Friday, May 18, 2012

Choosing the right color ~ one designer's perspective

As a graphic designer, I'm always looking for new and different color schemes and themes.
My greatest color inspiration comes from nature. I only have to look outside my window to find colors that blend and harmonize
and work perfectly together. Remember this photo from last winter?
The muted hues of Lucy's fur against the snowy landscape made me want to drop everything and repaint every room in my house. 
Thankfully the snow melted and I came to my senses.



The picture below graces the month of May in my 2012 calendar:
The vibrancy of the fuscia 4 o'clocks and the yellow snakeweed 
reminds me of all the glory that comes to the desert with a few drops of rain.



As for these colors:

No, I won't be painting my walls with "Bovine Blue" any time soon.

37 comments:

  1. Good gosh, you REALLY took a hit!!!!

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  2. Glad you didn't get bovine broken hip green from your run in with the cow. ;-)

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  3. I could totally paint with the first color palatte. Beautiful!

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  4. Mary Anne Rudolph5/18/12, 5:05 AM

    EAT MORE STEAK!! I actually did the black eye routine by stepping on a rake in the shed, bam, the handle got me right in the eye. The cake, however, is taken by my husband. While trying to load a bull into the truck to take to market (our only attempt to raise the beasts, what were we thinking), with no loading shoot by the way, the bull did finally jump into the truck. His parting shot was with a hind leg applied firmly to the eyebrow of said husband. I watched husband fly backwards into the barn, not yet knowing the damage. My father in law and I got the end piece up to contain the bull, then the husband slowly came out with blood all over his face. At the emergency room, ten or so stitches later, all was well. Glasses were not broken, nor were bones. He didn't even get a black eye. So, I repeat, EAT MORE STEAK
    Mary Anne Rudolph, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee

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  5. Wow! You DID get clobbered! But it's such a good story. Proof once again that no good deed goes unpunished.

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  6. Girl, you need some ARNICA! That and you need to stop being a good Samaritan.

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  7. Du liebe Güte!
    Good it´s just a colored eye and not broken bones. This cow was not kind.. maybe she has a baby or is going to have one soon.

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  8. Oh, wow! That's a real shiner you have there!!!!!

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  9. Once again, an unsuspecting reader is left on the floor and in stitches after scrolling down to the punchline... But, please, no more rodeo on foot & in the middle of a highway! To think that that cow could have knocked your sense of humor out of you - unthinkable!

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  10. Wow, like the colors in your landscape, the colors in your eye will change daily, more "road kill yellow, less "bovine blue", before it gets back to normal. Love the color names. Thanks for sharing, hope your eye is back to normal in no time. Have a great weekend!

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  11. It's just the explanation:" A cow did it". I guess a pair of Jackie Onassis sunglasses are in order before you go to Walmart shopping.
    Best always, Sandra

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  12. OMG. Did that cow land her foot on your eye. That looks pretty bad. I hope it doesn't feel as bad as it looks. Next time, let the damn cow get hit....call the owner & BBQ it.

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  13. You are such a good sport to appease your readers! And what a very clever post.... love it! thanks for the smiles at your expense

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  14. My dear, you are a mighty independant, capable, strong woman but in a head to head with a runaway cow.....uhhhhh, cow 1, Carson, a good samaritan second.
    Your color names are so funny. The colorful flowered one is go vivid or go home and the first is wonderfully subtle and soothing.

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  15. Ouch! That is quite the shinner. I am sure that had to hurt. Love your colors and their names!

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  16. A hit and run from a cow! New Mexico is such a wild, lawless state!

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  17. WOW girl, you got it! Love the color combo though.

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  18. Oh, thanks for being the sort of person who can make people laugh at their own foibles. I was so tickled by your post.... by your color swatches.... and their names!
    I do hope you are not hurting.

    Stupid cow...shoulda run the other way!

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  19. I'm enjoying the pictures and words scrolling down and WHAM there is the eye shot. I have to say I LOL! Not because of the purdy eye or your pain, but that you posted it (and the colors to match). Thank you for the chuckle and I know you will heal and am thankful you didn't get hurt worse. Mad Cow Mauve is nice. hehehe

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  20. Lucky I'd swallowed the coffee before I saw that last shot! Again you turn poop into meadow muffins with your wry sense of humor.

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  21. No good deed goes unpunished eh!! o-u-c-h!!! sumtin tells me HGTV will not be knocking on yer door asking to use those color names for their summer line up......eh ;p

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  22. Love the beautiful colors...especially that first one...so peaceful!
    Your eye..not so peaceful. I think you're lucky it wasn't worse. Cows are big, really big.

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  23. better to be ran over by a mad cow than to eat one...

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  24. Very impressive shiner you have there! Yikes. I like the way you slid that in there, too. Caught me completely off guard. I thought we were going to be talking about curtains or something. Nicely done. Now go put some arnica cream on that, for goodness sake!

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  25. In all respects....good one! Glad to see your sense of humor and orbital bones are intact. I do believe Bovine Blue is my favorite. Trust me.. this is the "pretty" phase of the black eye. I know your family back home is *****proud*****(giggles)

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  26. Carol in N. Colorado5/18/12, 8:47 AM

    I love you bovine colors but not on the eye. Glad the eye is healing and you weren't hurt. Leave the cows alone and to the professionals.

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  27. This is called redefining beauty.

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  28. Ouch. That's all I got. :)

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  29. ROTFLMAO! I am sorry...not laughing at you, but love your post. Especially all the Bovine colors! I am just glad you were not injured more and that you remain to keep creating these wonderful posts....

    Heal well....Hugssss

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  30. IHA!!!! You're brave, Rancher Woman! Braver still to show us your black eye. I'm going with 'mad cow mauve'!

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  31. Wow, your eye looks painful !!! I would never have thought about those color palats in the outdoors....great ideas !! Jeanne in SC

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  32. OUCH! I would go with Lucy' color scheme if you ever decide to repaint....I have four o'clock envy, I can't get mine to grow...

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  33. Well, you just won't need to apply eyeshadow to that eye for a few days. Love your ability to laugh at something that must really be so painful.

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  34. Little confused but I will go with Mad Cow Mauve.

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  35. That's great that you have such a great sense of humour about it! You're bang on with the colours too! :)

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  36. I gotta say, I love the Lucy palette!

    As for the bruise collection, I like the colors, but when worn around the eye, not so much! I hope it hasn't been as painful as it looks (I'm wincing for you).

    Hope you're on the mend.

    Best wishes.

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  37. Yowza!! You really outdid yourself...those are even brighter colors than your recent arm laceration/bruising was!
    And the color names - hilarious!!

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