Cultivate a sense of colour…

By Chirag Sharma

Photography: Courtesy World Wide Web

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Not all of us have an instinctual sense of combining or contrasting hues. Yet, we can cultivate a sense of colour…

An aesthetic sense is an inborn blessing for many. Yet, there are a whole lot of us, who are known for our poor sense of colour - mismatches and gaudy combinations, not to mention our topsy-turvy sense of harmony and balance to say the least!! In any case, cultivating a sagacity for colour is a not a difficult task!

Here are some handy hints to assist you…

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Develop your power of observation – and while you observe, make sure that it registers in your mind’s eye. When you are out shopping – pay attention to the overall composition of the window display that makes you look at it and not just the clothes displayed. When you are in the market picking vegetables, let your eyes dwell on the purple striations of the brinjals as they lie close to the crème of the cauliflowers.  

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Double-check – When you spread a bed cover or use table linen, stand back and survey your handiwork. How do the colours in the fabric reflect against the dark green of your wall? Or do the colours in the placemats clash boldly with the polish of your dining table? Would it be better if you tried another set instead? Take time to think and double check your selection. You will be surprised at how much can be achieved through trial and error. You will gradually start picking the right colours.

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Go window shopping – Visit various home accessory stores and see how they group artefacts and furniture, how they drape their fabrics, dress their settings – you will pick up a lot of aesthetic sense by observing and assimilating from such displays.

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Guard Against – overdoing any combination – whether pattern, texture or colour. Give it a breather, stop mid-way, survey and ponder. Exact recreations of what you may have seen in a TV serial, a magazine or a movie may not always fit in well in your personal space. 

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Take care – while you describe an object or setting. If the colour you saw is deep red, say so - instead of just saying red; royal blue instead of blue; leaf green instead of green and so on… This will help you understand and perceive the exact shade of the primary or secondary colour that you or anybody else is referring to.

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Experiment – Your most routine chore – cooking can be your best bet whilst learning about colours. Plan your day’s menu with a bright spark at your table. See that you have the meal in a sprightly combination – say palak paneer in its all-green splendour, with tadka dal looking yellow and orangy, the rice with a bit of jeera and saffron and the salad with a dahi-based dressing!!

Need we say more?!