| . . . . . . . . | Aunt Molly's Color Theory for Beadworkers I occasionally conduct a color theory seminar for bead artists called Reinventing the Color Wheel™, and my audiences often ask for a simple, easy to grasp glossary of color terms to keep beside them as they work. Here is my humble offering. ;-) Color theory -- the crazy notion that two or more bead colors might actually work together Primary -- when your kids aren't old enough to leave you alone when you bead Secondary -- when your kids are old enough to bead with you (often worse than primary) Tertiary -- from "terra" meaning "earth." When your beadwork looks like you dug it out of the ground Complementary -- when people say nice things about your beadwork and really mean it Split complement -- when people say nice things about your beadwork but don't really mean it Double split complement -- when people say nice things about your beadwork, then copy your designs Achromatic -- what New Yorkers yell at people who use color really well. "Ay! Chromatic!" (insert mildly offensive hand gesture) Analogous -- when you're very, very picky about the colors you choose Monochromatic -- using the same colors over and over, probably because you got a good deal on a bulk order Color harmony -- when you hear faint humming noises coming from your work (usually happens at night, see my essay, "Knowing When to Take a Break") Shade -- using a permanent marker to color the white thread showing in between the beads Tint -- when you have to close your eyes real tight to see the darn hole in the needle. Oh wait, that's "squint." Tint is what happens to pink and purple beads left in the sun. Intermediate -- adding a color in between two other colors because you can't stand to have more than three beads in a row of the same color Hue -- If you're a beader, it's a color you don't think you have. If you're a vendor, it's a number. Simultaneous contrast -- when you're stuck on several bead projects at the same time Warm colors -- colors that tend to attract bees and moths (true story!) Cool colors -- colors that disappear completely into the background of an otherwise stunning design Neutral -- when you can't decide so you just pick black Desaturated -- what happens to your bank account after you go bead shopping Saturated -- what happens to your studio after you go bead shopping ___________ ©2001 Mary J. Tafoya, Aunt Molly's Bead Street |