Quick Tip 394 - Light Sources on Evergreens

In this Quick Tip artist/art teacher Dianne Mize answers two questions using brush stroke techniques and showing how to interpret the light and shadows that you see.
www.diannemize.com
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[@dannhenry4346]

Love listening to a actual teacher! Teacher is someone who has the ability to take something hard and explain so that you can understand and then do.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks!

[@kevinjones7777]

Thanks again Dianne, I am enjoying the journey. I think that I am learning more with you than I have in the past 30 years of painting, I think that is because you teach everything and you do not just teach from giving colour recipes and how to apply them.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

I am delighted, Kevin. No, to me recipes restrict discovery.

[@debbiekey5255]

Thanks so much for the lesson! As always, I learn a great deal. Over this last year or two you have taken my art to another level! Eternally grateful!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

I am delighted, Debbie! Continue to enjoy the journey.

[@evealton2712]

I really enjoyed this. Thank you again. I love the perspective you teach. It opens up so much. I thank you for all that you offer free and otherwise. Also I really enjoyed the newsletter and didn't know where to say that.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks, Eve. Here was a great place to mention the newsletter. So glad you're enjoying it and our Tips.

[@mimisart]

Awesome video and tip. I love painting trees 🌳 🌲 so it’s nice to know I’m kind of doing it ‘right’. I could paint trees all Day.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Keep enjoying your journey.

[@roseeartworksnl7992]

Informative video as always. Thank you Dianne!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

You are so welcome!

[@joanistotler8804]

I always learn something from your teachings and this is no different - like the angle of the light and going back for the darker parts where the light is so blocked. Thanks for sharing!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

You are very welcome, Joani. Have fun with this one.

[@joanistotler8804]

@@IntheStudioArtInstruction I did! Went outside right away and did a quick study so I'll remember it!

[@chayita7]

@@joanistotler8804 Tha's great idea. Immediate reinforcement.

[@mariecaroniaplotkin5268]

Love your videos Dianne

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks, Marie.

[@margaretbutters6181]

thankyou another great lesson

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

My pleasure!

[@claudeduda3607]

Very useful to me 🤗

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Glad to hear that. Thanks for watching.

[@mrsnrub9780]

One of my favourite paintings of all time is Van Gogh's Cypress Trees - and it's ALL for that spontaneity and freedom of genuine expression. It literally couldn't be further from a restricted process. I rarely ever paint trees myself, (oddly enough) but whenever I do, I think about Vincent's Cypress Trees and select rhythm, movement and "the process" over anything else. I would NEVER just grab a fan brush and thump in endless reams of Zs everywhere and call them evergreens, that would just be downright depressing.

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Van Gogh's spontaneity and freedom carried with it a strong intuitive perception of what light was doing to color.

[@emgnl]

Hello Dianne. I love to paint outside but the weather is often cloudy and overcast. What to do if there isn't a strong enough light source? Thank you for sharing your knowledge so generously!

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Thanks for your question, Esther. The degree of value changes always show us what the light is doing to the color. When it's overcast, the light source is diffused causing the sky, then, to become the major light source. Look for those subtle changes in value and you will see what the light is doing.

[@emgnl]

@@IntheStudioArtInstruction Thank you! This is helpful 🎨 Ready to venture out and practice 🖌️

[@jodigrever9901]

@@IntheStudioArtInstruction Thank you for that reply. Very helpful for a picture that has challenged me.

[@chayita7]

Hi, Dianne. Last weeks' newsletter really 'spoke' to me, as well as this QT. I have just compleed a painting based on a beautiful scene which I photographed from high above it (mountainous cliffs, sea, trees and shapes of hills in the very far distance.) The problem is that it is mid-day and there is no in-shadow area, whatsoever, even underneath the major mountain. What there is, however, is sharp temperature contrast: bright yellow mountain cliff vs blue sea and cool purplish hills in the sky area. There is also hue contrast: yellow orange vs blue and yellow and yellow greens vs. various shades of violets. Everone exclaims over the painting but the lack of value contrast disturbs me. (By the way, there is a stunning geometric design which happened almost by itself.) Do you think it is inadvisable to paint scenes such as these during mid-day in summer? I googled similar mountain-sea scenes and found it hard to find in-shadow areas. My attempt at artificially introducing shadows did not help. Should I just leave it? Carol

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Carol, there has to be some value contrast in the scene, else it would have been dull. One good way to test that is to throw your photo into tones of gray in your photo editing software, then look for the degrees of value differences visible without the hue. How the values differences are arranged show us what the light is doing, so when we learn to focus on that, we will always see it.

[@chayita7]

@@IntheStudioArtInstruction thanks, Dianne. I think what bothers me is the absence of cast shadows. You're right, of course. 'Internal' shadows are present. But it seems to me that because of the time of (summery) day there is no obvious dichotomy between general light and dark areas. Perhaps I should stick to early mornings or late afternoons from now on. If I stress the value contrast within the images perhaps it's not so terrible that cast shadows are missing in the scene?

[@plakjeham118]

Hello Carol, not sure if this helps but maybe try squinting at the reference picture. (This is just a technique where you squint your eyes so things get a bit blurry). To see the picture in bigger shapes of tone and hue. It may help you see "what creates the depth and makes the picture work for you." Try to do the same with your own painting and compare them. What does the ref have what my painting doesn't? Painting in just the light without the shadow to bring the illusion of a 3d object to life is hard because you're having to work with subtle value changes/gradations. But they are there! It's just not as pronounced. Hope this helps a little, if not I atleast tried. Happy painting!

[@chayita7]

@@plakjeham118 Hello, Freya! I want to thank you for taking the time to connect and advise. What I did in the end is change the time of day. This enabled a clear sense of direction of cast shadows, which, according to my research, as well as observation, is not possible at high noon! (Sometimes there is a hint of cast shadow directly underneath.) wishing you "a healthy winter," Carol

[@lindas.martin2806]

I really like your teaching method and videos but think that in this case having one sample that is bigger or a smaller brush would have helped me more to see how to work the tree. But it was still helpful, thank yo

[@IntheStudioArtInstruction]

Linda, are you watching on your phone? If so, you can see the process really good from a laptop screen. Thanks for watching.