art style | Outside The Lines

Fall is rich in color. Changing leaves and autumn décor surrounds us with vibrant scenery. Many people like these colors so much, they choose to infuse their wardrobes with fall colors, too.

Most of the time, traditional fall colors include burnt oranges, rusty browns and deep reds. But for 2014, designers have opted for a diverse, playful palette.

Here are the five colors that will have you looking stylish and turning heads this season:

Gray

A strong neutral, gray can be worn from head to toe for a classy, sophisticated look. It’s strongest however when complemented by a drop of color. Think of an orange belt, for instance, or a plum blouse beneath a gray coat. Such combinations allow for a subdue look that still stands out.

The trick is finding the right shade of gray. You will want to find something that matches your complexion. For instance, a blond with light skin tone may want to go with something soft and pale, while brunettes may choose deep tones, like charcoal.

Orchid

Radiant orchid is 2014’s Pantone Color of the Year, making it a top color choice for every season.

Orchid is a fun color to play with, allowing for many creative options. Have fun trying them out. One combination sure to pop is orchid and cognac. The look is elegant and classy, striking and unexpected.

Orange

More often than not, orange seems to be the color that defines fall. However, just because it is widely accepted doesn’t mean that it is easy to pull off. As with gray, the secret to orange is skin tone. Match the right shade of orange with your unique coloring.

Also, remember that a little orange goes a long way. An orange belt. An orange handbag. The effect this accent color has can be striking.

Green

The color green is all around us. Look at nature for a second. There are millions of different colored flowers, all with green leaves and stems. Bright forest green is particularly in fashion this year.

When choosing outfits that include forest green, use contrasting colors to complement it. Think navy. Think plum. You definitely don’t want your colors to clash, and green is extra tricky in this regard. If you go soft with green, go deep with your complementary color, and vice versa. An outfit sure to win is green combined with gray flannel or tweed.

Yellow

Don’t shy away from yellow this year. It is the colorful touch you need to brighten up this season. But subtlety is important; don’t go overboard. Know that yellow is especially effective as an accessory.

Yellow has an interesting effect on people’s minds. It’s strongly associated with laughter, happiness, and the sun. These associations can affect our moods and perceptions. Therefore, wearing yellow may give you the ability to brighten people’s days in more ways than one.

These five colors are not your only options for fall, of course. When you wear colors that compliment your skin tone and natural coloring, anything can go. Get experimental and have a little fun. Use the above tips to get started, but add your own flair. Fall 2014 is going to be a great season for the daring stylist.

Read more Segmation blog posts about fall colors:

Leaf Art in your Backyard

Ideas for Creating Halloween Art

Reviving Art as the Heart of Education

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Shortly after America declared its independence from Great Britain, an artist was born in Philadelphia. Thomas Doughty (1793 – 1856) would come to change the face of art in America and throughout the world by mastering and popularizing landscape painting.

Ruins in a Landscape

Doughty’s career flourished during his time in Philadelphia. What started with an apprenticeship as a leather currier turned into a career as a painter, seemingly overnight. There are only a few records of how Doughty developed his skill, but it is clear that he showed natural artistic talent at a young age. In fact, by 1816, he had an exhibit with his landscape artwork at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. In 1820 he declared “painter” as his full-time career.

What Thomas Doughty did not know was that his art would change American art forever. At this time, Americans were beginning to show more interest in landscape painting than portrait art. Doughty was known as a highly skilled landscapist. His art often reflected his perception of gentle rivers and quite mountains.

View of the Fairmount Waterworks

Some of his work was copied from European landscapes he saw in collections by Robert Gilmor, Jr. Copying the landscape work of other artists was how Doughty taught himself to paint different types of landscapes, which he would set behind familiar scenes found in blossoming American towns. Often times, the artist would travel to take sketch notes that would allow him to breathe realism into his whimsical work.

Thomas Doughty was often able to sell his artwork and make a living as an artist for much of his life. In 1830 he went onto edit a magazine titled, “The Cabinet of Natural History and American Rural Sports.” Doughty would create hand-colored lithographs of animals for this monthly review. But after only two years of production, Doughty stopped publishing the magazine and moved to Boston.

The time Thomas Doughty spent in Boston was lucrative. He sold many paintings, exhibited often, and taught landscape painting to young artists. Also, Doughty was able to expand his style, which took on more of a romantic flare. In the swell of his success, the landscapist received a rave review from the first American art historian. William Dunlap referred to Doughty as, “The first rank as a landscape painter.”

Still, what many saw as his greatest accomplishment was yet to come. Doughty would go onto become one of the three leading figures of the Hudson River school. In addition to Asher Durand, Thomas Cole, and other American landscape painters who worked between 1825 and 1870, Doughty made up a school of art that prized 19th century themes such as discovery, exploration, and settlement. Most of the artists drew inspiration from natural scenes found in the Hudson River valley and other parts of New England. The Hudson River school was the first native paint school in the United States. This gave it a high sense of nationalism, which shown in the artists’ beautiful portrayals of America.

While part of this association, Doughty’s art style continued to evolve. Then, in 1845 and 1847 he visited England, Ireland and France. Even though he might have only passively studied art there, his style became more serene and thoughtful after this tour. These traits would continue to mark his style throughout his later years.

Thomas Doughty would return to the United States and settle in New York. As he grew older, he painted less. By the time he passed away in 1856, it is said that he and his family were living in poverty.

Regardless of the penniless inheritance he left his family, the life and work of Thomas Doughty is rich, and continues to be pass down from generation to generation. The artist changed American art work forever because of his talent as a first rank landscape painter.

However, this post is meant to recognize his artist style and some major pieces. For those who want to read more of Thomas Doughty’s story, visit this link: http://www.segmation.com/products_pc_patternset_contents.asp?set=DOU. Also, Segmation is proud to offer 26 digital Thomas Doughtypatterns. By downloading these paint by numbers masterpieces, you can emulate one of the most fascinating artists who ever lived.

Enjoy the 26 Thomas Doughty Landscape patterns. Segmation has for you and continue to learn and celebrate the life of a great artist.