Artists & Illustrators - UK (2019-12)

COLOUR THEORY

ABOVE Seymour
Remenick, Artist’s
Studio with Still Life
and Easel, 1957,
oil on canvas,
71.2x91.4cm
“Warm, three-
quarter lighting
suggests depth.”

LEFT Robert
W Vonnoh,
Nude, c.1896,
oil on canvas,
40.6x32.9cm
“Multiple light
sources and
reflected light
create a balance
between warm and
cool colours here.”

C

hoosing light sources and

creating lighting effects in a

painting is one of the central

formal tasks of creating an image.

Whether a painting is highly realistic

or only loosely recognisable in its

content and subject, the direction,

colour and intensity of light chosen

for the work can strengthen or

weaken the artist’s intent. For,

example, what would a Rembrandt

portrait be without the rich light and

shade effects that reveal the form

and character of its subject?

Impressionism is beloved by many

for its shimmering colour effects

created solely by ambient light. Taking

time to look at lighting types and

directions and translating them into

both practical and poetic studio

decisions is essential for the aspiring

painter. The history of lighting effects

in western painting starts with the

ancient Greeks and Romans and

continues today in many forms of

realistic and observational painting.

If we agree that light creates both

form and colour in a painting such as

a still life, portrait or landscape, then

there are two key issues, among

others, for the artist to consider

before starting a new work that we

will look at today.

THE COLOUR OF LIGHT

The first thing to establish is what

colour is the light source? Sources

such as very strong sunlight, candle

light, incandescent bulbs and

spotlights create warmer colour

options for the painter. Such warm

light literally lights up and intensifies

not only the contrasts of light and

shade in a painting, but also the

chromatic intensity of the colours of

objects lit by the warm light source.

The surfaces lit by this strong yellow

or pinkish yellow light causes their

colours to be intensified and warmed

dramatically. The colour of this light

source causes all the reds, yellows,

oranges, browns, greens and even

blues to take on a warmer and

brighter quality in the areas hit directly

by the light source. Frequently, to

match these colours with one’s

palette, the more highly chromatic

colours need to be used. The

cadmiums and other high-key warm

colours need to be used to match the

intensities created by the light source.

Just adding white only weakens the

chromatic intensity of these colours.

Artists & Illustrators 67