|
Painting 101:
Light - Important element in landscape painting
by Tissa Hewavitarane
At the first crack of dawn, when a green - yellow light appears on
the horizon, the sun rises on our landscape and the earth is lit with a
very light greenish yellow colour. At first it comes from the horizon
and then moves ever upwards into the atmosphere, filling this atmosphere
with the soft light greenish blues appear in the sky. Later in the day
this green blue colour turns into pure light blue and reaches the
zenith, that gives a wonderful sky over our heads. Its sparkles with
light and luminosity and contains a palpable sense of atmosphere.
|
Evening Shadows |
We are in the glorious light of the world where we experience nature
in all its many moods from early morning until the hour when only
man-made lights are left. When its noon, the sun begins its move to the
western horizon and becomes more orange - yellow filled with intense
light and takes on a warmer colour and darker. Soon the yellow orange
turns slowly to a red orange as it heads towards it inevitable daily
retirement. Our special day is over, there will be other days.
Natures' change
What of those days when the sun doesn't shine? When it is difused by
clouds filling the sky? Well, the sky is always there with the same
light, but the colour of this light becomes many tones of pearly grey.
On days like these all earth tones are darker. And what about the days
that are dominated by huge cumulus clouds? The underside of the clouds
become dark and the shadow sides of these clouds are grey and warm greys.
There are also bright warm whites where the sun is hitting. Underneath
and around the clouds are the nosy clouds of the horizon. The greenish
blues, true blues and violet blues of the earth. As clouds recedes
toward the horizon, they are farther away from us, there fore the darks
underneath becomes lighter and cooler.
As you have just learned, nature is always changing and we as
painters must observe and paint each accordingly. The earth depends on
the value and colours of the sky. A successful painting of natures'
vista depends on our knowledge of the role the sky plays in this
spectacular drama. We must always be aware of the affect that light has
on our painting. An oil painter places his warm light colours on the
canvas and then mixes very carefully the cool light of the atmosphere.
This colour must match the value of the light colour and should be
painted in such a way as not to mix these two colours, laying one
gingerly over the other. For the water colour painter it is different
because we must keep the light colour a lighter value so as not to make
the second wash look green. We are working with a transparent medium I
do not paint in the same manner in every painting but always, no matter
the procedure, I think of this light as one of the most important
elements of each painting. I wish to express time of day and atmosphere
of that day. One way is use of the light itself, the colour of the light
all over the sky. I change this yellow where the sun is in the sky,
using a pure light yellow and as we move away from the sun, I add a
little red or orange ever so light to this colour. If the atmosphere is
heavy. I add a reddish tone. I find this so often in places like Nuwara
Eliya, Bandarawela, and Diyatalawa. Where there is so much of moisture
in the air in the mornings. As I do this wash, I try to work fast, never
touching it if it dries. If I am lucky and the wash stays wet. I lay on
the colour of the blues and greys. I do this both on a sunny day or a
gloomy day. There is always light and it is luminous.
Vibration
When we see the light through the atmosphere or warm and cools
working together on local colour, its called vibration. We may break up
the colour, never the value. Not doing this we would be able to truly
paint to landscape. All things all forms are touched with the day lights
and the cools of the atmosphere. Co Vibration becomes another very
important element in a painting. To achieve this, these colours must be
added when the washes are wet and first put on. If the wash dries we
cannot then have this wonderful effect.
Seeing light as white
Begin by leaving every shape that is in light as white untouched
paper. This means that you totally disregard local and value. A black
surface receiving sunlight is left white. A red, yellow, blue or green
surface in light is left white. Be committed to this idea while the
approach sounds easy, it has been my experience that beginners have a
terrible time remaining consistent with the concept. Skies and lawns
seem to be particularly different. A clear blue sky, without clouds,
should be interpreted as white paper. The flat planes of a lawn remain
white. And yet, there will be times when 90 percent of the water colour
page is untouched. It depends on the light source. On other occasions 90
percent of the paper will be painted. The trick is to remain consistent
in identifying and painting only the shape of shade, and in not painting
the shape of light.
Power of light
Depending on the nature of the day, the reflected light can be either
a very important part of your painting. The strong colour is the most
expressive element in the artist's vocabulary. The relegate colour to a
secondary role is to communicate with a half a vocabulary. Observe the
colours I have expressed in this painting. What I have felt and
understood of the entire landscape, I have titled the painting "Evening
Shadows; You will observe a blush pink light with shaded purple across
appear on the sky, with wash of light blue. Notice the ground and the
pathway lit with the same colour. The whole picture appears to sparkle
with light and colour. The dark colours on the Palmyra trees and tones
and texture gives strength and stability to the painting. The appeal of
this painting lies in the delicate transition from pale delicate washes
to strong dark colours. To give more life to the painting I have
introducae a bullock cart with a man seated at the edge, back home. To
get more expressive power to your painting its vital to put more energy
into your brush strokes. To achieve this energy without losing control
of the medium requires skill and this can only be gained through
constant practice.
|
