Why I Choose “Too Much” Instead of “Just Enough”
In my artwork, colour is never applied sparingly. I lean into saturation, contrast, and bold combinations that refuse to stay quiet. Maximalism allows me to create emotional density — an atmosphere where every colour becomes a voice, where tension and harmony coexist. Rather than aiming for balance, I aim for fullness. The palette becomes an environment that overwhelms gently, pulling the viewer into a mood that feels lush, surreal, and electrically alive.
The Emotional Charge of Clashing Tones
Maximalist colour is not simply bright; it is relational. I often place hues next to each other that would normally compete: acid greens near warm reds, icy blues beside neon pinks, or lavender drifting into scarlet. These combinations create emotional friction. The eye feels the clash before it understands the composition. This tension mirrors psychological intensity — the feeling of being pulled in several directions at once, of vibrancy mixed with unease. The clash becomes a narrative of internal contradiction.
Layering Colour to Build Atmosphere
Maximalism thrives in layers. Underpainting, soft gradients, washes, and micro-details allow multiple tones to coexist in one zone without collapsing into chaos. Surreal botanicals might shift from warm cores to cool edges. A face may glow with several undertones at once — hints of turquoise beneath rose, flashes of yellow beneath violet. These overlapping colours build emotional depth. They create a sense of breathing luminosity, as if the artwork is alive beneath the surface.
How Maximalism Strengthens Surreal Identity
The surreal elements in my portraits and botanical motifs depend on intensity. Muted palettes would make them feel grounded in the familiar world. Maximalist colour, however, pushes them into a dream state. A lime-green cheek, a magenta shadow, a cobalt-blue petal — these choices break realism and allow the figure to inhabit a psychological rather than physical space. Maximalism amplifies the surreal identity, making the image feel more like an emotion than a depiction.
The Unexpected Harmony Behind Excess
Despite the richness and intensity, maximalist colour can still create harmony — but it’s a harmony built on complexity, not restraint. Instead of using a limited palette to unify the image, I use repetition of certain tones, echoes of specific hues, and balanced placement of saturated fields. Maximalism becomes a controlled abundance, a deliberate richness where every colour has a role in shaping the emotional landscape.
Colour as Sensory Overload and Sensory Comfort
One of the paradoxes of maximalism is that it can feel overwhelming and comforting at the same time. The fullness of colour creates a sense of immersion. It can mimic the emotional experience of being overstimulated — but also the feeling of being wrapped in intensity. Maximalist palettes offer a refuge for those who feel deeply. They hold space for abundance, contradiction, and inner noise. They embrace emotion without apology.
Why Maximalist Colour Feels Like Truth
Minimal colour can be elegant, but it often feels restrained. Maximalist colour, on the other hand, feels honest. It mirrors the emotional fullness of being alive — the clutter of thoughts, the unpredictability of moods, the simultaneous presence of softness and chaos. By embracing “too much,” the artwork speaks more directly. It refuses to dilute emotion.
Maximalist palettes allow my artworks to vibrate, pulse, and glow with intensity. They create a visual language where colour becomes the heart of the atmosphere — rich, vivid, and unafraid of its own voice.
