Art, MOOD and Emotion - Where are they in your work? - Painting & Drawing Tips

IT'S A COLD, DREARY WINTER DAY here on the west coast of BC,
but there is a flash of red still in the garden,

 my husband's hummingbird feeder.  

All winter long he will keep it full and ready.  Because the Anna Hummingbirds stay for the winter but they need help.  Especially on a cold, dreary winter day.  

PICK OF THE HERD - Matted 12 x 16 $650 - The soft muted grays evoke feelings of peace, serenity, stillness. The coolness of a winter day. They contrast with the warmth of the reds.  A sense of happiness prevails.

 

An interesting idea for a painting - the cold grays with an air of sadness, depressing, many have said.  But then that spot of red hanging from the branch and that tiny little spot of green buzzing around it.  Suddenly there is a feeling of hope.  

What makes a viewer feel Emotion when viewing a painting? . . .

I know, many things, you say. I agree. My discussions on light, values and shadows in the last two posts has lead me to take a longer look at ambient light.  Lighting and ambient light create drama and depth in a painting but also Mood.  I felt I needed to look into this as well, in my discussion.  

Previous Posts: 
Playing with Light, Values and Shadows;
Where does Ambient Reflected Light come into your Painting

If you watch TV, you see mood and colour in action all the time.  Marketing people know that warm, rosy, lively colours will lure us into spending.  Muted greyed colours will hardly even catch our eye.  

PETUNIAS & HUMMINGBIRD -  Matted 11 x 14 $225 - The reds give a sense of excitement and movement.  Warmth and contentment.

Do you think about the mood of your paintings? . . .

You control the mood of your paintings and therefore affect the way your viewers respond to it.  Have you ever looked at your work and thought about the mood you like to project?  Does your work reflect a consistent mood or does it vary?  

Common Emotional Responses to colours:

Yellow - sunlight, warming, happiness, comfort; too bright can be irritating and prolonged exposure has a tiring effect

Orange - light, warming, happiness, comfort

Red - fire, heat, excitement, danger, passion; paired with white background can add an element of grace

Purple - darkness, intrigue, night, uneasiness, even mystical

Blue - water, ice, coolness, calmness, but it also can edge towards sadness

Green - nature, calming, quietness, tranquility and vibrancy; paired with yellow it can have a lasting impact

TRICKLING WATER - Matted 12 x 16 $650 - The greens and blues instill a sense of calmness while the oranges and reds bring warmth.  The soft purples a sense of mystery and fantasy  

Emotional response is not just about colour . . .

Its true colour can set the mood and evoke an emotion.  But other things in your painting can also affect the mood.  Bold sharp lines can mean anger.  Bright, pure colours can be loud and unsettling.  Soft circles and edges can create a pleasing more gentle mood.  

TRICKLING WATER - using photoshop to push the colours to blues.  Note the cool, aloofness feeling to the picture now.  

But for the moment I want to look at colour  . .

Here are some of the things I noted in my study:

a.  Colour and mood goes beyond just the idea of using warm or cold colours

b.  The viewers emotional response to the colours in a painting can cause them to come back again and again or turn them off.

  

Pumpkins on the Shelf:  All the warm colours make this a cherry picture but I feel there is still a coolness to it which I think is from the soft greens.  Not sure, what do you think give it a cool touch?

c.  The quantity of each colour affects the mood.  Warm colours give warmth and excitement to a picture but in excess can be agitating. 

Pumpkins in a Pile:  The blue shadows against the white of the pumpkins gives a cold, spooky feel to these pumpkins even though there are some warm colours in the mix.  

d. Dark colours create a sense of dread.

e.  A bit of greying out of colour moves the mood to quietness but greater intensity of gray moves to  somberness and discomfort. 

TRICKLING WATER - Again using Photoshop to push the colours for warmth. Too much of a push to warm colours is not always pleasing. 

I find my journey into Colour, Mood and Emotion has given me a great deal of food for thought.  I look at my work and think more about the mood I have created.  One thing I have noted about myself is I always like to have a touch of warmth in my work.  These seem to be important to me.  What do you like?  

Streaming Live on Facebook: SAGA Surrey Art Gallery Association 

Chuck Your Brushes and Pick Up a Pen!! 

SAGA Thursday Night Artist Talk with Wendy Mould - November 5, 7:30pm 

Can you imagine that drawing with a permanent black ink pen can be FUN!! In this Art Talk I will share with you the joy of pen Art. I hope to stretch your imagination as I demonstrate its vrsatility. You will see how the magic of sharp, black lines demand your attention. While other marks subtly speak to you in soft gentle tones.

