#colour pattern

Angela's drawing of Eve in front of a strongly patterned wall-hanging put me in mind of Matisse, who loved pattern and colour.

The challenge, when figure and background are equally rich, is to achieve clarity. Clarity is emphasised by contrasts. Myself, I always look to do this with tonal contrast. Matisse did it brilliantly with his use of colour:

Henri Matisse Anemones and woman – Harmony in Blue 1944

The reliable trick is to contrast warm with cool. In the picture above, for instance, the areas of orange help to clarify the shape of the vase and the woman's back. And see too how the areas of colour are distributed around the picture to get a satisfying balance.

Henri Matisse Purple Robe 1937

Same approach, but this time the purple shape of the robe flows down the canvas defining the figure.

Here the monochrome picture is very flat – except for the face, which is strong because of the use of black. This was Matisse's second method of making something stand out in a busy picture: all the faces in these pictues are picked out in black brushstrokes in the style of an illustrator rather than a traditional painter.

Henri Matisse The Pink Blouse 1924

When we see it in colour, the pink blouse becomes distinct without losing delicacy because of its warmth against the cool cream and green. 

He was so confident with colour, he could be bold or restrained as he felt best.

Angela, perhaps you could print out a copy of your picture and try out some colours. Watercolour washes perhaps? You might also have a go in photoshop (here next Tuesday if you like).  These are ways of finding out what's possible before the dreaded moment of commitment.