Think Pink



Image credit: unknown source



I couldn't help myself. I love this image. Not long ago, I would have passed this right up--I mean, pink?! Ugh. Sparkly? Eh. I love hearts, bokeh, flowers, those colors. Coincidentally, so does my 5 year-old son (well he's not hip to bokeh effects, but he did notice those hearts)! Perhaps my draw to this wonderful image is because I knew my little one would love it too. My sources of inspiration and style continue to change and surprise even me. I only hope it shows in my creations as an evolving, growing process.

I initially interpret pink as a soft color, warm and fuzzy, romantic, content, cheerful, youthful. As for deep, dark, rich pinks--those power pinks like fuchsia or hot pink--I find myself with a completely different set of so-so descriptions. The desire to kick it up a notch is what inspired this exercise.

TRY THIS! When you first looked at the pink flower image above, you probably had an initial reaction to it. Did you like it, love it, hate it? Maybe you were unimpressed (I mean my gosh, how many heart-shaped bokeh/hearts in nature things can we see?). Maybe it was magical to you. Or too fairy tale. Perhaps it evoked a memory.

Now, what would be the OPPOSITE of your initial response? Imagine the image, the feeling, the words, the taste, the sound--mentally explore the opposite with each of your senses.

Use the image as a prompt to explore this territory that is opposite to your initial response, and devise a way to get that into a quick creative expression. Either jot it down as an idea to pursue later, or attack it right now. An example would be to create or write something that say, uses "pink" as the unexpected component in your piece. If you see pink as "soft" bring it back in as something edgy and unexpected, contrary.

What happens?

Pinkies

Soft, silky peach fuzz

New life, a tiny pink tail

Hangs by a forked tongue