/concept that I think most beginner scrappers are either not aware of or have a hard time with, which is COLOR THEORY.

Some of us have a natural talent for choosing our colors, PP, etc... others (like me) do not. And, even though the paper designers are making it easier and easier to coordinate, I still feel it's important to understand the concept behind a color wheel.

So, Challenge #5 will be to create a LO using a complimentary color scheme based on the main colors in your picture(s). Don't worry, I have the tools you need right here. First, I think that this article does a very nice job of explaining the concept of monochromatic, triadic, and complementary color schemes. Please visit:

http://www.scrapjazz.com/topics/Scrapbook_Basics/Color/339.php and read this short article.

Next, you can download a 30 day free trial version of Color Wheel Pro by visiting http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/. The free trial DL is right there on the first page, it only takes a second and it's pretty user friendly. Once you have it downloaded you will see a drop-down box on the top/left side of the screen. Select "complementary" and drag and click the circles on the wheel to find your color scheme. It's pretty sweet. While you have it I suggest you also play around with the other schemes... the trial version is limited, but great for this challenge. You could also purchase your own color wheel. I think they are around $5 at your LCS.

Remember, you are basing your color scheme on you photo(s)!! I think some of us are guilty of picking up cute/trendy papers and embellies with no regard as to how this will effect the actual subject/pictures in our LO. After all, the point is to enhance and compliment the picture, right?

Next month we will be kicking things up a notch, for sure! Get ready, and enjoy this last weekly challenge of January, designed to take us all to the next level!

EDIT: Some additional information provided by my friendly and helpful girlz... This color scheme generator is probably much better than the one above: http://www.colorsontheweb.com/colorwizard.asp (launch the color wizard). And, a much more detailed explaination of color theory provided by K from Wikipedia can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_wheel