Amazing painting and artist. Excellent demo and explanation of using the 3 keys including halation to increase effect of luminosity in a painting. Thank you!
Thanks for the tips - I credit you in my portrait painting, you brought me to a whole new level. As to adding vibrancey, how do you choose the color for elation?
Hi Monique, thanks and I’m glad I could help you! Good question. You can choose a color that is a function of the color that is nearby. For example, for the flames, I used red-orange at the bottom near the ground because it’s similar to the color within the fire. Now, I could have gone with mustard yellow, but if you imagine it, wouldn’t that look off to use a color like that? Usually it’s better to go with an analogous (nearby on the color wheel) color with intensity. Think of the rainbow-ROYGBIV. Lighter in value is usually going to be a yellow, darker will be red. And halation is typically a darker value than the area surrounding it. Therefore red, vs yellow would be the better color. If you have a teal-aqua colored midtone/ highlight next to a desaturated darker value, the best halation color would be a navy-cobalt blue color. Why? Because it’s the next color on the color wheel, or shifting downward on the rainbow 🌈 of color choices. Have I confused you yet? ;) I hope my reasoning makes sense. But if not, let me know and I’ll take some time to think about and explain it better. :)
Beautiful Painting
Amazing painting and artist. Excellent demo and explanation of using the 3 keys including halation to increase effect of luminosity in a painting. Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words!
Looking good Matt
Thank you!
Thank you! Fabulous tips!
You’re welcome, Lydia!
Thanks for the tips - I credit you in my portrait painting, you brought me to a whole new level. As to adding vibrancey, how do you choose the color for elation?
Hi Monique, thanks and I’m glad I could help you! Good question. You can choose a color that is a function of the color that is nearby. For example, for the flames, I used red-orange at the bottom near the ground because it’s similar to the color within the fire. Now, I could have gone with mustard yellow, but if you imagine it, wouldn’t that look off to use a color like that? Usually it’s better to go with an analogous (nearby on the color wheel) color with intensity. Think of the rainbow-ROYGBIV. Lighter in value is usually going to be a yellow, darker will be red. And halation is typically a darker value than the area surrounding it. Therefore red, vs yellow would be the better color. If you have a teal-aqua colored midtone/ highlight next to a desaturated darker value, the best halation color would be a navy-cobalt blue color. Why? Because it’s the next color on the color wheel, or shifting downward on the rainbow 🌈 of color choices. Have I confused you yet? ;) I hope my reasoning makes sense. But if not, let me know and I’ll take some time to think about and explain it better. :)