Color week – Page 4 – Own Your Encore

Vera Neumann Inspiration

Americans are likely familiar with the name Martha Stewart … But they might not recognize the name Vera Neumann a woman who was arguably an equivalent as one of the most successful female design entrepreneurs of the last century Elle decor ELLE decor ‘Vera Paints a Scarf’ exhibit Here at Color Week 28 I like to […]

MSRitzman

July 21, 2021

Sketching

color choices, Color week, Vera, Vera Neumann, watercolor practice

Vera Neumann Geometrics

Vera was encouraged to be artistic. Her father would pay her fifty cents to fill a sketchbook! She went to Cooper-Union and the Traphagen School of Design and gravitated toward textile design. Design Sponge Color Week 27 and we are exploring the ‘geometrics’ of Vera scarves. Vera used bold color and what better way to […]

MSRitzman

July 14, 2021

Sketching

color choices, Color week, Geometric designs, Vera Neumann, watercolor practice

Vera Neumann Inspired

For the month of July my weekly color posting will be inspired by Vera Neumann. She was simply known as Vera, her iconic name was on all her boldly-colored scarves and cheery home furnishings. You could often tell it was a Vera before seeing the name. There are many online sources for her history & […]

MSRitzman

July 6, 2021

Sketching

Color week, Daily sketch, Inspiration, Vera, Vera Neumann, Vintage scarves, watercolor practice

Color Week 25

This week we are exploring the colors and technique of my recent class ‘Cherries in Dry Brush Watercolor’ by excellent artist and instructor Carrie Di Costanzo. My logic for enrolling in a watercolor class that is truly the anthesis of my personal sketching style was twofold- it’s a standard in botanical illustration and its a […]

MSRitzman

June 29, 2021

Sketching

Botanical year, Carrie Di Costanzo, Cherries, color choices, Color week, Dry brush watercolor, watercolor practice

Currant Colors

Last year I planted a black currant, ribes nigrum, this week black currant is our focus – Color Week 24. My primary objective for planting a black currant was to harvest the berries to make my own Cassis for cocktail making. I like to delve into the history and uses of each plant I grow […]

MSRitzman

June 23, 2021

Sketching

Black currant, Botanical year, color choices, Color week, Kir, Magenta, Permanent magenta, Watercolor history, watercolor practice

Hibiscus

Color Week 23 brings us to matching the color of hibiscus flower tea. This color came to mind as I was making some deliciously tart tea from dried hibiscus flowers purchased in bulk at the asian market. As a color match I have chosen Anthraquinoid Red. Warm violet-red, this slightly granular, super-staining vat pigment is […]

MSRitzman

June 16, 2021

Sketching

Anthraquinoid red, color choices, Color week, Hibiscus tea, Learning watercolor, watercolor