Painting Light or Fire with Acrylics

Full step by step tutorial on how to paint realistic light, fire, or a flame with acrylics for beginners - Paint Like A Pro: Episode #8
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In this episode of #PaintLikeAPro I teach you how to show the light! I show you how to paint a light source by painting this bright candle flame. The same technique could be used to paint a flashlight, a campfire, a light bulb, or any other light source in your paintings.
If you have any questions about something I covered in this acrylic tutorial or maybe something I didn't cover I am more than happy to answer.
Materials I used:
- Golden Fluid Acrylics (carbon black, napthol red)
- Liquitex soft body acrylics (cad orange, Titanium white, hansa yellow light)
- Water for mixing with paint
- Round blender and scrumbling brushes from artist loft and princeton. Various other brushes I cover in the video.
Chuck Black Art

[@Maybeitsmaby]

I followed your tutorial to paint a candle flame for the first time ever and I incredibly impressed with how I did. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[@stupiid13]

I always get to the messy ugly part of a painting and get discouraged, I love the way you make it obvious to keep going, keep adding.

[@allenclark4235]

I am totally a beginner and know what you mean. One time though as I was following this eyeball tutorial by a different artist, I was having that discouraged feeling so I got up and walked away. When I came back like an hour later would you believe someone must have finished it for me? Lol

[@chinalifestyle1172]

Sometimes same as with me also

[@sabineleppanenart3014]

I was getting nervous as your hand got close to the flame.😳

[@sherryquitter100]

It looked so real, I was doing the same thing. Thinking that 🤔 he was going to burn 🔥 his hand. Lol

[@KounrtyPeanut]

Lmaoooooo

[@andreablaich2470]

😍😂

[@nightmare-ish-arts]

Why is that so true tho 😂 my brain thought his hand was gonna catch on fire 🤣

[@Feenix102]

I love this, I actually got a little emotional, lol. Its a simple thing but I've never seen anyone blend paint with their hands like that before - it makes so much sense! Incredible work.

[@slecuyer21]

It is a pretty common blending technique, you just need to be okay with getting a little more messy😊

[@Feenix102]

Mm, honestly its one I haven't seen much of. Messy is fine, I think art should be messy - my point was, I guess, the tactility of it, actually touching it is very appealing to me. :)

[@notgreatnotterrible48years63]

That is insanely realistic. I’m impressed

[@nissankahettiarachchige1018]

Best tutorial video I ever seen about acrylic painting techniques.. thank you.!

[@cindychambers1588]

Beautiful! I love your work, Chuck. Thanks for sharing.

[@lorrainebirks2815]

Awesome , the candle looks as if it’s really there and burning bright . Amazing video thank you .

[@flooklh]

Very interesting exercise. Congratulations on a realistic candle.... Thank you for showing us so patiently

[@kingsdaughter777smith3]

Thank you so much Chuck, for painting a realistic flame on a candle. I am in the process of drawing and then painting a log fire, the one's you have at a camp site etc. The process will be very challenging for me to do, as I am still in the learning stages of my painting.. Like you have said, 'just keep on going and see where it leads you'. Although my drawing and painting skills are very amateurish, I will have a go and see what I come up with. Thank you again for showing on how to paint the glow of the flame etc.. (Angela, from Australia)..

[@anitathompson5828]

As they say, "Less is Best"! Absolutely beautiful and a great expression of Hope. Definitely going to be trying this tutorial!

[@michaelk3582]

Beautiful techniques! The moisture and water is something I will definitely try! Thanks!

[@janetmoore2693]

You are so good at not only painting, but explaining how to go about doing it. Thank you for sharing. I am going to try this.

[@snactivist]

The way you painted this makes it look like the darkness is trying to choke the candle. Idk how to describe it, it makes the background look like a physical space

[@ClepsidraSideral]

I followed your instructions and turned out great! Thank you!!

[@chuckblackart]

Awesome and you are welcome!

[@LaineyBug2020]

I've always found the part you said could be tedious & repetitious the most relaxing & therapeutic. I could just get lost in it while the world & all it's problems melted away. Then, as my vision would start to come to life, a beautiful feeling of exciting fulfilment would bloom & blossom!

[@chuckblackart]

Love this comment! Great way to articulate it. Thank you so much

[@nancyheard7448]

Fabulous! Just what I needed. I can’t wait to paint this myself! 🙏🎨💕

[@angelamaxwell59]

Love ❤️ your beautiful works !🎨❤️🌈👍

[@maldoori238]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful skills and inspiring technique. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Many thanks for sharing this video.

