CC: A Bit of Red

Red is humankind's first color, in terms of the written & spoken word. If we trace our thousands of languages back into antiquity, red was always the first color, after black and white, to have a specific word for it. Red is the color of blood—primal & elemental. Not surprisingly, in many languages the name for the color red was derived from the word for blood, in cultures as diverse as Semitic Hebrew & islands off New Guinea.

Throughout European history, red has been the color for those of high rank, to the point where in medieval times, there were laws prohibiting anyone below the level of the king & his court from wearing red. Not that the lower ranks could afford clothes of red, since the best red dye was obtained from expensive cochineal, an insect grown on cactus pads in what is now southern Mexico. In post-colonial times, for 200 years, the country of Spain had a monopoly on cochineal, second only to gold in value as an export from the New World.

In Hindu cultures, red is also the color of power, especially sexual power, which is why, to this day, a Hindu bride wears a bright red sari and decorates herself with a red bindi (the spot on the forehead) and temporary tattoos on her hands & arms made from red henna.

Even in Western cultures in the 21st century, when red clothing is everywhere, studies have shown that women find men wearing red or photographed against a red background to be more sexy. Could that be a holdover from when red meant high rank...or something in our genes?

The intention of this series of swaps is to explore the power of color used sparingly, with the greatest part of the collage being colors I am calling "neutrals." By "neutrals" I mean not just white, the infinite greys and black, but also all the various shades of brown, which include cream and pale tan. This time you will create a collage with mostly neutrals and just a bit of red. Future swaps will be devoted to "A Bit of Pink," "A Bit of Orange," and so on through the rainbow.

The "A Bit of..." series will always have the signups due by the 25th of the month, and swaps due in the mail by the following 15th of the month (with minor adjustments, as needed, for holidays).

So! Your challenge, this month, is to make one collage postcard of any size or shape with mostly neutrals and just a bit of red as the allowed colors. You may use any shade of red—tomato, poppy, vermilion, burgundy & so on. This swap is "sender's choice," which is another way of saying, "don't look at your partner's profile." In fact, this whole series is about developing your own imagination as a collage artist, not about pleasing your partner. Think of it as a chance to expand your repertoire! You may, of course, add other media of all ilk to the PC, but collage should be the main medium. Mail it naked unless there are flimsy bits. Mail it by the 15th of November.

Mini-FAQ:

• How much, exactly, is "a bit of red"? I've debated about naming a specific percentage—less than 5%, less than 10%, whatever. Instead, I've decided you should let yourself be guided by the examples I've provided below. Past that, it's up to you to decide what's "a bit."
• Does the neutral portion have to include a shade of brown? Not at all. You may restrict yourself to black, white & grey in the neutrals, or even purely black & white with no shades of grey. You get to pick which neutrals you use. But if you can stay away from the very orange- or yellow-toned browns, and very blue- or green-toned greys, please do so. In other words, in your neutrals, lean toward undersaturated.
• May I include a teensy bit of other color(s) than red? Yes you may, so long as the amount of the other color(s) is quite a bit less than the amount of red.

Some examples of mostly neutrals with a little bit of red:

• "Fusion Series #2421" by Cecil Touchon —> larger view of the one featured above
• "The New You" by David Wallace
• "Sing Launa" by Victor Kaifas —> the tan in the background came out rather more pinky-orange than in the original, due to my cheap scanner
• "Annual Report" (detail) & "Leveraged" (detail) by Tsilli Pines

I hope the examples will inspire you to try new and different things. Have fun! =smile=

FYI: I will be out of town & off the Net from the 13th through the 25th. Feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments section. I hope someone else, such as Angie, will be able to answer them. If not, I will answer them right after partners are assigned. Any other comments, such as more examples of collages with mostly neutrals and just a bit of red, are welcome as well. If you yourself have already made such a collage, don't be shy: post a link!