Book Spotlight: The Beader’s Color Palette

I recently borrowed Margie Deeb’s The Beader’s Color Palette from the library for the second time. I wasn’t at all surprised to discover that it was just as inspiring as the first time I read it. Of all the beading books I’ve read over the years, this one is the most exciting.

Unlike a typical beading book, The Beader's Color Palette can never really become obsolete. Even if one master’s all 20 of the projects, the amazing color combinations and ideas are always there to eliminate beader’s block.

Margie’s 220 color suggestions offer invaluable inspiration for all types of beadwork, expertly designed with a professional eye for color. Each of the palettes uses standard Delica colors, and includes the numeric color values to make shopping a breeze. And with helpful tips on creating and adjusting color schemes, it’s easy to add accents like glass and gemstones for endless design possibilities.

In the introduction, Margie Deeb tells us “Color is so many things: an energy, a language, a means to discover yourself, a vehicle for expression, pure magic. Above all, color is, and should be, fun.”

The first chapter of The Beader's Color Palette gives effective instruction on understanding the combinations given in the book, how to create and adjust your own palettes, and how to translate the colors into beadwork. Margie guides the reader through the process, all the while encouraging us to trust our instincts and experiment.

The 220 beading palettes are organized into 5 main categories, with 28 delightful sub-categories to suit any taste or style. My personal favorites are Elemental Fire, Ancient Egypt, and Tropical Rainforest. The step-by-step projects help readers to understand how to combine the palettes with shape and form. Contributors include Heidi Kummli and Robin Atkins.

The final pages of the book are just as valuable as the rest. There is a gorgeous gallery of color-inspired beadwork designs, helpful beading tutorials, and shopping guides. In addition to an alphabetical index, there are also indexes for Delica colors and gemstones, so you can find palettes and projects for the materials you’d like to use.

Reading and understanding this guide is only half the fun. There are so many ways to use the palettes for inspiration. Sometimes all you have to do is close your eyes and pick one, to imagine your next great project.

The Beader’s Color Palette is published by Watson-Guptill Publications.

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading, Margie Deeb and Watson-Guptill