20 Tips for painting shadows with watercolor and other media.

How to paint shadows with watercolor. This video gives 20 tips about shadows and how to paint them. Most of the tips apply to all painting mediums, including oil, acrylic, pastel, and watercolor.
My PATREON MEMBERSHIP PAGE: www.patreon.com/user/membersh... - in addition to ad-free content you get exclusive content (new videos will be more in depth than those on my KZbin channel), hi-resolution reference photos, photos of my finished painting, and drawing outlines where available. Other benefits are also included.
If you are interested here I have produced a book which is basically my teaching manual: Mastering Watercolors - A Practical Guide: amzn.to/3ZF2FRW
This is the 24th video in my beginner watercolor artist course.
If you are a beginner, and this is the first of my videos in this series you are watching, then I highly recommend that you go back and begin at Watercolor Class One and do the exercises in each. These exercises are what I used to put my beginner face-to-face students through, before allowing them to progress to more advanced subjects. Even now, before a student, new to watercolor, can join my online class they have to first prove they have studied and applied this beginner lessons. In this way, new students are able to more easily join my more advanced classes.
I also have a couple of watercolor painting books which I published and distribute through Amazon.
The first one, which has sold over 10,000 copies is bascially my teaching manual and is titled:
Mastering Watercolors - A Practical Guide.
The second is full of step-by-step demonstrations and is titled: Watercolor Step By Step: amzn.to/3z4YXEu
Both books are available in kindle format and paperback.
You can also find a lot of useful information on my website: www.paintingwithwatercolors.com/

[@1msfit]

Thanks, Joe! Whenever I watch one of your videos, I go back to your book and re-read the applicable segment on the same subject. It helps reinforce the info so I can recall it when painting.

[@JoeCartwright]

Excellent!

[@michaelmartin6040]

Probably the most comprehensive description of this topic I’ve come across. Really well explained but scary! So much to consider. Thanks for uploading.

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Andy_S.]

Спасибо! Ваши уроки самые ясные, чёткие и самые толковые! Благодарю!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you are enjoying them.

[@dfinchermd]

Excellent and concise tutorials.

[@JoeCartwright]

Thank you! Glad you like them.

[@JackJenkins]

Wow, absolutely the best coverage and explanation of the subject I have yet experienced. Thank you so much; you have presented a lifetime of painting knowledge in a clear and usable manner.

[@JoeCartwright]

Wow, thank you! I enjoy teaching and it is always nice to receive feedback.

[@maryrichinick7287]

Very helpful! Shadows make a painting and are difficult when new to painting. Thank you.

[@JoeCartwright]

My pleasure 😊

[@kindredspiritm]

Thank you for continuing to upload these wonderful lessons. Much appreciated!

[@JoeCartwright]

You are very welcome. Thank you for watching them!

[@janicetio1219]

Best tutorial on shadows I've seen. Thanks you.

[@JoeCartwright]

Wow, thank you! Glad you found it helpful!

[@1TimothyFourTen]

Thanks! for the education!

[@JoeCartwright]

You are very welcome. Thank you for the Super Thanks!

[@riesalipschitz3035]

Thanks Joe…so helpful and such a good reminder. A great teacher, as always 😊

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you enjoyed it Riesa. Nice to hear from you.

[@karemeruest7099]

Thank you . . . I always learn so much from listening and watching your instruction.

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome! I appreciate your feedback.

[@rosannako4694]

Very useful tips and very clear explanation! Thank you for sharing!

[@JoeCartwright]

You're very welcome!

[@janiceeasley5898]

Amazing video Joe! Even a novice artist could grasp from this video the exquisite difference the painting takes on with the addition of shadows! Your teaching technique is clear and precise and makes it easy to understand what you are demonstrating. I think what makes you stand out are your teaching techniques😉

[@JoeCartwright]

Wow, thanks Janice!

