Finding Color

Our local landscapes are filled with unexpected sources of color and all you have to do is look around to experience the magic for yourself!

From rocks, soil and clay, to insects, lichen and plants, nature is bursting with life and color. Are you ready to learn more about where and how to find pigment sources right in your own backyard? Even if you live in an urban area, there’s plenty to discover!

Keep reading to learn more.

Where to Look?

Close-up of rocks and pebbles in a natural stream or riverbed, with some covered in green moss and with water visible in the gaps.

Step 1. Start Looking… But, Wait, Where?

The first and sometimes most daunting question when it comes to beginning your natural pigment search. Nature is so vast, so how I I know where to start?

Your own backyard will do! Yes, even if you live in an urban setting, learning how to open your eyes and spot the hidden surprises waiting for you just outside your front or back door is the perfect place to begin.

The task is simple: just look

Spend some time looking, harder than you normally would if you were, say, rushing out the door to work. Simply sit down and look. Then make a list of what you see. This practice will help you to get better at the simple art of noticing and, in time, will serve as a key skill in your hunt for color in larger or more complex environments.

How to Spot

Near the edge of a body of water, green leafy plants with purple flowers grow amidst tall grass and reeds.

Step 2. Learn to Spot Color Sources

should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.

What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.

What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.’What should we know about the services you provide? Better descriptions result in more sales.

Hand holding freshly picked blueberries over green leafy bushes in a garden or farm setting.
Close-up of a weathered green statue with yellow and gray lichen growing on it.

Color Sources

A close-up of pink flowers with a bee collecting nectar among green leaves.
Close-up of various rocks and gravel in earthy tones, including purple, orange, yellow, and gray.
A close-up of a small purple mushroom growing on a decayed piece of wood in a forest floor covered with leaves and twigs.
Bright pink zinnia flowers in full bloom with green leaves surrounding them, sunlight illuminating the petals.
Close-up of yellow flowering, goldenrod plants under a clear blue sky at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Plants

Close-up of small, vibrant red yarrow flowers with yellow centers, blooming on green stems with fern-like leaves. Brown mulch is visible in the background.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sounds like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest.

  • Description text goes here

  • Description text goes here

  • Description text goes here

  • Item description

Rocks & Soil

Close-up of various rocks and small stones with different colors and textures.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sounds like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest.

  • Description text goes here

  • Description text goes here

  • Item description

  • Responsible Use

Fruit & Vegetables

Modern wooden house with stone steps leading to patio overlooking grassy hills and mountains in the background during sunset.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sounds like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest.

  • Description text goes here

  • Description text goes here

  • Description text goes here

  • Item description

Fungi

Cluster of small beige mushrooms with ruffled caps growing on a decayed tree trunk in a forest.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sounds like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest.

  • Description text goes here

  • Description text goes here

  • Item description

  • Responsible Use