‘Luke, come to the Dark Side.’ ~ (my memory of Darth Vader enticing Luke)
Those words echo in my head each time I face a painting that needs dark colors.
In the beginning, the painting is meant to be mostly light and medium tones
Dark colors provide contrast, interest, intrigue, and excitement to our work.
Adding the darks to our paintings can be SCARY!
It’s scary and it’s exciting and it makes a HUGE difference in our paintings.
If the dark color is “perfect” when we paint it, it’s probably too light. If it looks “too dark”, it might just be perfect!
Scare yourself just a little bit. Add dark colors & the difference is immediate. It’s hard to appreciate the edge of darkness when we’re scared.
Noticing that we’re scared is the first step to shifting into action. Fear lives right next door to Excitement.
Move from fear to excitement by breathing into your fear. Inhale and feel the feeling rise from your belly to your chest (your heart center).
Remember that if the painting isn’t finished, or if you’re not happy with it — if you don’t like it — it isn’t finished. You’ve got nothing to lose by adding darks.
If you don't like your painting, what's in front of you is just a piece of paper!
Still mostly light and medium tones, with definition added
Remind yourself that no one will die if you add darks to your painting. You'll likely energize your painting by adding dark colors.
Those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are “plunging into darkness” (on so many levels I’ve lost count — mostly I refer to winter).
Darkness is scary because we don’t know what it holds.
Winter is a time of rest and of letting the ground lie fallow.
It’s a time for us to ease up, maybe just a little bit, maybe take a nap, and certainly to reflect on all that we’ve done this past year.
It’s also a time to plan ahead and to set our intentions for next year.
What is it you most want to see, do, or BE next year? What would light up your life and energize you?
If you want to relax, feel great, enjoy life, see the world through fresh eyes, and spark your creativity, join me on Art of Aloha's 8-day cruise through the Hawaiian Islands August 4–11, 2018. Come Discover Paradise, Inside and Out. Click here to receive first dibs on the great Balcony Cabins!