[@brendatrujillo2666]

WOW! WOW! WOW! I struggle so much with watercolors and your way of exlaining this subject will help me more than you know. Thank you for helping us understand the whys and hows of improving, especially in the area of shadows. I will be watching this video over and over, and especially when I think I’ve finished a painting, but find that I need to do more. 🥰

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome! Very happy yur are learning from my videos. It gives me a lot of encouragement to keep producing them! 😊

[@rosjenke2697]

Excellent video and painting. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@JoeCartwright]

My pleasure. Thank you for the feedback.

[@rmbroadwell]

This was excellent, thank you!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@elsaatti]

I really appreciate sharing your knowledge! I’m so happy that I can learn now what I had been postponed 50 years … 😢

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome!

[@grantellis2840]

Fantastic brush control, and so much to practice, thank you so much for all this wonderful information, another awesome lesson Joe .

[@JoeCartwright]

Thanks Grant, good luck with your practice. :-)

[@RenateWaas]

thank you so much for this very interesting tutorial!

[@JoeCartwright]

You're very welcome!

[@terrylavis4792]

Fabulous demo, great painting and very useful tips, thanks Joe! 😊

[@JoeCartwright]

Thank you Terry, so glad you found it useful! :-)

[@anndavidson287]

Excellent sharing of your knowledge Joe!! Thanks!! Love the demo showing painting, palette,, brushes and reference photo and process of color mixing etc. and application of paint. Also 20 tips!!! Thanks!! I will try with my watercolors. From Canada 🍁.

[@JoeCartwright]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@user-lc6pn9yy9f]

BEST EXAMP LES OF 'HOW TO' PAINT WATERCOLOR THAT I HAVE FOUND. THANK YOU!

[@JoeCartwright]

WOW, glad you liked it.

[@InfinitaGioiaPatCHesall]

Best lesson on shadows ever👍 Thank you for sharing 😊

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you liked it! Thank you.

[@AFAskygoddess]

Thank you for this clear, concise and useful video. ❤

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@twalrus1]

I'm a graphic designer and I long ago found out that the secret to shadows on an outdoor billboard is to add blue. For a long time I had been making shadows using shades of black but I never was satisfied. Then I noticed the blue in the shadows of water color paintings, So on my next billboard (a dentist's billboard with a cartoon tooth brush that had a face and hands) I used the dark blue shadowing. The dentist said that he didn't want to pay for the cutout when shown the mockup. The account executive told him it wasn't a cutout, it was flat...it was only going to look like a cutout. When printed (a highway size billboard which is the biggest unless you are at Times Square) it really looked 3D with the dark blue shadowing making it look like a cutout...you have to keep traveling until under it to show that it was flat. So if you are a graphic designer creating outdoor billboards remember to avoid pure black shadows and add blue to the black...just like a water color painting.

[@JoeCartwright]

Useful story. Thank you.

[@twalrus1]

@@JoeCartwright Thanks. I used to love to pass by that billboard. I also had a favorite restaurant to go to in that area. (La Paloma Restaurant...they made these huge two handed burritos and the fillings were very authentic..so authentic you brought your Tums with you.). The dentist client liked it so much that he extended the rental of the sign for about 3 years.

[@silviapannone5523]

Incredibly interesting and useful teachings, thank you very very much for sharing these tips. With much gratitude

[@JoeCartwright]

You're very welcome!

[@CAnn5005]

Hi Joe. Your shadows transformed this painting. I love it. Thank you so much.

[@JoeCartwright]

Thank you so much 😀

[@kyzar1207]

Your channel is a literal goldmine I'm so glad I found it

[@JoeCartwright]

Welcome aboard!

[@cslattfri]

This was soooo helpful! Thank you! Great information here!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dustydesert1674]

Thanks! Best lesson on shadows!

[@JoeCartwright]

Wow, thanks! Glad you liked my video, I appreciate your support.

[@ohjolala98]

Thank you so much. I’ve learned a lot from your tutorial. Thank you for sharing 🙏

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome!

[@leahloving1580]

Thank you so much for making and sharing this very helpful video!

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful.

[@KathyLeeParker]

Thank you for the excellent video. It covered some things I hadn't thought of, and is very thorough and well thought out.

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

What a great bundle of informations how to handle shadows…. Thank you so much… your videos are a treasure trove of knowledge and informations and it is very generous to share it all with us 🙏

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome! Glad to hear you are enjoying my videos, I appreciate the feedback.

