Painting Fall Colors
Fall is an exciting time for landscape artists because of all the vivid colors. A good trick for making these colors pop is using grays in your painting. By placing grays around a bright color, you make that color stand out even more. This works because the gray tones down the area around the bright color, making it look even more vivid when you add it. For instance, if you're painting a maple tree with orange or yellow leaves, start by painting the area with darker, less vibrant colors. Then, add your brighter colors on top. This makes your painting really show off the beautiful fall colors.
Another approach to making your paintings vibrant is to use the transparency of the paint. This means letting the canvas show through in certain places. Some colors are naturally more transparent than others. Start by applying a light to medium wash, like a yellow-orange, and try not to cover it up with too many opaque colors. Opaque colors can dull the brightness because they block the canvas from showing through. Instead, paint dark values around the area where you've applied the transparent wash. This will make the transparent area appear to glow. This technique can add a lively spark to your work and is great for painting different colors and scenes, whether in the studio or outdoors.
Join me below for my free webinar and video downloads: