UK artist Esté MacLeod says that she has “a passion for blending colors” — everything from the traditional red, blue, and yellow to the more modern (and more modernly named) magenta, lemon yellow, and cyan. Color is one of the most basic qualities inherent to visual art that defines its form. Most artists tend to hold strong feelings about color. But what separates a master from a dabbler?

First, says PureHoney’s artist of the month, ”Stick to a limited color palette to maintain focus. Additional colors can be introduced later once the base artwork has been established. I prefer working on canvases with existing marks and colors. This is something I discovered when my son was a toddler, and I allowed him to paint on my canvases to keep him occupied. Recognizing the energy in these marks, I started using them as an underpainting. I love how unexpected elements like brush marks in clashing colors or unique textures can steer a painting in unexpected directions.”

Second, she says, “Create a habit of drawing in a sketchbook. Drawing is essential for establishing the basics of a creative style. Engage in observational studies, simple doodles, and quick sketches to discover your unique voice. Consistent practice is key: explore different media to find what suits you best. Working in collections of six or more artworks in a subject, style, or color is a great way to really get into the creative process and produce a cohesive body of work. This is preferable to doing lots of work in different styles that might disrupt your flow.”

Grigio

MacLeod is an accomplished textile designer, most recently launching In the Pink, a quilt fabric collection for Freespirit Fabrics. Integrating textile design with painting has yielded a unique viewpoint for the artist. “By abstracting forms, they become designs,” she says. “This is fundamentally how textiles are designed and how you develop a clear voice artistically. During my studies in textile design in the late 1980s and early 90s, everything was created by hand using gouache, nothing digital. Silk screens were used for printing fabric, with each color requiring a separate screen. You learned to be clever with color layering, incorporating translucent layers to develop more colors as they are printed one on top of another. Even now, I apply this mindset in my art, utilizing translucence to add depth.”

However, the achievement she is most proud of was an unexpected coup – becoming an instructor for thousands of students worldwide. “Teaching art happened unexpectedly. When fellow students in an online art business course I was taking asked me to teach an online painting course, I thought that if enough people were interested, I’d put a course together. This number increased, and since 2015, I’ve taught thousands of students worldwide, all with different levels of artistic experience. It’s a joy to see how they develop their voices over time. I simplify processes in my teaching, and in 2016, I developed a program called Create Leap, where handwriting letters and numbers are used to start drawings. By using something familiar as an anchor point, the process becomes easier, and it helps creative energy to flow. I use this process in all of my courses, regardless of media or subject.”

Lindia’s Kitchen

The third step in mastering color, according to MacLeod, would be to “keep an open mind and continue to learn and push your own boundaries. Share your work on social media and personal websites. We are all influenced by other artists, by our contemporaries and artists from the past but it’s important to keep your artistic integrity. Never post your copies of another living artist’s work online! If you want to learn techniques by emulating them, that’s fine as a learning tool, but it’s never a good idea to base your own work on another’s. Creating direct copies for your own work is not only unethical but is also considered illegal. Remember: authenticity vs originality. It is almost impossible to create something truly unique as far as the subject of art is concerned. However, by focusing on authenticity instead and making art that reflects your style and choice of colors, your voice will stand out. Keep on creating, and remember, all artists were first amateurs.”

Find PureHoney’s December 2023 artist of the month @estemacleod on Instagram and at estemacleod.com. ~ Kelli Bodle