CC: A Bit of Yellow

I'm afraid I'm still recovering from the flu: that's why this swap is late getting up. So I don't have much to say about yellow. I will let Donovan do the talking for me (or singing , if you would prefer that =smile=). I hope this isn't too lame...

I'm just mad about saffron
A-saffron's mad about me
I'm-a just mad about saffron
She's just mad about me

They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

I'm just mad about fourteen
Fourteen's mad about me
I'm-a just mad about a-fourteen
A-she's just mad about me

They call me mellow yellow
They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

Born-a high forever to fly
A-wind-a velocity nil
Born-a high forever to fly
If you want, your cup I will fill

They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

So mellow yellow

Electrical banana
Is gonna be a sudden craze
Electrical banana
Is bound to be the very next phase

They call it mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

Yes, saffron, yeah
I'm just-a mad about her
I'm-a just-a mad about-a saffron
She's just mad about me

They call it mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow (Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow

Oh, so yellow
Oh, so mellow

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 yellow. Future swaps will be devoted to "A Bit of Green," "A Bit of Blue," and so on through the rainbow.

The "A Bit of..." series will always have the signups due by the 25th of the month—except this time I'll add five days to that, since it's late getting up—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 yellow as the allowed colors. You may use any shade of yellow—pale, canary, deco, egg-yolk and 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 February.

Mini-FAQ:

How much, exactly, is "a bit of yellow"? I've debated about naming a specific percentage—such as 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 yellow? Yes, you may, so long as the amount of the other color(s) is quite a bit less than the amount of yellow.

Some examples of mostly neutrals with a bit of yellow:

• "Weird Madrid Untitled" by Max-o-matic —> a larger view of the one featured above

• "4x4" by Valerie Roybal

• "Bird Tears" by Mary Emma Hawthorne

• "Ophelia" by Cristina Clarimón

I hope the examples will inspire you to try new and different things! Have fun! Don't get the flu!