Painting Tip: Make Shadows and Highlights out of Color!

If you or someone you know has ever taken an art class, they may have come across the value scale. Basically, this is a tool to ensure you incorporate all of the shadows and highlights present in a drawing or painting.

This is a great tool and very important. However, the next level to your painting is to use color to create value (instead of black and white).

The concept is simple enough. Pick a main color (red) and then to create highlights, move right on the color wheel (incorporate yellows). Anything that is a highlight would actually be pure yellow.  To create shadows, move left on the color wheel, towards blue. Anthing that is a deep shadow would be pure blue. I am creating a series of coffee mugs that reflect this point. In the below painting, I used green (red's complimentary color) to complete the background. 

Another technique is the use of INTENSITIES. This is the blending of opposite colors on the color wheel. The result (say of blending purple and yellow) is the dulling of a color. This is a very effective way to add shadows without clouding your work with black. Yellow mixed with black can make a very poopy color. But yellow mixed with purple offers a dark, brownish color that has a little more character. The midtone in your painting could be purple and yellow mixed together. Highlights would be yellow, shadows would be purple! The possibilities are endless. 

Next time you paint something simple, switch up your normal style. Black and white are staples, but color adds a dimension of depth and richness. If anything you might feel inspired by your new technique!