My friend’s comment about my color palette made me rethink everything

I was showing my friend Sarah a finished piece last week and she said something like 'the colors feel safe, you know?' and it just hit me weird. She meant it as a compliment I think but I couldn't stop thinking about it. It made me realize I've been sticking to the same blue-purple-grey palette for like two years straight. I went back and looked at my last 20 pieces and she was totally right. So I spent this week forcing myself to use bright oranges and pinks in a landscape piece just to see what happens. It's not my best work but it's definitely not boring. Has anyone else had a friend point out something obvious about your art that you totally missed?

3 comments

3 Comments

keith16419d ago

Does that mean you've been playing it too safe with your whole life too?

iris_thomas8519d ago

Nah but like, think about it though. I used to major in accounting just cause it seemed safe and practical, but I hated every second of it. Dropped out and started working at a coffee shop while figuring out what I actually wanted to do, and honestly that was the first time I felt alive. Same with relationships - I stayed with someone for years cause I was scared of being alone, and that was way more risky than just being single and figuring myself out. Playing it safe sometimes just means you're avoiding the stuff that actually matters.

xenam8419d ago

I mean, that's a fair question but like, it feels like it's missing the point a bit though. My last relationship I stayed in for almost four years after I knew it was dead just because I didn't want to have that awkward conversation and deal with being single again. So yeah, maybe I was playing it safe in some ways but it didn't feel safe, it felt like I was trapped in a cage of my own making. Idk, maybe the real risk is just admitting when you're wrong and being willing to start over instead of sticking with a bad bet. What do you think the difference is between playing it safe and just being smart about your choices?