CREATIVE COLOR WHEEL REFLECTION
What was your initial idea or inspiration for your creative color wheel design? Explain.
My initial inspiration for the creative color wheel design came from the image of a koi
pond, where different koi are scattered throughout the medium. However, I decided to shift the
focus to a more structured color wheel, as it would allow the color transitions to stand out more
clearly. I also considered incorporating water ripples that would circle around the koi to enhance
the pond effect and add movement to the design. In the end, I removed those details, along with
other elements beneath, to keep the design clean and avoid making it too cluttered.
What challenges did you face while mixing colors, and how did you overcome them?
There were three challenges I specifically faced while mixing the colors. The first was
finding the perfect balance between the two colors to ensure a smooth transition. The second
challenge was determining the right amount of water to use since I was working with watercolor,
which required careful control for the desired intensity. Lastly, mixing colors directly on the
canvas and calculating enough space for the mix proved difficult. To overcome these
challenges, I experimented with different water-to-pigment ratios on my palette, practiced color
blending techniques on test paper, and carefully mapped out the space on the canvas before
mixing to ensure the design flowed naturally.
Which part of your color wheel are you most proud of, and why?
The part of my color wheel I am most proud of is hard to choose between the koi wheel
and the ripples in the pond, as they both complement each other so well, but I think the koi is
what I'm most proud of. The colors mixing in the koi wheel, along with the lineart and implied
textures I added, felt incredibly gratifying. It was especially rewarding because the lineart was
unplanned, and I had to trust the process, ultimately making the work feel complete.
What did you learn about the relationship between colors by doing this activity?
Through this activity, I learned that colors are very flexible and can easily be
manipulated, not only through the colors themselves but also by adjusting the water ratio. The
way the water interacts with the pigment allows for a range of intensities and textures, giving me
more control over how the colors blended and transitioned. I also learned that the arrangement
of colors in the color wheel is intentional, with colors like red mixing with yellow to create
orange, orange mixing with red resulting in the red-orange, and so on. This demonstrates how
colors naturally blend and transition into each other, creating a harmonious flow of hues and
helping me understand how these relationships contribute to the visual impact and balance of
the art.
How did your design go beyond a basic color wheel, what made it unique or expressive?
My work, although similar in shape to a basic color wheel, is unique and expressive due
to the choice of koi as my subject, with the background following the color scheme of the koi to
create a cohesive visual experience. What makes my design stand out the most, however, is
the lineart. I can’t emphasize enough how the dark, linked lines and implied textures accentuate
the koi fish, giving them more depth and detail. Additionally, I incorporated water ripples that
circle around the koi, drawing attention to them while also adding dynamic movement to the
piece. This added element not only enhanced the flow of the design but also brought a sense of
life and fluidity, making the color wheel feel more interactive.
