The Secrets of Colour Temperature (Warm and Cool Colours) - How to Paint #3 - MV34

Michael Markowsky reveals the secrets of colour temperature and how they can be used when mixing acrylic paint. He also describes how using cool colours in the background makes warm colours in the foreground appear to "pop-forward." Video shot on February 3rd and edited by Michael Markowsky on February 14-17, 2016.
The paints I use in this video are:
Cerulean Blue - Cool
Ultramarine Blue - Warm
Quinacridone Magenta - Cool
Cadmium Red Medium Hue - Warm
Cadmium Yellow Light Hue - Cool
Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue - Warm
Please watch all of the videos in my "How to Paint" series!
1) Introduction to The Artist's Colour Wheel: • Introduction to The Ar...
2) Value (Modifying Colours with Tints, Tones, Shades): • Value (Modifying Colou...
3) The Secrets of Colour Temperature (Warm and Cool Colours): • The Secrets of Colour ...
4) The BEST Color Mixing Tutorial EVER: • The BEST Color Mixing ...
5) Paint Van Gogh's "Sunflowers": • Paint Van Gogh's "Sunf...
6) Paint Edvard Munch's "The Scream": • Paint Edvard Munch's "...
To see more of Michael Markowsky's art, please visit:
- Website: www.michaelmarkowsky.com/
- Instagram: / markowskyart
- Facebook: / markowskyart
- Twitter: / markowskyart
- KZbin: / mmarkowsky
“Bonus Smoothie” by The Custodian of Records is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.
thecustodianofrecords.blogspot...

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks for watching! Subscribe, tune-in to my WEEKLY LIVESTREAM and say hello! ❤I still do monthly FREE FEEDBACK episodes of your drawings and paintings, so JOIN the Facebook group and upload your art to participate! facebook.com/groups/masterstudy.ca Also, there is a DROPBOX FOLDER with handouts seen on screen (Some folders are empty because their resources are bundled into PDF inside an earlier folder): www.dropbox.com/sh/0pd5wsqba98k9ld/AAC8vjoo-L5z7QVIqYGwYqVra?dl=0

[@judithwalker3370]

Wow. Warm foreground, cool background. So simple and brilliant!

[@twitashata]

You are a real hero, Michael Markowsky! Thank you so much for a great tutorial!

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you Tasha! I really appreciate the kind words!

[@linneadoden5597]

I love simple straight forward explanations ive been trying for years to understand

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks Linnea! I’m happy to help out a fellow artist!

[@vyers31]

these are the best lessons on painting that i've found for a beginner like me, congrats on the great work, really appreciate it!

[@monicabilicic9479]

omg been painting for 2 years now self taught n I knew there was more to color than what I was doing... Thanks so much this has helped me so much!

[@kanny8742]

After a month of confusion i finally found the video.Thank you for making my life better.

[@MarkowskyArt]

A_21_N: Awesome! I’m so glad you found it and were able to answer some of the questions that perplexed you! Happy painting!

[@debbiesunlight7047]

I love the way you speak on your tutorials it’s so good to hear the emphasis makes it easier to remember. When I do this exercise I can hear your voice telling me in the same way. Lol.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you Debbie Sunlight for the lovely comment! I’m soo happy to have become a voice in your head! Haha! I wish you all the best in your creative adventures!

[@meromero3353]

Me too Lool

[@KaraArtSpace]

A fantastic explanation of something so complicated! Thank you Michael. You have helped to consolidate my learning of colour theory :D

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you Kara for watching my video and for writing such a lovely comment!

[@sadafkhan1858]

Hands down the best color theory on painting and great manner of explaining.. Thank you

[@f1sh.s41nt]

This is the best explanation I’ve seen for colour temperature

[@MarkowskyArt]

Forsha Santiago thanks for the generous comment! It's not an easy concept to explain so it's good to know I was able to help demystify it!

[@lajo_jose]

Best info about colour theory online. Thank you so much. You did it very simple

[@MarkowskyArt]

Lajo Jose thank you! I really appreciate your generous comment on my video!

[@jacobthomas9364]

@@MarkowskyArt Yes, it was a great eye opener, that helped me too. We are thankful for these teachings. 👍🎨

[@victorias5386]

This is THE BEST vid I’ve watched on color temp. Thank you!!!

[@lisengel2498]

That was a very fine tutorial that with all the different simple examples really demonstrated the big differences and at the same time made it very clear to me what I was attracted to and what I did not like. Colour mixing and especially the color temperatures are truly a matter of the felt quality of a painting - as you said the way of experiencing is also a matter of personal taste. Thank you for a very fine tutorial

[@saravanamurthy8806]

Excellent , thank you very much Mr.Michael...

