Beyond the Colour Wheel, Lesson 4

Three areas of overlap, created by collaging in the shape of the intersection

Jane Davies organized Lesson 4 of her on-line class, Beyond the Colour Wheel, around the topic of transparency. She had us overlap shapes of different colours, and trace the overlapped area. We then mixed a colour that was mid-way between the two overlapping colours, painted a scrap of paper with this mixed colour, and cut out a shape to collage into place, creating an illusion of transparency.

This was challenging, though it is easier to create this effect when using colours that are dissimilar in hue and value, as seen above.

Two areas of collaged overlap.
Stencil was painted a second time where it overlapped with grey shape.

Another way to create the illusion of transparency is to paint the mixed colour directly over the overlap. I modified this approach by using a stencil, masking some of the stencil for the application of the second, mixed colour. Using a light with a dark is relatively easy, I found.

An example of two complementary colours (green and red)
that produce a neutral colour when overlapped.
Two collaged overlap areas and three instances of painted overlaps.

Two areas of collaged overlaps, and two using just paint.
All these colours are close in value and hue, making the effect more subtle.

As a final challenge, we were required to make a patterned shape and adjust the colour of the overlapping area with a paintbrush. An example of this effect is above.

When working with cloth, this effect of transparency can be created by using sheer fabrics like organza and netting. Artists like Kathleen Probst skillfully choose colours of opaque cloth to create the illusion of transparency.

Rising, Kathleen Probst, 2015