This is such a broad topic to study, that I think it would be a good idea for us to set individual goals.

I am still contemplating my personal goal and will post it when I am more sure.

I look forward to reading your goals 

Comments

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I want to compare color handling in each of the major weaving software programs.  I have Apple Computers although we do run PC partitions.  In looking at a list of software for choices beyond those in my head with trial versions on my computer (pixeLoom, Fiberworks, ProWeave), I found WeavePoint feature promotion for "analyzing textile patterns and colorways." I will stick to trial versions and MAC as much as possible while exploring the differences even if I have to screen shot drafts for comparisons.  

My DH has embroidery software that uses actual thread colors by manufacturer.  I have not seen that for weaving but think about inquiring of The Lunatic Fringe and looking into scanning in colors.

If I had more actual weaving time, I would dream of a small group creating color gamps with different parameters.

Francine

Artistry

My goals:

I will be looking at many color theory aspects as they relate to my tapestry. I may do a small 3 inch blend, on a different loom to see how it looks, but more likely will be trying color decisions on my loom. What works, what's wrong and try to figure that out. So color theory in a piece, that's on my loom.

in that regards, I can participate in that way, off and on ( we travel) until June . We go to Michigan where are cottage is and my tapestry loom is all steel and huge, so it's not coming. However, I can still study color through other planned projects I have committed to, and floor looms that I have their.

Cathie

merryamethyst

I am a very new weaver. The only "local" yarn I have access to is raw cotton from another city. They can dye it for me, but only in 4.5 kg lots.  I am slowly collecting a range of colors in 10/2 cotton. By next week I should have 20 colors, which I would like to use as a "rainbow" gamp. 

I love color, and hope to learn a lot from this group.

Queezle

I would love to explore the effect of value on color interactions.  But to do that in a woven work would take either dyeing or spending some serious $$$. 

One option I'm thinking about is doing some initial color studies using another medium (I like paint chips from the hardware store), and then based on this initial analysis, select one particular set of value comparisons to play with in fiber. 

Artistry

Hi Queezle, have you considered using carpet warp ( Maysville is what I would consider) for value study? It's 8/4 so the ply may be heavier than you would like, but it is cotton and averages about $6-7 dollars a cone, good range of colors. However, perhaps not a 5-7 color gradation that you desire in a one family hue. Maybe Tien would chime in here to what I'm about to say:) although I think for beginning it is ideal to start in one hue, different values,  Maybe different hues could be used as long as different values are used. 

The paint chips are a great idea !

my 2 cents worth, I think your goals are awesome:)

Cathie

Jeanine

As a very new weaver (just pulled two towels off of warp #5) I am still weaving according to spec. This group looks like a good place to explore options and avoid the panic of not being able to find "the" color called for in a draft. 

Hello. It's nice to meet you. Jeanine

Erica J

I'm still working on a full understanding of hue, saturation, value, and chroma. So I think doing a color study in the same hue would help me see these terms and how each works in warp versus weft. I often find that the combination I originally pick pulls the emphasis from where I want it to be!

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Erica, your desire to master terminology to better predict color interactions pops an idea into my head. My own incomplete knowledge base has developed over many years through multiple domains--that use different color "languages."  A quick trip to search engine about psychophysics of color makes me want to organize a list of web-based references.  Tien's post is a wonderful representation of the weaver's language of color.

Artistry

I agree! I think it would be helpful if we made a bibliography of our favorite color theory, work lesson plans, websites, blogs etc. to broaden our horizons.what do others think?

Erica J

I have started another thread where folks can collect recommended resources.

I now need to decide what hue I'm going to use for my own study and decide if I use my new to me AVL tabe loom for this, or if I wait until I have one of my 8 shaft looms cleared off.

Joanne Hall

Queezle's suggestion of studying value is very important. 

