I Need Yellow

The ULAE archive in the collection of the Art Institute reveal the many complex decisions and revisions a print undergoes before completion. For I Need Yellow and its related project Card, Frankenthaler produced nearly 60 sheets of trial and working proofs. The artist gleaned the initial visual vocabulary for what would later become I Need Yellow from several stones she had created in 1971. She selected various drawn elements and transferred them to fresh stones, which allowed her to refine the images and experiment with color and placement. The proofs illustrate just a few of the infinite possibilities the three stones allow. The choice of paper and ink colors, the arrangement of the visual elements, and even the order in which the stones are printed all contribute to the final product. In this case, the result is a stele of yellow grounded by green vines and accented with an orange flame.