[@catpaws2452]

Thank you so much! I've learned about color temperature years ago but never grasped the idea of placement for those colors. Thank you so much!!

[@MarkowskyArt]

UPDATE (NOV 2020): Watch the FREE acrylic painting course that I'm CURRENTLY TEACHING here on KZbin! The first few episodes I explain everything in this video IN DEPTH, so if you found this video interesting, there is already over 40 hours of FREE content for you to enjoy! Every Tuesday and Thursday at 4pm PST (Vancouver/Los Angeles time), I demonstrate how to paint all sorts of different paintings! You can tune in and watch me do it LIVE and I can respond to your comments in real time! Of course each episode is archived and you can watch them on your own time or skip ahead if you want! HERE is the link to the ACRYLIC PAINTING COURSE: kzbin.info/aero/PLdIDMj3VSgBf33sTN7s4fh2bDiROWw4Fp Also, if you want to watch the full 40-episode FREE INTRODUCTORY DRAWING COURSE (recorded LIVE during the summer of 2020), here is the link to that: kzbin.info/aero/PLdIDMj3VSgBfRYygdixt6Msj2c5K8Kmfg

[@amandasoberano548]

This was a great video. Definitely helped me to better understand the relationship between colors and how to use them to achieve depth. Thanks so much!

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you Amanda! I'm really happy that I was able to help! - Michael

[@KerikPaintsaPicture]

Finally a good explanation on this topic, didn't know I needed it until I saw this video, Thank you.

[@jayashreeshenoy1166]

Simply amazing tutorial! Thanks a ton

[@namenotimportant5571]

At last theory explained simply and concisely ,nice one 👌🏻

[@MarkowskyArt]

New videos coming in May 2019! What aspects of painting and drawing do you find most challenging? I’m currently writing and planning a whole new series of instructional videos, and I’m looking for YOUR ideas! SUBSCRIBE, turn your notifications on, and stay tuned! - Michael

[@neparlezpas]

Hi, i'm teaching college classes for drawing and painting. I love your videos, and have shared a couple with my students. I'd love it if you did a video on perspective drawing!

[@donnasheehan680]

MarkowskyArt Love how you simplify these lessons! I would love to see lessons on value.

[@user-fu6wu6vd5w]

Thank you so much! where are you now? Great videos!

[@prasadugaonkar]

Thanks a lot for teaching basic of painting colours and effects. Keep it up.

[@dfangirlKraze]

I never knew I needed this in my whole life! until now... uhm thank you very much! I feel blessed😊

[@deborawagner7657]

Thank you! I'm attempting to learn portraiture and was struggling with getting the highlight on the eye for an out door setting. You demonstrated and explained it so precisely! Very helpful to me.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you Debora! I really appreciate your thoughtful comment and for you sharing with me how I was able to help you! Best wishes on your art journey!

[@TheJubiks]

I appreciate you making these videos. Thank you!

[@sheliacruz3502]

Just found you. What a find. I am so going to enjoy spending my time learning from you.

[@RanchoZabara]

Michael..I just ran across your color mixing videos tonight. I spent a lot of time trying to explain the warm/cool theory to a new painter at long distance. I did send along your first but now am sending your others. Good stuff...wish this had been available to me when I first started on the painting journey...and that can be a lifetime journey as you must know. Thanks for a very helpful demo.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks Max for the generous comment! Glad that I was able to help!

[@crisalidathomassie1811]

Great demo! Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks for watching and leaving a generous comment Crisalida! Best wishes on your creative journey!

[@MaryUkraine]

Thank you, great tutorial!

[@kruthikaravindran5773]

Great explanation.. never heard of this concept.. helps a lot to learn basics of painting 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 thank u from India

[@mireillelebeau2513]

Got me subscribed because you're the best teacher I found on the net and kind of obsessed with pine cones

[@MarkowskyArt]

Haha! Thanks Mireille Lebeau for your generous comment! And yes, I do have a thing for pine cones! 😂

[@avileno50]

Thanks one of the best vídeo in the subjects

[@xFieRZex]

Oh man! Thank you so much!!!

[@MarkowskyArt]

Фомичёв Илья You are very welcome! I'm so happy that it was useful to you!

[@normasteuber7491]

You are a very good teacher!!!

[@avileno50]

Amazing explanations

[@smuccilicious]

This was really good.

[@lolly5453]

You should throw us the occasional vlog Michael! These are great 😅 Even just the entertaining little pinecone hunts, or wandering around drawing random stuff... I would love to see more of that! Just a thought 😆

[@JUMBARGUITAR]

very cool thank you so much for ditales !!

