Francesco of Dark Omen is one of our dyers for this year’s MKAL: Color Kaleidoscope. We asked Francesco about his colour process and inspirations, and discovered a little plot twist when it comes to his own go-to shades!
Dark Omen doesn’t play it safe with colour. Rich, gothic, and vibrant shades are very much part of the Dark Omen world. Francesco, however, admits that his own colour comfort zone is a little softer.
"I have to admit I am one big beige lover," he says.
So where does all that colour come from?
For Francesco, inspiration can start in some unexpected places. His childhood Game Boy Color was a constant companion, travelling with him from home to the beach and everywhere in between. Those small, pixelated worlds may have had their limitations, but the colours and fantastical landscapes stuck with him.
"Everything felt so fancy back then, and all those fantastic worlds helped shape what my daily inspiration for colours is now!"
That sense of play is still there in his dyeing. Francesco loves blending colours, watching light shades meet and mix in the skein to create unexpected hues. He’s less interested in deciding exactly where each colour should go, and more interested in finding out in the moment.
"I’m not a fan of planning colour positioning: I like to just go with the flow, although said flow is not always a peaceful stream."
For his own knitting, Francesco tends towards softer combinations, but when he’s dyeing, those moods can shift. A pale ivory might meet deep mustard, bright red or electric blue. He also looks to knitters for colour pairing inspiration, especially when a project calls for more than three colours.
"I’m not big on high contrasting combos: I prefer a nice combo with 3/4/5 soft colours that are similar enough to still be different from each other and recognisable in the end project!"
It’s a fitting approach for our Color Kaleidoscope: colours don’t have to compete to make an impact. Put them next to each other, let them shift and blend, throw in something unexpected and see where it takes you. Sometimes the best part is not knowing exactly how the pieces will come together.
