NOT a Color Challenge

I know...normally I do color challenges, but I decided that today I would shake my world and do something different. Today we are going to talk about white...I know, sort of cheating! But technically in the pigment world white is not a color, but the absence of color. There are, however, different colors of white!

So, when you are working on a project and really want to use white for your basic "color," how do you make it show up? I am going to share some ideas with you today, some you will already know and use, but for those who don't, you might pick up something you don't know. This is not an exhaustive list, for sure, but it will get you started.

In my first example, you will see that the card base is white, but texture is used to make parts of it stand out and produce something that will "show up." You can use that on its own or layer plain white on top of it. Mine is from the same sheet of card stock, so certainly the same color. I stamped and painted my image and added a white butterfly. The butterfly is a different white. So, in this example we see texture and value used to play with one another to create and interesting and simple card. Differing white patterned papers would works, too. I just didn't have any.

In the next photo, there are two ATC samples. I like watercolor paper. In this case the paper starts as a warm white. This brand tends to go that way, but some are whiter than others. In the sample with the dogwood, I wanted to have white blossoms and I wanted them to be easy. I placed color BEHIND the flower, added the pink frill and colored the center and left it alone. I did not paint the flower at all. In the poinsettia, I wanted to color a white flower. The technique used here was to take a color that would be around this flower and use it to shade only, leaving the rest white. When you think about what colors would be successful, you can come up with many. These days you see these flowers is about every color imaginable, but remember we want to keep it white. So what colors could we use and maintain that goal? Think sky, sun and plants. Blue can maintain white while adding form, but might not provide a realistic image. Yellow could work if the right yellow was chosen, but it will be difficult to get that warm color to stay in the shadows since it loves to be the "star" of the show! (It is in its nature, you know!) If we pick up a green that IS SEEN IN PLANTS...Not primary green or Christmas green...we can usually find success. Photosynthesis in action! The plant's nature will allow us to use this. After coloring the flower, I went back in with pastels and colored behind the flower to add to the contrast.

So, for your hump day challenge, create a card, ATC, tag or project using white. You can make a white on white statement or color an image. When you need a wedding card, this is a handy thing to know. Have fun and show up what you come up with. No limits are place on using papers or coloring. Do what you like, but show us how you can use white as the basic or focal image.

What an interesting view of white. Great challenge and definitely that, a challenge, Marilyn.

Marilyn, you always manage to give us an art lesson along with a challenge! Great explanations and thank you for hosting. Maybe, just maybe I'll get a computer this week and be able to post.

Marilyn, your work is always nice to look at...
Not a Color is a great challenge

I wish we had a "Like" button here! This challenge may sound complicated, but it isn't at all. It is just about using white to make it show up. A white flower without something added will just be a blob. The shading separates the petals.

I am glad you like the flowers. You all do fabulous cards. I paint flowers!

Okay, I used a white shimmer sheet and embossed once piece with snow, highlighted both pieces with a blue/turquoise and stamped with black on it leaving the white as it is. The idea was that it would really stand out, but the black ink on the shimmer sheet faded a bit. It just gives it a different look.

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That's adorable Golda!!!
I kind of get this challenge Marilyn. Oh and beautiful projects too. I did this card a week or so ago. It is a white on white card. The photo shows a slight shade of pink at the bottom but that was from my camera. Let me know if this what you are looking for...

I embossed pearl vellum and layered it onto a white base.

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These are exactly right! You have all done a great job on this. Golda, your penguin still pops with the contrast of black/white. Jane you did a fantastic job. Trudi, I love your shimmery card! These are all just great! Beautiful cards!

Golda, I love your little penguin!

Jane, really beautiful wedding card!

Trudi, wow - that pearl vellum is stunning.