[@tariqsaddique4080]

Excellent.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks Tariq!

[@patrickcharles7190]

Really informative. I would recommend this video for anybody new to painting.....or searching for pine cones. Lol. Thanks.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Hahahaha! Thanks Patrick! I really appreciate this generous comment. Very kind of you. All the best, Michael

[@philomenajohn8887]

This is wonderful

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you Philomena for the comment!

[@pixel73]

Best info about colour

[@urszulakubrak3223]

Thank you

[@Shahd-zm1dp]

Very helpful, thank you

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks Shahd! Happy to help!

[@song4night]

colors are mysterious. even more mysterious is how his hair stays up like that!

[@MarkowskyArt]

Hahaha! My hair has a mind of it's own, it cannot be tamed!

[@song4night]

@@MarkowskyArt hahahahahaha!!!

[@brittanyhunter7305]

omg dude. I have been drawing/sketching since i was 8. i have always been scared of painting but now i am 30 and i want to paint! this has been the hardest (color temperatures)! i didn't understand why or how to get colors to mix to the right color! this video is seriously amazing! i have watch hundreds of videos! this video is naked! the info we are actually needing! i love how your like, "pause the video and do this so you get what i am saying." i never comment on vids. the depth info with the temperatures! what!! anyway, AWESOME.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Brittany Hunter thanks for the generous comment! I’m glad it has helped you! I wish you all the best on your new painting journey!

[@halfabee]

Great video just starting out in painting heard about temperature colour, Heard about depth depending on temperature colour cooler colours at the back but did not understand it until now.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks Paul for the generous comment! I'm really glad to have been able to help a fellow artist!

[@ablofaiz]

This indeed is something difficult to grasp. You have indeed taken they mystery out of this subject. To all those who are starting to paint, or even for those who are already painting, this should add considerably to their ability to create better paintings.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Abdullah Faiz Thank you for your thoughtful comment on my video. If only one person finds it helpful then it was worth all the time I spent making it! Have a wonderful day, Michael

[@gematria125]

Hello your video is unusual. You have ability to entertain and plus your lesson is right to the point. With your jokes, you like warm colors put yourself in front of the video but then again your sayings is becoming cool . Your appearance is a kind of funny but then again some movement are cool and even scientific. All in all your video is one of the coolest and warmest and as such multidimensional I ever seen so far in you-tube. I subscribe and wish you happy work for another videos.

[@MarkowskyArt]

WOW! Thank you for such a generous and kind comment! I really appreciate your support and I'm working on new videos as we speak! Thank you again! Michael

[@angelicamacasinag4845]

Oh, and I thought that yellow is the warmest color on the color wheel(such a shame, i know)! Thank you so much for the info!

[@MarkowskyArt]

Hi Angelica! Yes, that what many people think as well. There is lots of false information out there. I'm glad you never gave up and kept doing research until you found the truth!

[@IHaveNoLaifu]

I recently got suspicious that the blues in my double primary palette were set up wrong-- I had ultramarine blue with my cold colors and phthalo blue in with my warm colors. This explains why I never make nice vibrant purples... especially with phthalo blue. I was a few days away from replacing phthalo blue altogether. Also the cool colors in the background and warm colors in the foreground is super interesting. Next time I paint, I'm definitely going to play around with that.

[@sukhwinderkaur7690]

You are best

[@beepbeepimasheep237beepbee3]

Helps!

[@meromero3353]

Hi, I want to thank you about your lessons. I'm now understand the color theory and the differance between cool and warm colors. now I want to make colors chart and add tint, tone and shade colors at the same chart but I don't know how to do it. all the charts that I saw on You Tube is mixed only with tint. it would be great if you make it. I'm from saudia so sorry if my English is bad

[@kimesty]

Wow you are terrific! I would love to hire you for lessons!!! Excellent lesson|!!:) ! Thank you!!!!!!

[@earhoney]

In my mind I could never judge whether a color was a warm version or cool until I saw a video on youtube that said if effect if your are judging yellow for example ask yourself is it trying to be green or is it trying to be orange. Eureka I finally got it.

[@WJC1981]

I love this guy such a cool dude and helping loads with understanding colour. Did you ever find that pinecone?

[@jia01510]

Wes C He did! At the end of the video :-)

[@rabusmccaleb7944]

he blew my mind at 4:09

[@oliverizzard8751]

Mine too. So that's what people learn in art school? 🤔

[@Bhodisatvas]

Rothko was a master at this.

[@lenamahayni6216]

Excellent thks very much💐

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks Lena! I'm glad you liked it!