This is an opportunity to talk with me about my artistic journey moving from pencil to pen and now with watercolor in the mix. I hope it will inspire you to be ready to grab a pen and start drawing before the evening is done.

THIS EVENT WILL BE A LIVE STREAMING ON FACE at SAGA Surrey Art Gallery Association account. There will be a video introduction and then an open chat where you can ask questions and get live answers. I look forward to sharing the evening with you.

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy  

Where does Ambient Reflected Light come into your Painting? - Painting & Drawing Tips

IMAGINE: Lights softly dimmed; slow easy music playing; candles sparkling; wine chilling.  

I think you can picture the rest.

A strong mood and atmosphere.  Each item helps to build the total scene.  Individually they flounder.  For Cohesion and Drama, they need to work together.  

TRICKLING WATER - matted 12 X 16 $650 - Part of my Deep in the Forest Series.  Note the affect of reflected light on the rocks and water both real and fantasy

In my last post I talked a lot about light and shadows and the effect of reflective light on them.  (See Playing with Light, Shadows and Values ) I find this a very interesting topic that has implications in all areas of your art. I also created a video "Getting Those Shadows Working for You'  which is available In the Instructional Series for the Arts Council of Surrey.  (October 2020)  In addition there is a Free Downloadable Mushroom Activity Sheet to go with it.  

Reflective Light is more than just LIGHT . . . .

Lighthouse at Amphitrite Point, BC - Note the Reflected light on the rocks, trees and lighthouse from the sky

Reflective Light has colour.  Think of that lovely scene I described at the beginning.  It has a special ambience to it.  There is a "mood, character, quality, tone, atmosphere, etc., to that environment."  This ambience is created with sight, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch.  In planning your picture you take into consideration the same things to design the 'feel' you want your picture to have. 

But the Ambience of a space is more . . .

The ambience created by the softly dimmed lights, the sparkling candles, even the wine in the glass all affect the colours you use.  Yes, you are saying.  That makes sense.  But I want you to look one step further.  I want you to look at the effect of Ambient Reflective Light on the colour of each item in your painting.  

I found the effect of Ambient Reflective Light an EYE OPENER. . .

A good example is the Cockatoo below.  I took this picture at the local Bird Sanctuary.  

Note the affect of Ambient Reflected Light on this white Cockatoo

The Cockatoo is a white bird with a plume of yellow on his head.  When you look at this picture you definitely think "white bird".  But take a closer look. 

Close Up of the Cockatoo - note the colours on the tail feathers and legs

When I looked closer at my picture, I found this profound.  My white bird wasn't white.  There was green tones and red tones on him.  These are the effect of the Ambient Reflective Light.  The green is from the leaves beside him.  Their colour is reflected on the bird as it bounced off the leaves onto him.  The redish tones are also reflective light.  That colour is reflected off the wooden branches the bird is standing on.  Would you have painted green and red tones on your white bird?  

AFTERNOON TEA - Matted 16 x 20 $650 - Note the Reflected Light on the Hummingbird

In my painting, Afternoon Tea,  you can really see how Ambient Reflected Light brings drama and cohesion to the work.  This little hummingbird really fits into the picture with the pinks of the flowers reflected onto his body.  The pinks in the sky give the feeling of other flowers around in the background providing a very cohesive setting and giving the feel of a bright sunny day.  

Close up: Trickling Water - note the repetition of colours in the water, rocks and mossy areas

Now, I don't want to create panic in your mind.  My intention was to open up another area of awareness as you painted.  It has made me realize that cohesion in my work requires use of colours throughout my work rather than in isolated areas.  In otherwards, to have green grass and blue sky is not enough.  The green grass is reflected into the sky and the blue of the sky is reflected into the grass.  There needs to be some greens in the sky and blues in the grass for the picture to be cohesive.  

This is the part I found hard.  Green in the blue sky? Just like the red and greens on the white bird.  When you first drop that colour down it may look foreign but as you build your image with it, you will see it needs to be there.   My rule of thumb is " if I used the colour somewhere in the background it needs to be in other places. At least 3.  It can be a different value and size but it needs to be there".  

Take a look at the close up for Trickling Water. The mossy rocks have all the colours on them that are found in the water.  Does it seem right to you?  Does it make sense to your eye?  Ambient Reflective Light is a really fun to work with and can create all kinds of different effects in your work.  Check out other works to see how they use Ambient Reflective Light.  

See you next week.  Better still, see you at the show.  Info below.

FACE-TO-FACE Gallery show!! - Only 9 Days Left!!

