Painting 101:

How to make wise colour decisions

By Tissa Hewavitharane

I certainly do not suppose it is possible to cover the scope of colour in a single article or even in a 1,000 page book. What I intend to do is to share some ideas that will provide a foundation on which you can build a more rational, as well as expressive, approach to making colour decisions. At the most basic level, colour is not complicated. Two colours are placed side by side in a painting. You have the choice of either making them different in a limited number of ways, or keeping them similar. There are certainly times when one choice is better than the other. Poor colour relationships happen when the artist does not consider the choices.

Unfortunate are the painters who paint exclusively in local colour. They see the sky as blue, the grass as green, the house as white and the farm as led. I use the word 'see' incorrectly for they don't see anything. Rather they go to their memory bank of colour generalisation and select a colour that was stored away as toddlers.

Old habits

It's hard to break old habits. To improve your ability to see colours correctly, never begin by asking the question, 'what colour is it'. The answer will be one word generalisation too narrow scope to be of any value. First determine what value it is somewhere between white and black. Then decide what temperature it is, warm or cool. Next, ask what the intensity is somewhere on the scale from pase, intensive colour to neutral grey. Having once, with sensitivity and intelligence, identity the colour of a shape and place it on the paper, a sceneries of decisions is set in motion. You will want to place a colour next to the first which will enhance both. Keep in mind that contrasts are complementary. As dark values make an adjacent light appear lighter, so also a warm elements its opposite. Your choices are limited to value, intensity, temperature or various changes. An arrangement of shapes is essential to a great painting. Once you have designed these shapes and drawn them on the page, the next requirement is that you make them visible.

Nature's colours

One approach to making the shapes and patterns of our painting visibly clear is separating them by value contrast. When you do so, colour takes a secondary role. You need only identify what value to make a shape. Forget the local colour and establish the value contrasts that will make the shapes and composition clear.

It isn't necessary to use colour to paint, we compose with graphite all the time. Since nature's colours tend to be warm and neutral the palette is effective. It would not work if the goal was to express the brilliant colours of a flower market. Value painters paint and observe with their eye squinted. They can generally be recognised by the presence of crow's feet extending back to their ears. The impact of value painter's work is in the contrast of values and texture. The best of the value painters avoid strong colour that compromise the effect of value contrast. A declaration of intent is important to your artistic development.

Water-colours generally fall into two categories glazers and mingles. Glazers work in sequential layers of pigments. This can be done in using a wet-over-dry technique or dry-over-wet technique. Mingles are generally less patient and prefer to mingle pigments or change colours along a wet edge. Many of the colours achieved in our painting are the result of not pigments used, but also when and how they're applied. The painting shown above is based on applying several colours. The whole painting process is an organised series of decisions about the next move. This keeps the painting alive.

Light values

The pattern of values is well suited for landscape painting. The sky, for example, the source of light, is very light in value. All horizontal planes, since they are perpendicular to the source of light, are also very light in value. Take the landscape painting I have done here. The painting depicts a village scene done on a bright sunny day. The main object of interest should never be the exact centre of your painting. Move it to the left or right. You will notice the focal point is the main object which is the hut just placed off centre. A focal point on a painting is liable to look monotonous. So compliment it with plenty of varieties. Note what I have introduced to make a live painting. The huge tree behind the hut, the road taking a bend and human figures seated inside the hut in silhouette.

Depth

Human figures can make a landscape full of life and gives depth to a picture. The tree is massed into groups of light and dark tones, so that each colour strongly registers against the other. Warm and cool greens built up with transparent glazes give the effect of sunshine through the leaves. Notice the clouds on a sunny day. There's a lot of light around and blue-violet rays are often reflected. Variety causes the composition to be alive, help from being monotonous. Don't allow any part of the painting to become dull because of lack of variety. Nature can always change and we as painters must observe and paint each colour and value carefully and accordingly. The earth depends on value and colours of the sky. A successful painting of nature's vista depends on our knowledge and the role of the sky plays in this spectacular drama. We must always be aware of the effect that light has on our painting. Harmonious colour and tones give clarity and strength to the image.

Shadows

Shadows are a marvellous device for conveying an impression of bright sunshine. The landscape done here shows the pattern on shadows cast by the huge tree on the roadside activates the composition and creates a spring-like feel. The area corresponding to the road is minimally but clearly outlined. Care is taken to draw the curve that differentiates the road from the earth and its patch of grassy land. A light mixture of burnt amber is used to show the shadow fallen on the road. Shadows can be used to help build or strengthen a composition.

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