[@larrysvision7084]

I don't think the signage at 11:13, comparing 6 and 7, is supposed to read the same. Please advise what was meant to be posted. Thanks.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks again Larry for noticing that! The text should be changed to read "PAINTING #6: background composed of WARM Red + Warm Blue." PAINTING #6 was made with WARM Red and Warm Blue -which are almost across from one another on the colour wheel- thus resulting in a dull, grey-ish violet. PAINTING #7 was made using WARM Red in the foreground, and COOL Red and Warm Blue in the background. The Cool Red and Warm Blue are much closer to one another and thus produce a much more saturated violet.

[@SebastianTinajero]

Larrys Vision i noticed that too

[@TodaysEdition]

I think you can add a pop-up comment overlay on the video at this point in the video to clarify. Great vid though!

[@manuelaherr9027]

I feel sorry I just found your channel. I like the way you teach and beeing easy about it. I am painting now for a while tutorials and I get lost in my many many coulours. Can you help me out please and tell me which ones of my primary colours are cool and which one are worm? I have in yellows: lemon yellow,cad yellow medium hue, warm yellow, brilliant yellow. My blues are: ultramarine blue, arctic blue, sea blue, cobalt blue, cyan blue normal, blueviolett, phthaloblue green shade. My reds are: winered, permanent red, magenta normal, cadred deep hue, quinacridone magenta and real cadmium red deep. I get confused with all this colours and their temperature. Can you help me out please? It would also be nice if you could make a video about acrylic brushes. I got a big package of brushes and I thought I would get finally good bright brushes, but they were flats. Can I cut the flats a little to make brights out of them? They have synthethic fibers. Thank you already for helping me out! I love your channel and I am happy that I found you! Love and Greetings from Germany and me, Manuela, to you! Be blessed! 😍👍💐

[@ocriodain]

Manuela Herr just concentrate on a red like alizirian crimson,u marine blue and cad yellow mix those to make your secondaries along with black and white u can create any painting you like I also used to buy too many colors

[@dv2031]

Your Videos are super good. When you mean 'same family' do you mean 'same tone' colours?

[@dcorsetto]

This may sound silly (especially on a video that we can pause), but THANK YOU for speaking so slowly and clearly! Almost 30 years into painting, I'm only now realizing that "primary" colors aren't completely primary, and that they skew one direction or the other. I have two questions: one (speaking of the word "primary"), while your pro tip seems like sound advice to me, I was surprised to find that Holbein carries gouache paints titled with the word "primary." I've always heard good things about Holbein; do you have an opinion on their paints? And two, I'm desperately looking for a LIST of which colors fall into the cool vs warm categories (as well as advice on how and when to use particular black and white pigments). Do you have any advice for finding out the bias of particular pigments? Thanks so much for your help & your videos!

[@MarkowskyArt]

Hi Danielle! Thanks for the comment on my video! I personally use Gamblin oil paint, and they have a fantastic colour temperature list on their website (gamblincolors.com/color-temperature-list/). You can use this list regardless of whether you paint in acrylic, watercolour, gouache, oils, etc. As for how to determine the bias of particular pigments, that sounds like a great video idea! Thanks for the tip! - Michael

[@dcorsetto]

@@MarkowskyArt Thank you! I did find that list, but it's strangely lacking information on blacks (no prob - I found the info on black bias elsewhere), and there are a few other color names from other brands that of course aren't on this list. I'm so surprised by the lack of information on this online! Or, if the info IS out there, I'm surprised how hard it is to track down! I'd love to see a video on this if you find time. :)

[@MarkowskyArt]

@@dcorsetto The reason virtually no information about this exists is that most paint companies and books about painting are not actually made/written by working artists! So incorrect information keeps getting repeated over and over again (I know, it's frustrating!), and it's not until you actually start mixing paint and painting that you realize that what you've been told about so-called "Primary Colours" doesn't make any sense. Literally every single day (I'm not kidding) someone writes an angry comment or message to me about how my videos are "wrong" because they go against what their high school art teacher (who probably also taught football and math) told them. But if anyone doubts what I'm saying, they just have to mix the paint themselves and see! I'm not hiding anything: in fact, I'm just sharing the secrets of painting that artists have been using for over 500 hundred years.

[@dcorsetto]

@@MarkowskyArt I think that's what's most frustrating about this, is that it's been common knowledge among painters (or, at least, I'd assume so) for so long, but I don't remember learning it in painting classes, I don't see other artists talking about it, and most importantly (aside from the company you linked to up there), it doesn't seem like paint companies make the information easily available. Then again, I'm in the "other artists" category, so maybe I should put my money where my mouth is and start getting loud about it online! ;)

[@samarindo]

I am your fan and I find u handsome n cool

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thank you for the sweet comment! 😊❤️

[@danahougen7374]

What kind of paper is used in this video please?