Contrast in value can add a lot to a piece, but in a balanced weave, when warp and weft are contrasting, uneven beat really shows up and you may not like the look of the contrast.  So, how you deal with contrast is very important.  I would start a study just of value, but use more than one hue in your samples.

Start with colors that you really like to weave with.  Weave some balanced weave samples and also weave some weft faced or warp faced samples as well.  This will show you where you want to put high contrasts in value.

Joanne

 

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I just posted a variety of resources for the study group.  I included the information about Lunatic Fringe Tubular Spectrum inclusion in PCW and WeaveIt palettes.  We have group members who are knowledgable about Fiberworks but I am not one of them.  WeaveIt is calling out to me for color study. 

10ashus

I am exploring how I need to consider different criteria in my color choices for weaving (fiber arts) than I did in my other arts which relied on paint for color.

Due to health issues, I have been unable to warp my loom lately. But I did some forward motion on our topic today. I studied chapter one of a video on color theory.

Erica J

Which video are you watching? I think I have Deb Menz's class on Interweave. It has been a while, but I should probably watch through that again. :)

I did get out my blues and lined them up with the purest hue in the middle, the tints to one side and the tone and shade to the other side.

Now to weave off my Chairman's Challenge warp trying out different lifts, so I can make room for my color study warp on that loom. :)

10ashus

It was a color theory video for quilters (craftsy.com). I am definitely not a quilter. It was a gift from a friend. Since weavers and quilters are both fiber artists, many points they explained applied to both. For instance, on my thread I picked for my Log Cabin project, I should have been emphasizing the value contrast. I was totally focused on hue, the color combinations for contrast.

Artistry

16/2 cotton baby blanket overshot

 

10ashus, one of the reasons I choose tapestry over painting is the way the medium handles light.( I used to be a painter, in another life) I've found with painting, most of the time, the surface is shiny and the light is reflected off the surface. With tapestry , the surface is generally ribbed, where the light sinks into the ridges and close packing, enriching the color.

i've hurt my hand with bad tendinitis. I'm receiving treatment for it but it will be awhile before it's all better. I still think I can weave on a floor loom , with my wrist brace, because the action of throwing ( or scooting , in my case) the shuttle is very different than passing a bobbin in tapestry. I'm going to take it slow though.

Here's a pic. Of the yarns I'll be using for the baby blanket. Overshot, 16/2, unmercerizered cotton in back,  not stripes, intermingled, not nessarily in that order, front; wheat will be tabby, fir color 8/2 cotton, pattern weft.

some of the values are the same. The orange and gold , I think will need to be used rhythmically because they are lighter in value but still good saturation,the pink is light but low in saturation, not sure how I'll handle that one, maybe to blend. the wheat tabby, every other shot, lightest value weakest saturation, will make the plain weave sections softer and tinted, the fir will make other parts darker and brighter. It will be a multi valued piece, hopefully not too much so. I really like the colors:)

what do you think?

Cathie

 

 

Erica J

Cathie,

I love those colours!!! I have been woring with 16/2 organic cotton this week too! I think it is probably essentially the same as 16/2 unmercerized cotton. If you're going to convergence we may have to bring our 16/2's for comparison.

I was so commited to my goal of color study, that I have been designing monochromatic inkle designs without even really realizing these were meeting my color study goals!

I'll have to come back and edit this post to include a photo of my Purple Pride bands, which will be cut up and sewn on key rings for the Cambridgeshire Guild sales table. I am keeping one as a bookmark for myself.

I also used a bit of what I studied in my certificate studies and wove the last bit as tubular to see what happens when you combined Daryl Lancaster's method of warping for Paired Pebbles (without actually doing any pick up) and tubular inkle weaving. I was really pleased with these results!

Erica J

Fixed! With a tip from Ann Dixon's Inkle book my warp is fixed and now giving me the expected result! This new colour choice is much better.

10ashus

Cathie's comments on how light reflects off the fabric gives me something new to think about.

