Healing through COLOR🌈

There's good medicine in the rainbow... and on your paint palette too. Since we could all use some extra care right now... I suggest dipping into the healing powers of color to improve your mood and elevate your surroundings. Here’s a list of some of my favorite colors and the positive effects they can have on you. YELLOW: Colors in the yellow family always make me feel happy. In fact…studies show that the color yellow can spark joy and inspiration. Some of my favorite yellows are: Cadmium Yellow - Naples Yellow - Indian Yellow EARTH TONES: Colors found in this pallet can be very grounding and help you get centered. Favorite earth tones on my pallet: Raw Umber - Burnt Sienna - Yellow Ochre ORANGE: I’ve always felt an attraction to orange-based colors… maybe that's because orange can trigger creativity and boost your energy levels. My favorite oranges: Cadmium Orange - Orange Ochre - Permanent Orange GREEN: This is my go-to superstar pigment family. I adore green and frequently use it in my art. Greens are always healing and nurturing … and the human eye I can detect more shades of green than any other color. I love all shades of green but some favorites on my palette are: Viridian - Chromium Oxide - Chartreuse - Pale Jade - Cadmium Green

BLUE: Shades in the Blue family are some of the most calming colors in the rainbow and can induce a sense of tranquility and peace. Sometimes... all you need to do is look up on a clear day to get a good dose of blue. Some of my favorite blues are: Ultramarine -  Kings Blue - Prussian Blue - Cobalt Blue

PURPLE: Colors that fall into the purple family are wonderful for healing and sparking creativity. Purple is one of my secret art weapons… when I'm painting I like to add a little hit of purple here and there to add intrigue and depth to my artwork. Some of my favorite purples are:

Dioxazine Purple - Cobalt Violet - Ultramarine Violet - Manganese Violet

RED: This is among the warmest of colors and is quite potent in its ability to evoke emotion. This is a high energy color and can make you feel excited and passionate. But be careful when using reds if you're trying to evoke a positive or peaceful emotion... as red can also suggest danger and trigger anxiety. I love red for how powerful if can make a painting feel. A few favorite reds:

Quinacridone Red - Cadmium Red Deep - Napthol Red

WHITE: This is the biggest color for mood enhancement. White attracts all the colors of the rainbow and can create a sense of clarity… focus…and serenity. You might be surprised to learn that there are countless shades of white to choose from but my all-time favorite is Titanium White.

I hope you get to mixing up your own color remedies and have fun exploring with different pigments. Until next time… take special care of yourself my friend. With love and kindness always ~ Alicia 💛

Alicia Tormey is an internationally recognized artist and teacher who helps creatives improve their work, develop art careers and grow creative businesses. Together we thrive!

Connect with me on Instagram: @alicia.tormey