Artswest Showcase

October 1 - 31, 2020

Landmark Pop-Up Gallery - 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock

Full Covid Safety Rules in Effect - Only 6 in the Gallery at a time 

Open: Wed 10-5pm  Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5pm Sun 12-5pm

Come see what our Art Group has been doing - Lots of new Original pieces of Art, special

One-of-a-Kind Art Items and special gift items for any occasion.  

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  

Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy  

Playing with Light, Shadows and Values - Painting & Drawing Tips

Have you ever spent time in the DARK SIDE?

With Halloween coming and the night slowly creeping into our daytime hours, Darkness seems part of our life.  

Meet My Shadow People - Come Join them in the DARK SIDE

When Max and I finish our evening walk it is often very dark. I am holding a flashlight and looking for the next street light.  It gives me lots of time to study shadows. 

 

In Art we have 2 Shadows: The Core Shadow and the Cast Shadow

Like me you have probably studied shadow diagrams like the one above.  Probably even drawn them too.  I must admit I didn't learn much from them.  But one day I took a flashlight, shone it on a few shapes and really started to look at things.  It changed my perspective.  

Shadows are really not like they appear in photographs. . . .

I learned that shadows have their own life.  They are very much affected by the light around them. To understand some of the things I noted take a look at the Cast Shadow. 
***My video "Getting Those Shadows Working for You " offers more examples and discussion on this topic.  

Cast Shadows are not all sharp black shapes

Secrets of the Shadow World: 

1.  Photographs show a shadow as a black shape.  But really if you take a closer look you will see the value is not consistent throughout the shadow shape. Shadows are very dark near the object but get lighter as they spread out away from the subject. (This is very clear with the picture below.  The Reflected light from the surface makes the middle part of the shadow much lighter than the ends.  

2.  Shadows are not all sharp edges.  I always find edges a very important part of anything I draw.  I noticed that shadows have very different kinds of edges.  Close to the object they have sharp edges but as they move away from the object the edges get softer or fuzzier.  The longer the shadows the fuzzier the edges get.  

Core Shadows can look very different than the ones on the Apple you drew in Drawing Class

3. The Core Shadow holds many secrets.  When I compare 'my little person' to the apple, I can see many different shadow values.  Reflected light is working on not only the sides but the tops and bottoms of the curves in the shadows.  That distinctive dark line - The Terminator - on the Apple is much harder to find on 'my little person'. 

Two Objects with the same light source have different shadow patterns if they are in different planes. 

4. The Core Shadow on two objects with the same light source is very different.  I think this was the biggest surprise to me.  When working with a forest of trees, my thoughts were the Core  Shadows were all the same. This is only true if they are in the same plane in the picture.  If some trees are in the foreground and some in the background for example, their Core Shadow patterns are  quite different.  Although the light source (the sun) is coming from the same place,  it will hit them differently. My example only had 2 little People in 2 Planes.  Try it with 3.   Line up 3 Little People and put one in the Foreground, one in the midground and 1 in the background.  It is really interesting how different the Core Shadow is.  

 

Now don't panic.  You really don't have to know all this stuff to draw and paint.  However, I do think being more aware of these things will change how you view your subjects. The Big Game Changer for me was how much Reflected Light affected both the Core Shadows and the Case Shadows.  

 Free Printable Download: Mushroom Sheet

I played around with drawing some shapes and shadows and put together this little Mushroom Activity Sheet.  I found it a great exercise. 

Mushroom Sheet: Here the Light Source is from the left

Put an arrow for your Light Source and then shade the picture accordingly.  Can you make the leaves curl up and down?  The mushroom appear round?  How about making the skirt on the stem spread out away from the stem?  (I like to pretend a little piece even gets caught in the light.)  Note how the shadow from the stick reinforces the idea of leaves rolled up on the ground.  

Mushroom Sheet: Try it again with the Light Source coming from the Right. 

 I worked on two examples, one with the light source coming from the left and one from the right.  You can really see how the light source changes what is happening in the picture.

You are welcome to download and print my Mushroom Sheet Free.  It fits on an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper.  Print several and try different light sources.  

See My video "Getting Those Shadows Working for You "  on YouTube for further discussion.    

Have fun with your light and shadows, I hope it leads you to NEW adventures.  Next week let's look at Ambient Light.  Like Reflected Light it changes the shadows but also the COLOUR of things.  

FACE-TO-FACE Gallery show!!

Artswest Showcase

October 1 - 31, 2020

Landmark Pop-Up Gallery - 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock

Full Covid Safety Rules in Effect - Only 6 in the Gallery at a time 

Open: Wed 10-5pm  Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5pm Sun 12-5pm

Come see what our Art Group has been doing - Lots of new Original pieces of Art, special

One-of-a-Kind Art Items and special gift items for any occasion.  