[@patricianorman6664]

Chuck, this painting is amazing. I love the way the light is radiating out from the candle. Thank you. Pat

[@chuckblackart]

Thanks Pat!

[@jillvalentine1113]

I'm always amazed at when you start a painting it seems like a hot mess ha ha. But after watching you paint for so long and to see the time and the labor you put into all of your paintings is the reason I am drawn in to your works. I love each and every detail that you put in that has that WOW effect. I am so inspired to paint better every time I watch you Chuck!!

[@chuckblackart]

Thanks Jill! I appreciate it all thank you for writing!!!!

[@MichaelBrooksmsb400]

I'm just amazed that there are Artists out there who are not afraid to use their bare fingers to blend paint on Canvas, be it in Acrylics or Oils. Reminds me of Adult version of Children's finger painting.

[@chelseabutcher5948]

Awesome!!! I can’t wait to try this one. It’s so dark and creepy and Renaissance feeling.

[@Levvia]

You, sir, are an artist. This is incredible. Magic.

[@bnuggetart]

I've come back to this video multiple times now over the last 2 years or so and I absorb something new from it each time. 🎨Really love the way you describe what & why you're doing things. Especially love the tip to blend with fingers. Whenever I instinctually use my fingers for something when painting I feel silly for using "bad technique" ... so it's nice to see that it can actually be a good technique. :)

[@kid_at_the_summit]

I'm using this to paint this strong light that is casting on my character, It's a very close to the camera portrait. I want the light on the face to be so strong that it almost seems too be the light source itself. Where the light is, the features get simplified. Thanks it's very helpful!

[@jayasreenair]

Wow... very beautiful. Thanks for this tutorial.

[@moogie3111]

Flipping amazing. Best flame video for acrylics ever.

[@jackmah6140]

2019 and ever ..heheh

[@vinaykumarbeohar3809]

Thanks. Your Technics and teaching method is very good and valuable. Your all paintings are very good in colour choice and depth.

[@kristiewhitney8380]

Simply beautiful

[@jewelpotter6221]

Amazing, feel like that painting could light up a dark room. Thank you so much!!!

[@saniakhan9670]

Thank you so much I followed your instructions and made an art piece for a compatition and I got first place in it So glad I found your video 🌹

[@PreciouzGem777]

Cool! Congratulations

[@amalabdelhamed5811]

this beautifull work and easy to learn thank you

[@clivestein1777]

that is so realistic it could light up a dark room!

[@sandydickinson8222]

Thank you so much. Your work is awesome

[@micheleleonard5003]

Thank you Chuck -- wow -- you're amazing.

[@marjemacmillan1334]

Such depth beautiful thanks

[@GLangendoenTUBE]

Thank you for this tutorial, i have tried it myself and it works very well.

[@BooMcita]

Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this helped! I have a vision an didnt have the skill to make it true. Im gonna practice this and I think that will work! ❤️

[@guichou01]

Very useful tutorial. Thanks a lot for sharing, as usual.

[@strayportal]

Great tutorial, thank you!

[@MB-mz2fz]

Thank you so much for the motivation your tutorial is really interesting...you are a great master

[@LearnFineArt]

I love these types of acrylic paintings ;)

[@nightmare-ish-arts]

This is so amazing and helpful! I was planning on using another tutorial for fire, for my sketchbook cover, but now I’m definitely doing this one, even if I have to practice a few times on a canvas, 😅 but this is really amazing 🤩

[@arieldixon2012]

This was a really good tutorial!! Thanks!

[@weinichjasminrei484]

Wow! So realistic😍 i Love All of ur pictures

[@Tracks777]

Great! Keep it up!

[@helgacobian2114]

cool! i love it !!!

[@Jo-ix3qp]

Thank you..love your videos..

[@davidglez1009]

Thanks a lot, I did step by step and got very good results

[@q8asami988]

simple, yet very beautiful !!

[@patricknoone7153]

q8 Asam

[@roseannerainwatersmith12]

So beautiful! Have you ever done an entire painting just with your fingers?

[@MrSaadabdulaziz]

Oh my god.....thats awsome. Im getting sucked in to painting like in old days like learning to compose music sequencing and stuff.

[@TheInnerVortex]

Thanks - your charisma and skills are greatly appreciated. I have learned something NEW today because of you.

[@paz4584]

Magnifico, nadie hace la iluminación mejor!! Gracias x compartir 👍🏼💖💖😍😍

[@alexandradefreitas]

thanks for uploading! great tutorial!!