[@traciesawrey9084]

Thanks for this great video best one I have seen for doing shadows. 👍😊

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@trishgardener9691]

Thank you so much for all the advice you have given. It is so helpful!

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome! Thank you for your super thanks too, I appreciate your support.

[@wilfredalexandercoelho8003]

Too good and everything looks so natural.

[@JoeCartwright]

Thank you.

[@handymotte9937]

Thank you so much ,Joe. This Video was very helpful to me an the shadows you paint are so vividly wonderful.

[@JoeCartwright]

You are so welcome, glad it was helpful.

[@frolicthebay957]

Really useful information. Thank you so much for putting this video together!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cherylwellham3786]

Thankyou Joe. You are an excellent tutor. Easy to understand, bringing depth, connection and context to paintings is so important with shadows. I have always struggled with these.

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michaelklein5242]

Excellent subject and well done. Thank you sincerely, Joe!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you enjoyed it Michael! Thanks for the feedback.

[@michelemarch8606]

So much information, so succinct! This was the coles notes version.....now I need the whole book!! So much to consider!! Thank you!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lenhend]

Thank you.

[@JoeCartwright]

You are welcome!

[@bodawei425]

Brilliant!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you enjoyed my video!

[@Arabian-stallion]

Wonderful artist 🎨

[@JoeCartwright]

Thank you so much 😀

[@martinullrich655]

Great tutorial! Thanks a lot!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@40bdg]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@karunasirohi7]

Excellent explanation 😊

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tene2bush]

Wonderful knowledge. Thank you

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kellyhalligan1328]

Wow, so well done

[@JoeCartwright]

Thank you very much!

[@krishnamayimarianni8026]

So helpful!!!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@grannieannie1371]

Wow thank you so much. That made so much sense. I just subscribed I think there's a lot I could learn from your channel.

[@JoeCartwright]

Welcome aboard! Glad you found it useful.

[@dougg1075]

Cool! Thanks

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad you liked it!

[@sadiaawanartist]

Very great work, and informative vedio, thanks for sharing this.❤

[@JoeCartwright]

My pleasure. Glad you found it helpful!

[@pavanmpib]

Thank you so much . Was very helpful

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it helped!

[@kevinloughman3953]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nanciab7221]

Thank you for helping me.

[@JoeCartwright]

Happy to help.

[@Mintychops]

Really helpful, thankyou

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dases1982]

Very informative video Thanks

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@shahzadqurashi7728]

Mind blowing sir

[@JoeCartwright]

Thanks a lot!

[@judihopewell2499]

Very helpful 👍🏻🇨🇦😊

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lindaw9329]

Thank you, so informative and clear!

[@JoeCartwright]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sadiaawanartist]

Sir you are very good guide❤. I am also watercolorist and learn a lot from your videos. Dear sir would you like to tell which sheet you use for watercolor painting?

[@JoeCartwright]

I use Arches Cold Press 185 gsm paper 😊

[@annasamol8325]

Dear Joe, thank you very much for this excellent explanation 🙂. I would be grateful if you could please let me know what brand are your red brushes with the silver end? I tried to find them but it is so difficult

[@JoeCartwright]

Hello Anna, glad you are enjoying my vidoes. Here is the link to the store, in Australia, I buy my brushes from: artsup.com.au/products/neef-4750lp-round-squirrel-taklon-short-handle?gad=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwyqWkBhBMEiwAp2yUFgy2hGCMDxORJb8Rls5I6ziIbBxkddd-K3CkKvsg_3u-AgkKCQMO4BoCpv4QAvD_BwE

[@dases1982]

Do you always use the same mixture for shadows --in varying strengths with local colour dropped in? What would you use in a cityscape? Thanks.

[@JoeCartwright]

The colours I would use would depend on the sky colour, with adjustments for local color of buildings, roads, etc

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

why its always cool shadows? why not warm?

[@JoeCartwright]

It depends on the light in the sky, if it is a warm sunset, you could have a warm shadow. But with a blue (cool) sky, then the shadow will be cooler.