| Last week we learned the importance of value in quiltmaking. This week we're going to focus on how intensity determines the style of your quilts. Neutrals  | Click here for a larger view.
| Neutral colors are considered to be noncolors. Black, white and gray are the true neutrals. Quilters also use off-whites and light beiges as neutrals. Any other color is dominant when used with a neutral color.  | | Click here for a larger view.
| Neutrals are most often used as block or quilt backgrounds. They set off and space out the colors used in the quilt and provide a resting place for the eyes as we saw in Scrappy Triangles in our discussion of temperature. Neutrals also play other roles in the overall mood of the quilt.  | Click here for a larger view.
| Colors placed on black are more vibrant than colors placed on other backgrounds. This was demonstrated in the Intensity section with the Nouveau Nine-Patch and Buckeye Beauty quilts and again here with Gradations and Squashed Double Wedding Ring. Toned-down colors placed on the black background become more intense while bright colors placed on the off-white background become softer. This softening effect is also true of white, gray and beige backgrounds. The pale gray print used as the background of Tanner's Triangles quiets the often jarring effect of the many bright colors of the plaids used in the triangles.  | | Click here for a larger view.
| Neutrals also play a part in the temperature of your quilt. Black is considered to be warm while white and many grays are thought to be cool. Beige may be either, depending on the actual color and the colors with which the beige is used. The white background in the antique Rainbow of Rings quilt provides soft and quiet support for the 1930s pastels. Pastels are actually tints created by adding white to a pure color; they usually appear to be cool. Because of this, white or very pale gray is the most natural neutral to use with pastels. Off-white or beige may deaden the light and airy feel of the tints.  | Click here for a larger view.
| On the other hand, the beige print background used to complement the rich fall shades in Indian Summer enhances the overall feeling of the quilt. A cool white background would have interfered with our mental image of the warmth of the autumn season. The blue and blue-green pieces used for accent on this otherwise warm quilt would become much more prominent on a cooler background. 
Applying the Basics You have now become acquainted with color -- the different versions of a single color; its affect on mood; its chameleonlike ability to change in value, intensity and temperature; and its importance to the success of a design. You have learned to make decisions on use of color by answering a few simple questions: - Do I want this quilt to be soothing or exciting?
- Will the theme be traditional, sophisticated, contemporary or childlike?
- How will differences in value affect the clarity of the design?
- Will this color blend into or stand apart from its neighboring colors?
- Is the color too bright or too dull for my theme?
- Do I need to add a little spark of intensity?
- Does my background mute or enliven my other color choices? Does it contribute to my theme?
All these questions provide answers to the use of a single color, its shades, tints and tones. But how can you be sure which colors will work together in a design? Next week we'll build on these color basics by describing the ways that colors interact with each other in combination. Until next time, Sue Harvey PS -- Tell your friends to visit us to sign up for educational newsletters like this. | 
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