[@anthonystoker859]

Thank you Chuck for such great instruction.....based upon your video, I tried painting the candle but in oils instead of acrylics but feel it turned out very well. I would send picture but not sure how to do that:)

[@y_equals_mx_plus_c]

This is amazing!

[@HARDBALLWITHHERMAN]

That’s awesome thank you for sharing

[@dedameda199]

Thanks for lesson ! Very beautiful ! 👏👏👏👍

[@mariewilliams9079]

Excellent tutorial.

[@abdulmusawwir5103]

I wants to became a great artist like you love you sir

[@hellkatathome1913]

Thank you, very well taught

[@youtuberfangirlnamededyn6186]

This was very helpful thank you😊

[@debbiestrotz6917]

Amazing!!!!

[@CalrissianSteele]

Thank you for this. Very helpful to what I am going to work on.

[@svgaming9126]

Play the video with speed 1.5x 😊

[@geraldinecrowley9172]

Great tutorial Many thanks

[@scottblauvelt6472]

I adore this

[@yditto2499]

That was great. Thank you for this!

[@joofark]

Thank you so much! It's beautiful! And now I know how to do it too. :)

[@eefvan5205]

Fantastico, briljant

[@dibinaalen798]

Awesome work

[@chuckblackart]

Thank you Dibina!

[@abdulmusawwir5103]

Thanks sir you are my inspiration

[@chamoussette]

tanks for your sharing

[@societygates2861]

THANK YOU

[@MyHalfbloodprince]

you are just great............:)

[@rosaaguiar757]

hay que dejar secar unas capas para aplicar otras.Muy agradecida por sus explicaciones.

[@fredmarshall2113]

hi chuck this is very hard in oils nice job!!!

[@seanbranagan2778]

This is an excellent tutorial

[@LIBERTYVIEWS]

Thanks so much for your great demos and tutorials. QUESTION: Have you ever tried the water soluble oil paints? I'll continue to browse your videos, in case you have done this...but could you demo or mention about these interesting paints and how you would or would not use them. Thanks Chuck!

[@BoneLonesome]

I use a syringe to keep clean water in for mixing, it also allows for distributing the water a drop at a time. I asked my dentist for some and she obliged.

[@brahmatmikapany7179]

I am a big fan of urs.. every technique of u is very clear n easy to learn....

[@chuckblackart]

Thank you great to see that!

[@victoriac9884]

would a blending medium be useful for something like this?

[@richardbailey2624]

Beautiful work Chuck ! I like the way you use your fingers and the drying stages on the glow. Also, for showing us how the top of the candle can enhance the brightest of the flame. Would the process be the same on a white canvas ?

[@chuckblackart]

You could use white yes, it might take a little bit more work to blend the dark colors together however. I appreciate that!

[@elainemcbride6517]

When using acrylics do you ever do "dry brushing" or "side-load floats"?

[@Gtrive]

Chuck I LOVED the fun, short technique!! I could really explore the technique on this one! This was a very good tutorial!! I'd love it if you do a couple more like this, working with full paintings but short lessons, one tiny thing at a time. This was amazing. Thank you tons!!!! :)

[@aparnapaudyal]

thank you for me such a brilliant tutor 🙂

[@chuckblackart]

Thank you I appreciate that. You are welcome!

[@mariewehofer6321]

I thought I was the only one that used their hands and fingers to blend lol!! Wonderful, helpful video!

[@gelflingfay]

Fanning that out. LOL Fanning the flame you mean! That is fantastic. All joking aside tht is beautiful and an excellent tutorial.

[@alexisnicole3965]

LOve it, thanks!

[@sdigiaco]

Amazing

[@vanessalionel7614]

You've been very helpful.

[@darthvato3303]

🙋 Question. If I want my neon blue, green, and yellow to really be bright, but my canvas is dark., do I apply a layer of white first? Or is it not necessary?

[@xox___neen]

how would you go about the lighting of an object below the candle? for example, I'm wanting to paint a skull below, holding the candle up. would I use the same concept you used for the light hitting the candle itself or would I use a glaze of red/black mixture? or would I use just a glaze of yellow to represent the light?

[@glendaford1328]

so good thanks

[@amnamateen7913]

its amazing ! did you first painted the canvas black? and then let it dried and afterwards painted the candle?

[@aquamarine2416]

Beautiful Wow

[@2openhere]

You talk about gesso and not sanding, did you do that and how did you get a black canvas, is that black or a mixture of colours?

[@jhoeyvee1]

Amazing ! I almost call the FIRE DEPT I thought your canvas is literally on fire😮😮😮😮