Creating movement with bold brushwork and broken colour. What a lot of paintings lack is movement. Find out how to use bold impressionistic brushwork combined with shimmering broken colour to produce movement in your paintings. In this project we only use two brushes and six colours – nice and simple. Enjoy!
Step 10Painting the Hill and Sky
What color should I mix for the hill and sky in the Hay Bales painting?
For the hill and sky in the Hay Bales painting, you should mix a fairly dark purplish grey. This color should be a mid-value, sitting halfway between black and white on your palette. You can explore more about this technique on the sales page at https://mypaintingclub.com/lessons/59-Hay-Bales.
Why is it important to keep the background and sky a mid-value in this painting?
Keeping the background and sky a mid-value is important because it helps the light on the village and tower stand out more prominently. By maintaining a darker background, the lighter elements in the painting will have a greater contrast and visual impact. Learn more about this approach by visiting the sales page at https://mypaintingclub.com/lessons/59-Hay-Bales.
How does the purplish grey color affect the overall composition of the painting?
The purplish grey color in the background enhances the overall composition by making the oranges and yellows in the building stand out. This color choice creates a complementary contrast that draws attention to the focal points of the painting. For further insights, check out the sales page at https://mypaintingclub.com/lessons/59-Hay-Bales.
What adjustments are made to the color as you move up into the sky?
As you move up into the sky, a little bit of blue and white is added to the purplish grey mix. However, the overall value remains quite dark, maintaining the mid-value tone. Discover more about these techniques on the sales page at https://mypaintingclub.com/lessons/59-Hay-Bales.
Summary & key takeaways
As I reflect on our journey through painting the Hay Bales, I'm reminded of the importance of capturing the essence of a scene, both in its immediate visual appeal and its deeper color dynamics. From the initial block-in to the final details, my aim was to guide you in expressing movement and vibrancy through thoughtful brushwork and color choices. I hope you found joy in exploring how to convey the energy of the wind and the warmth of the landscape.
Throughout this lesson, we delved into the subtleties of brushwork and the impact it can have on the life of a painting. By preparing our canvas with care and sketching with precision, we laid a strong foundation for our creative expression. The choices we made in color mixing and shadow placement were all about enhancing the depth and interest of our composition. I trust that these techniques will empower you to create more dynamic and engaging paintings.
Remember, painting is as much about personal preference as it is about technique. Whether you choose to depict brown or green grass, or how you decide to balance light and shadow, these decisions are what make your artwork uniquely yours. I hope this lesson has inspired you to embrace your creative choices and continue to explore the endless possibilities of painting.
Points to remember
- Capture the scene's essence with both immediate visual appeal and color dynamics.
- Use brushwork to convey movement and guide the viewer's eye.
- Prepare your canvas with gesso for better paint adhesion.
- Sketch lightly with an HB pencil for accurate outlines.
- Block in darks first to establish structure and contrast.
- Mix vibrant shadow colors to add depth and warmth.
- Use color variations to enhance composition interest.
- Balance light and shadow to create dynamic compositions.
