Quick Tip 112 - Warm Colors/Cool Colors?

In response to a question from one of our KZbin channel subscribers, art teacher Dianne Mize sets the record straight on what makes a color warm or cool.

[@heatherwagner8563]

This was the best explanation of warm vs cold color theory I've heard after scouring the internet for a few days! BRAVO!!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks!

[@annsowers4591]

The absolute best explanation I have ever heard. Thank you so much!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks, Ann. And thanks for watching.

[@judithpetree6329]

I've asked this question of many other artists but have seemed to be left just as puzzled by the differences in warm and cool colors as before. Ms. Mizes concise explanation is the most clear one I've encountered yet and the most helpful. Thank you!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks, Judith.

[@giovannisiano574]

Very interesting. As I got indication from artists tutorials that Ultramarine blue was cool-er and Phtalo blue warm-er, I was a bit skeptical about the classification when using them and doing exercises. Now I understand why. Thank you for explaining it all !

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

My pleasure.

[@corneliuiancu2642]

Excelent and helpful explanation

[@claraedouwesdekker6389]

Thank you so much! Incredibly helpful!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

My pleasure.

[@jackiegarroutte8970]

Thank you so much! You are an awesome teacher

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

My pleasure. Thanks.

[@lisamaier9984]

Thank for this very informative tutorial. I just have to figure out "air perspective" and I will be set. Thank you again.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Lisa, let me know if you'd like a Quick Tip to help you figure it out.

[@dianescheel2927]

Thank you. I never understood it until now.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Now, how fun with it.

[@jannettebeatsonberger2516]

Intrigued. Will follow. Thank you.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks for watching.

[@aeastman59]

that is really helpful, thank you!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

You're welcome!

[@janicerobinson5286]

Very helpful...especially since one needs to have another color beside it......And this info was based on physics...not just “feelings”.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Right! So glad it was helpful.

[@caglask]

Hello, thank you for a great tutorial. I have a question, some very experienced artists call ultramarine blue as a cool color and I don't understand why or how.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Ah, the ultramarine blue temp question - that one remains a debate. It depends upon which color system one uses and there are several, each claiming to be THE correct one. In the long run, the temperature of any color depends upon other colors surrounding it. But here's my take: I use the traditional 12-hue color wheel based roughly on the Newton system. On it, yellow is the warmest hue. (Other systems call red or orange the warmest hue). The three traditional blues in tubes are Phthalo (also called Thalo or Winsor), Cobalt and Ultramarine. Placed on the color wheel, Phthalo Blue leans towards yellow, cobalt is pure primary leaning towards neither yellow or red and ultramarine leans towards purple which contains red. Therefore, in this system, Ultramarine the coolest among the three because, on the wheel, it's further from yellow than the other two. Hope this helps.

[@caglask]

@@IntheStudioArtInstruction thank you very much for the reply, really appreciated 😊😊🎨

[@giovannisiano574]

Yes, I have the same experience...

[@lorig1044]

Best Explanation ever!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks!

[@rupalimalhotra9585]

I couldn't understand. What Rambandht is. Is it type of blue. How u pronounce it. Thanks Rims1

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Like the artist, it is spelled R e m b r a n d t.

[@partingmist8550]

Wait , that means if you start at yellow and add red to gets cooler, if you start and yellow and add blue it gets cooler So which is warmer a yellow that has a bit of red (maybe yellow orange) or a yellow that has a bit of blue (yellow green)? I guess the farther away from yellow it is the cooler it is regardless of direction? My inclination would be to say yellow plus red would be warmer then yellow plus blue but im not sure. Any thoughts on the warm vs cool yellows?

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

There's a lot of debate about that. In their highest saturation, both yellow orange and yellow green appear brilliant and hot. But blue always cools a color. In a realistic painting, their intensity will most likely be more neutral, in which case the yellow-green feels cooler than a lower intensity yellow orange. It's mostly a matter of perception as well as the temperature of the light both colors are under.

[@partingmist8550]

@@IntheStudioArtInstruction Thanks for sharing your thoughts on that. The desaturated yellow-green also feels cooler than the desaturated yellow-orange to me. I think one way of thinking might be : since blue is cooler than red going towards blue (yellow-green) is cooler then going towards red (yellow-orange.) All in all thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, I really love color and I have been think about color temperature here lately [ ill be painting to test my thoughts :) ]

[@stanTrX]

Thanks a lot!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

You're welcome!

[@rupalimalhotra9585]

Dear Mam Is it kind of blue. Thanks Rims1

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

It's a visual version of our sense of warm and cold. Imagine a campfire on a cold night. The further way you are from it, the cooler you feel. The closer you are to it, the warmer. The concept of cool/warm is derived from our physical sense of warm and cool. Think about it.

[@aylaperez2778]

Blue is a cool color cause it reminds us of the sea and the ocean

[@rupalimalhotra9585]

Dear Mam As u have told of dozens of blue warm vs cool colours. Same way can u guide me different shades of yellows. Like cadmium chrome yellow and deep chrome yellow. Thanks Rims1

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Rupali, if you begin to recognize tube colors according to their hue, the degree of saturation of the hue, and the value of the hue, you will be able to identify any tube color.

[@jaimehernandelgadoquintero4539]

Gracias

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

My pleasure.

[@RatnaGemstore]

Thanks Mam

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks for watching.

[@karindogs628]

why do we need to know about warm and cool colors please i find it very difficult

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Because without understanding warm and cool, we handicap ourselves in giving our work harmony. That's the short answer.

[@DorisGlovier]

It helps to understand that cool colors tend to recede in a painting. Warm colors give the impression of coming forward. For example, to show distance in a landscape painting, the colors in the distance should cool as they go back. For example, the greens would have more blue in the mix. The reds would also have blue in the mix. The foreground trees would have more yellows in the greens, etc. Rocks in the background would be cooler in color and more grayed down than the ones in the foreground, those would have more orange tones and warmer colors. These are general, simplified answers but I hope they help.

[@naveraa]

Isn’t red the warmest?

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

There are theories that call red the warmest, but traditionally, the temperature of color has been determined by the degree of warmth associated with heat. In fire, yellow is hotter than red, therefore traditionally yellow is warmer than red.

[@aylaperez2778]

Yellow is warmer because in fire yellow is warmer than red

[@rupalimalhotra9585]

Dear Mam Is there any way that we can mix two colour to get pathalo blue. Secondly what is the size of flat brush u use Thanks Rims1

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Probably not. The formulation of Phthalo Blue gives it its hue, transparancy and depth in value. You can approximate the hue with Rembrandt Viridian + Ultramarine Blue. The brush is a Rosemary 274 #6.

[@irenegarcia7356]

I thought. Neutral was not cool or warm ?? Just Neutral. ??😮

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

An exact neutral is neither warm nor cool isolated from hues, but when surrounded by a hue that has saturation, the neutral will appear the opposite temperature of the hue surrounding it. Simultaneous contrast does that.