Ambient Light is the Sunset Light - It casts lovely soft oranges and yellow over everything it touches. It certainly does feel like Magic.
Heron in the Sunset - Vanish Watercolour $850 |
But for Artists, Ambient Light offers more . . .
Using Ambient light you can create your own scene. You can set the mood. You can create a scene full of drama and intrigue, or one of peace and tranquility.
Let me explain. . . .
***************************
Special Note:
1. There is further discussion and examples on my YouTube video: Make MAGIC with Ambient Light
Special Note:
1. There is further discussion and examples on my YouTube video: Make MAGIC with Ambient Light
2. Join me for In-Person Online Drawing Classes:
Enhance Your Drawing/Painting Series – 5 Ways to Bring Depth into Your Work with Wendy Mould.
Thursday, Feb 6, 13, & 20 6:00-8:00pm PST (Zoom)
Cost: Early Bird $75 after Feb 4 $90
Thursday, Feb 6, 13, & 20 6:00-8:00pm PST (Zoom)
Cost: Early Bird $75 after Feb 4 $90
***************************
Think of Ambient light as reflective light. Like reflective it brings colour with it. The difference is the colour from reflective light affects a small portion of whatever it strikes. Ambient light is more pervasive, sending colour to everything. This sunset colour changes with the weather and time of day. Stormy dark nights have dark cold, blues and blacks while sunsets in summer are full of warm golden yellow or red hues. My heron, above, has the lovely glow of a summer sunset.
You might think I was fortunate to get such a great shot of the heron at sunset.
But I didn't!!
It was a warm sunny day when I kayaked near this fellow and go a great photo |
↑↑↑This is my reference for my painting.
Instead of using the blues of the sky and water I chose a different colour. I wanted to catch the evening oranges tinged with reds and yellows.
Setting the Stage |
The first thing I did was paint the sky. I also used a molding medium to create bumps for my barnacles. This allowed me to have bits of colour on the rocks and made great contrast with the smoother areas of the rocks.
The underpainting on the Heron |
When it came time to painting the heron I decided to use an underpainting as a way to extend the ambient light to his body. As I applied it I was thinking of the lights and darks on his body and where the ambient would be seen.
WIP - working on the feather pattern |
When I painted the feather pattern the light areas had the pinks of the ambient light showing while the darker areas did not. The mottled layer of the underpainting on the heron, ensures that the reflective light/colour off the rocks and the sky above are also picked up on his body.
Makes for a very interesting picture, eh?!
Learning to work with the properties of Reflective Light and Ambient Light teaches you many different ways to push and pull your values and colours in the creation process.
There is further discussion and examples on my YouTube video: Make MAGIC with Ambient Light
Join the Conversation in my February set of Online Classes - We will take a Deep Dive into how Depth in your Paintings is created at every step of the process - From Composition to Completion.
Looking Forward to Seeing you there ↓↓↓↓↓↓
In-Person Online Drawing Classes
Enhance Your Drawing/Painting Series – 5 Ways to Bring Depth into Your Work with Wendy Mould.
Thursdays, Feb 6, 13, & 20 6:00-8:00pm PST (Zoom)
Cost: Early Bird $75 after Feb 4 $90
Enhance Your Drawing/Painting Series – 5 Ways to Bring Depth into Your Work with Wendy Mould.
Thursdays, Feb 6, 13, & 20 6:00-8:00pm PST (Zoom)
Cost: Early Bird $75 after Feb 4 $90
Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work,
Be sure to like and share my posts. You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email
Have a great Artful Day,
Wendy