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Need Help With My Linear Gradient Colors
Tien, in 2023 I created a linear gradient on color editor that I loved. Last week I decided to make a scarf using this gradient. I looked at the color wheel and the colors were a bit all over the color wheel but some things that could work. Several colors were close to the primary rule on the wheel and one could be in the compliment to split compliment range. Since I was uncertain I wove some samples and now……I need help as I am not sure this would be a pleasing scarf. Please help…… Picture 1 gradient 2.colors I chose, 1st sample used the mercerized cotton violet and the 2nd unmercerized violet. The cone standing behind in the back is a possible replacement but it is not included in the samples. The same with the golden yellow. I used the mercerized but could consider the unmercerized. If I need to buy different colors, no problem. I always love adding to my stash. Looking at this again…the very last picture is the actual gradient I liked……I chose the wrong color editor download when choosing my yarns. The dark blue is more appealing to me but now I am really confused. Thanks
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8 Replies
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What are you trying to achieve with this design Cass?
You noted that you were thinking about weaving it as a scarf. I tend to think of unmercrised cotton as more “casual” than merc cotton, because of the shine of mercerised.
I do think that the gradient would be a lovely scarf design, I am particularly drawn to the blue one, but that is because blue is one of my favourite colours!
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Thanks Kathy, I actually used mercerized and only a little unmercerized. I like the color editor draft just not as happy with how the colors look in the samples. I had wondered if I should scrap these colors or replace some of the colors with new ones?
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Hi Cass!
What don’t you like about the samples? If you give me some more details, I can suggest possible solutions…
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I loved the color editor part but the green in my samples may seem too strong and is the yellow going to accent the piece or detract? I tried using exact matches to the editor but somehow it doesn’t feel as interesting. My sample was not a replica of the gradient, would that make a big difference?
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Hi Cass,
Having just finished a blanket with some black gradient stripes in it and not being so pleased with the woven result, I would encourage you to like your woven sample rather than preferring what you see on the computer. My computer gradients looked good, but there were far too many of the gradient stripes when the warp was wound and on the loom. Then, I really wasn’t in a position to remove/replace them so I had to suck it up. It turned out ok, but could have been better. My post with the blanket and warp photos is at the end of What’s on your loom for February so you can see what I mean. Good luck.
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Courtney, that is excellent advice. I think I depend too much on the monitor……it isn’t the same when woven. You and Tien helped me recenter!
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Hi Cass,
A few things I see:
– Your yellow on the monitor is very orange-leaning; in fact it’s more yellow-orange than yellow. The yarn, though, is much more yellow-leaning, being gold rather than yellow-orange. That will make a big difference in how it blends and how inclined it is to take over.
Yellow is the single most dominant color, because the eye likes saturated colors and light colors, and yellow is both very saturated and the lightest of all the fully saturated colors on the color wheel. When you move it towards yellow-orange it becomes somewhat less assertive.
So yeah, I would say your gold, being both lighter and yellow, probably will take over if you do it exactly as planned. It would be interesting to see the sample with a darker and more orange-leaning yellow (as on your monitor); it will still tend to dominate but not nearly as much.
– Think about the scale of your Color Editor simulation. It looks like the scale of your Color Editor design is a little smaller than the yarns you are using. That will make a big difference in color mixing, because the larger the dots the less optical mixing. Rigid heddle projects tend to be made in thicker yarns so unless you have the size right you may find that your sample has much less blending than is shown on your screen. Make the squares about the same as the thickness of your yarn and then step back from the monitor to the viewing distance you expect to have (probably 5-6 feet for scarves) to see what it will look like “in person”.
I tend to agree with Courtney that the important part right now is probably to look at the sample *as it is* rather than get hung up on whether it looks exactly as you planned it to be. If you think the yellow is too assertive, replace it with something like orange that will be less assertive than the yellow. (“Dark yellow” is really olive, so I’m not sure you want to go that direction, though going darker and less saturated will also tone it down.) If you think the green is too assertive, try something that is a little darker or leans more towards blue.
In general the solutions to a color that is too assertive are:
* use less of it
* use it in thinner stripes (wider stripes concentrate color power)
* substitute a color that is either darker or less saturated (that reduces its attractiveness to the eye).
You’ll never get something that looks exactly like the simulation, so I find that it’s best to do the best simulation I can, look at the samples, and then design from what’s working in the sample rather than trying to wrangle it into looking exactly like the simulation. Almost never does my work look like I had originally conceived it!
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Thanks Tien, this helps bunches! Taking your suggestions I will be warping up soon!
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