I think 3 years of using the same color palette is actually holding artists back

Last month I was at the Seattle Digital Art Expo and saw this booth where every single piece used the same muted earth tones. Everyone around me was raving about how consistent the style was. But I counted 12 artworks and they all looked like they were made from the same clay. After 3 years of seeing this trend online, I feel like artists are scared to experiment with bold colors like neon pink or electric blue. Has anyone else felt like a limited palette makes your work blend together instead of stand out?

2 comments

2 Comments

finley_smith5d ago

Whoa wait, 12 pieces ALL in the same muted earth tones? That's like, they just dug up one patch of dirt and called it a whole show lol. I get wanting a consistent vibe but at some point it just looks like you're scared of the color wheel.

colegarcia5d ago

Man, @finley_smith you nailed it. Twelve pieces of basically the same brown and beige is less of a gallery show and more like a display at a hardware store for paint swatches. I mean, I get trying to keep things cohesive, but at some point you're just daring the curator to wear a bright orange shirt just to add some life to the room. Honestly, if they threw one single red accent in there, the whole thing would probably fall apart. Guess it's easier to play it safe than to actually commit to a color.