Palette versus Palette 2012-W43

I begin by observing that today's title got me to reminiscing about the awesome "Spy vs Spy" cartoons.  So take a moment for your mind to drift away on that topic if you like, and then come on back...  What palettes I aim to contrast today are the tangible paint-holder object with the abstract limited array of pigments from which one constructs a painting.

Last week I wrote about the absorbing task of rearranging and revising my palette of four dozen pigments.  Or paints, if you prefer.  Very occasionally I will dip my brush all over the [tangible] palette while making one painting.  The Autumn Bucolic (below or in My Gallery) is an example:  I used many analogous paints along the gold-orange-red-maroon section.  But more typically, I restrict my [abstract] palette to three, maybe five pigments for a painting.   

Rollin' the Hay only uses gold, blue, and purple.  You can see the blue and gold, but most people could guess green (wrong) and probably never think of purple.  So why restrict the [abstract] palette?  Harmony.  When hues arise from a limited selection of pigments, they will harmonize— lively browns made out of gold + purple, and greens from blue + those golds & browns.  By proceeding thusly, the viewing eye is not jarred by off-tones from additional pigments.  Harmony reigns and tranquility ensues.  There is a lesson here.

In life, we feel pressured to accomplish much.  We deal with the urgent and we strive to address what is important.  The rest gets whatever attention is left.  Some people like to brag that they are great multitaskers.  Wrong!  Science has discovered there is no such thing.  Much better results come when you focus your brain on one thing, do it well, and move on to the next.  This philosophy parallels the palettes.

Li'l Plumeria

First, from all the things you could do in your lifetime (i.e. every paint made), select
a number that you should or could reasonably do in the next few days.  This is your [tangible] palette of short-term tasks from which you will pick a few for today.

Start and finish one.  Move on.  Or perhaps start one (e.g. laundry) that features long interludes between action and fill those gaps meaningfully.  Technically multitasking, but punctuated by predictable interruptions.

"Plan your Work, and Work your Plan!" as one of my bosses used to say.  Pretty corny but...  when you thereby limit the [abstract] palette of your day, you enjoy harmony along the way and tranquility when you later reflect on all you accomplished.

And please enjoy this week's miniature painting from a tiny birthday card.