Cathie your colors are like zinnias in a flower garden. Joyous. Your color analysis is interesting. It will be good to look back to this analysis at the end of the baby blanket project. May your hand heal quickly.

Erica, bookmarks and key chains is an excellent idea for the color study. Practical and useful samplers. I may switch to bookmarks after I finish the table runner. A double whammy. Project for the Color Study and project for community donation.

Erica J

10ashus,

I won't say that I was so smart to conciously use the bookmarks as a color study from the start, but I did realize they serve that function as well in the end! :)

I look forward to getting back to my blue and black Chairman's Chellenge warp, so I can put on a wider color study. Hopefully I'll get to that or at least get it warped before we head to convergence! If I don't get it woven off by Convergence the Voyageur may be voyaging back across the ocean and appear at Convergence. :)

Artistry

Zinnias , thanks:)

Erica, I won't be at Convergence this year, I would have loved to have met up with you! Another time, fingers crossed !

10ashus

Studied a new concept this week, how to sort and choose colors by weight.

Changed my colors for the Tibetan bag. First colors I had were golden brown, dusty red, and deep shaded green. A safe combination. After today's order I realized the new one has no complementary colors. There is no big value contrast. I thought the unusual colors and small bits of the red for accent might be enough to make the colorway interesting. A texture difference is part of the plan.

Tibetan bag colors

 

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I have had my color challenge materials for months. Only looming deadline will move my procrastinating soul to action. I don't have a product in mind. Perhaps that enables my procrastination? When I first bought the wool roving, I didn't have an available loom. The loom that is most available now is not the one I thought I would use. Structo can put me back on track and narrow down choices and scope of project.

Time for procrastination plan to create a sampler as a product. Hope to hear stories about beautiful sampler to product conversions.

Join me in June,

Francine

 

 

 

Queezle

Francine, I just might join you in the procrastination house!  I spent so much energy trying to find reasonably close colors, I no longer felt very compelled to see the project through.  But I do have a (silly) idea for it, and maybe, just maybe, can get it off the ground this month. 

How are your procrastination abatement efforts faring?

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A software engineer taught me this mantra, "Crawl, walk, run." I have been impossibly frugal about salvaging a 7 thread warp on my band loom. It turned out longer than planned and stalled on the loom for many moons. One thread recently broke. I decided it was a sign to try a new experiment when I realized my small piece of rigid heddle has 7 slots.

I cut off the skinny band and rewound the remaining warp with wide sett on the warp beam and the reed now serves as a beater for a weft faced band that I started weaving with commercial tarn (tee shirt yarn).  I will be able to try my pencil roving for color challenge on it. The warp colors are gold green and purple (5/2 perle cotton) and could be allowed to show amid my shades of pink challenge colors to good effect.  The warp sett also invites 3D exploration by hanging bobbins--something I have wanted to try since I first considered buying the band loom. 

Not yet a plan but moving forward after long stall --crawling will help me plan the walk and gain momentum for run!

Francine

 

Queezle

Sounds like you are making progress.  I've got a concept, but just put a new project on the Mighty Wolf, so who knows.  Maybe this will be the first project of my soon-to-arrive new (old) loom!  Ridiculously excited about it, too.

Q.

[email protected]

The imminent arrival of a new to a weaver loom with a history is exciting.  The excitement felt on a long drive to meet the loom could be used as a test of whether someone has become a weaver rather than a crafter who happens to weave.

The use of this thread for procrastination house activity is not intuitive but the posting within the color challenge gained no traction.  Perhaps we can have a color challenge count down thread?  

I am particularly interested in hearing about experiments related to the color challenge that can be performed on warps created for very different projects.  Free weaving the end of a warp is a great opportunity for creativity and discovering the unexpected.

 

Artistry

Hmmmmm...did someone say color challenge? Where can I read about this? Or would someone please fill me in on what looks like a very fun activity. 

Thanks!

Cathie

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