[@burnellbrown5299]

Maimeri Puro: Primary Red-Magenta

[@janatadiariesproductions1544]

one thing i noticed you used red ball but their is a problem in it...red cant get more brighter but it can get darker...it can have highlight...

[@Moneyaddthenmultiply]

This skill is, IMO, over 50% of a good painting, traditional and digital

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks PeeyanoKeys! Yes, these basic colour theory lessons can really transform mediocre paintings into great paintings, regardless of whether they are done on the computer or on an actual canvas! Cheers!

[@deepalisoodchaudhri6942]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🙏🏻

[@MarkowskyArt]

Right back at ya! Thanks Deepali!

[@mischabe3]

To me, Ultramarine Blue is a cool blue.

[@mariakendi368]

OMG I think you've lost me somewhere. i'm going to need a lot more practice!

[@Wordofboredom]

How do you know ultra Marine is cool, as blue just goes towards green and purple not orange

[@MarkowskyArt]

Ultramarine blue is WARM. Its pigment has a reddish/orange cast, which is why mixing it with a cool Red will get you a great purple! In other words, only half of the billions of blues that exist “go towards green,” while the other half “go towards orange.”

[@kommi1974]

Golden does have primary colors. They are artist grade.

[@grvonny]

You also can't find a comb to comb your hair.

[@larrysvision7084]

Never mind, I think I got it. One should say cool red and the other warm red,

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks for noticing that mistake! The text should be changed to read "PAINTING #6: background composed of WARM Red + Warm Blue." PAINTING #6 was made with WARM Red and Warm Blue -which are almost across from one another on the colour wheel- thus resulting in a dull, grey-ish violet. PAINTING #7 was made using WARM Red in the foreground, and COOL Red and Warm Blue in the background. The Cool Red and Warm Blue are much closer to one another and thus produce a much more saturated violet.

[@music-sc7eg]

The tutorials are great and we don't need the zaps of music. I realise this is an old vid so things may have changed, I wll look.

[@MarkowskyArt]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback! Michael

[@tazaabha]

i dont understand how ultramarine blue is warm and cerulean blue is cool. to me they are opposite :(

[@MarkowskyArt]

Hi Taz A! That's a very good question, and I've been wanting to make a video about it for a while now. You are right, it can be very difficult to determine the temperature of a color just by looking at it! And of the three primary colors, blue is particularly difficult! This is because blue is generally "darker" than red and yellow, so it's harder to discern the differences between two dark blues. The best technique is to create a little color chart like I do in the next episode (#4 kzbin.info/www/bejne/oGPJgKaois2GjtU), and try mixing Ultramarine Blue (Warm) with a warm yellow (Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue) and then try mixing another, separate swatch with a cool yellow (Cadmium Yellow Light Hue). You'll notice that the two greens will be slightly different. Next try mixing both yellows (separately of course!) with Cerulean Blue (Cool), and you'll notice that the resulting greens are going to be much, much more saturated, bright and vibrant than the greens that you had mixed with Ultramarine Blue. Again, I explain why in the next episode. Lastly, I would encourage you to label your colors as "Cool" and "Warm" so that you don't forget. I literally take a sharpie and write those words on each tube of paint so that I don't even have to think about it when I'm reaching for a color!

[@zeynozeyno7632]

@@MarkowskyArt you are a big hearted person because you give importance to your audience who wants to improve and learn sth from you.. thanks for your efforts 💐💐

[@MarkowskyArt]

zeynep elbir: thank you for your generous comment! I really appreciate your support! Best wishes on your creative journey!

[@royalecrafts6252]

There arent cool or warm reds, is just how the material that you are painting absorbs or reflects light

[@MarkowskyArt]

Sorry, you’re wrong.

[@royalecrafts6252]

@@MarkowskyArt no lol, is just that they appear colder or warmer when comparing near to other hues, but standalone they are just red and blues without that, unless you are talking about undertone

[@royalecrafts6252]

@@MarkowskyArt not every material is reddish because is warm the same way as not every material is bluish because is cold, you have to think how the material that you are painting absorbs and reflects light, dont think just in terms of warms and colds, that is just our petty mammalian brain playing tricks on us

[@MarkowskyArt]

@@royalecrafts6252 500 years of science and art history disagree with your own personal theory, but it sounds like you’ve developed a system that works for you, so good luck on your creative journey!

[@royalecrafts6252]

@@MarkowskyArt science alone tells you that the bluer the hotter :3

[@kelechim-8406]

Great lesson, but needs to be slower.