Fabric Painting - The Artist Palette Design Fail (AKA "stepping into the puddles of creativity)

I'm currently designing patterns for my fabric painting classes and books.  My goal is to make it as easy as possible, target beginners, and take the fear of failure for this technique out of the picture.

In my mind this was such a cool design. Combine my love of flowers and art.  I figured that I'd continue the color wheel with this combination of paint and flower colors.  Since I was using a VERY limited palette of fabric paints I just couldn't get it right!  The more I mixed and blending the muddier the colors became.  I was so disappointed. Ugh!  Finally I gave up, started over (for the fourth time) and just kept it as simple as I could.  A little bit of blending and layering, less detail, and I gave up on using so many colors.  As I finished I realized that I had been struggling with those puddles for a few hours when the completed design and pattern would take less than an hour to complete.  The colors are still darker and more intense than I normally paint with but I think it's OK. Adding the little gem drop was a good finish as it combines the idea of paint drips or water dripping off of the tulip.

If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing. Marc Chagall

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