In this class, you’ll learn how to paint convincing light and shadows to create strong contrasts and realistic paintings. Understanding tone and how to add shadows from a light source is one of the most challenging aspects of watercolor. It’s amazing how you can ‘create’ light in your paintings by simply adding a few shadows. I’ll show you how to do this quickly and easily with only a few brush strokes.
Obtaining the right darkness of paint is important when painting shadows. Some shadows are softer and lighter, while others are darker and sharper. I’ll show you how to paint shadows for different situations. This class will challenge you to take risks and add in contrasting tones and brushstrokes which are essential for your progression in this medium.
In this class, I will show you my simplified two-step process in painting any landscape scene with light and shadows. There are 6 fully narrated demonstrations for you to paint along to. By the end of this class, you’ll feel more confident in understanding how to simplify and paint complex landscapes and make that light pop out from the page.
I’ll be covering:
- How to simplify down a reference photograph and add light and shadows. I’ll show you how to create areas of interest by contrasting light and darkness next to each other. This will put you out of your comfort zone at times, but once both elements are together, you will see how essential it is to create contrast such as these in your painting to create convincing light effects.
- Layering – watercolor painting is meant to be fun and quick. Learn how you only need 2-3 layers in order to complete a watercolor painting. I’ll show you how to paint the light in one layer, and the shadows in the second layer.
- How to use color effectively to create areas of interest to portray the mood of a scene. Layering a cool-colored shadow over the top of a warm-colored area can have spectacular effects.
- How to use tone, or light and dark areas to create depth and richness in your paintings. I will show you how to paint different kinds of shadows from smaller ones cast by objects and people to larger ones cast by buildings. The tone of the shadow is also crucial as some shadows are lighter than others in a painting, and it is important to have a combination of these in a painting.