Bonus Show Activities - Semi-Private Classes:

Learn Drawing Skills making Christmas Cards - Fun with Candles and Ink

Oct 14: Acrylic Painting Class – Joanne Dennis
Oct 19: Fused Glass - Gunilla Kay
Oct 23: Christmas Card Class – Candles & Ink - Wendy Mould, 
Oct 29: Ceramics Class – Doris Biddle

All Classes 10-12:30 pm 

Classes $50 each.  Some supplies included

Registration:  Contact Wendy  

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  

Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy  

Can Pumpkins REALLY help you to DRAW BETTER?? - Painting and Drawing Tips

Push. Slide. Release.  It is great to be back on the Ice. 

Yes, curling season is beginning and although the game will be a little different we will be able to curl this winter

. 

Pumpkins in the Garden - Wish the pumpkins I grew would grow this big.  Love contrasting colour with line work.  (Ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)

Practicing before the first game is fun and also challenging. (It has been over 7 months since the last game) You are probably wondering how practicing can be Challenging, especially when you are repeating the same thing over and over.

 True, if you watch me I look like I am just repeating an action.  But there is more.  As I  throw a draw (a light rock that only goes as far as the circles on the ice) I am doing other things.  I am getting the ‘feel’ of how hard I need to push the rock.  I am checking my body position to see if I am in a good place.  I am watching to see if my aim is accurate as my rock slides away.  I am also watching to see how my rock is sliding and curling on the ice.  (The ice is different all the time. How much my rock curls and how easily it slides on the ice changes all the time.). Practicing the same shot over and over allows me the freedom to focus on all the other variables. 

 Using Repetition can help in your Art . . .

Pumpkin Booklet - Lots of fun drawing different pumpkin pictures.  Having different formats made it very interesting. 

 I love the fall colours and all the Halloween decorations. So no surprise I love to draw Halloween things too.  Drawing Pumpkins is one of my favourite things.  They come in so many shapes and sizes and look awesome with some pen work.  But best of all, they are very forgiving.  There is no PERFECT pumpkin.  They are all different. 

Pumpkins on the Table - I just coloured the 3.  Really makes a neat contrast with the others, eh?!(Ink, watercolour, coloured pencil)

How Can Pumpkins Help you Draw Better (or the Secrets of the Jack-O-Lantern)

1.     Drawing the same subject repetitively helps you learn your subject.  You will see your line work grow with confidence with each new drawing.

2.    Repeating your subject challenges you to look at it in different ways.  It gets your creative juices flowing.  (Now that I have 3 pictures, I have lots of ideas for other ways of drawing my pumpkins.)

3.    Focusing on a subject sparks your awareness.  Since pumpkins are everywhere right now I found I was studying them everywhere I went and taking pictures. I even checked out a few on line. 

4.    Feeling comfortable with your subject means your are free with your line work.  Your gesture lines will be looser, you will capture more of the characteristics of your pumpkins.  They will become more individual and not just generic shapes. 

Pumpkins in a Pile - I love the way the colour flows with this one.  The Blue shading really gives it a cool almost ghostly look. (Ink, watercolour, coloured pencil) 

5.    After the first few drawings you will find yourself experimenting with colour as well.  I tried several different colour schemes with my pumpkins.

I like to teach artists how to draw with pen and ink.  I find if they are comfortable with the subject it is easier to introduce new skills.  Learning how to change your line work to make it interesting and tell your story can be fun.  And really, what is more fun than drawing a stack of pumpkins in a bin!?

If you would like to join me I have semi-private classes scheduled for Oct 8 & 23 at the Artswest Showcase,  Landmark Pop-up Gallery, White Rock.  On the 8th we play with pumpkins and on the 23 I thought I would work with candles and make Christmas Cards.  See bottom of this post for more information.

Drawing Cupcakes - What a fun way to play with line and colour.  Really the sky is the limit as to what subject you can use for practice. (Ink & watercolour) 

If pumpkins are not your thing, try another subject that inspires you.  You will notice a change right away.  Even as you draw the first you are starting to think about the second.  Then the third.  Suddenly you are noticing things and the fourth one comes to life.  I know looking at my pumpkins I realized I haven’t even got into the whole Jack O’Lanterns thing.  That will bring to mind a whole new batch of ideas. 

FACE-TO-FACE Gallery show!!

Artswest Showcase

October 1 - 31, 2020

Landmark Pop-Up Gallery - 15140 North Bluff Rd, White Rock

Full Covid Safety Rules in Effect - Only 6 in the Gallery at a time 

Open: Wed 10-5pm  Thur & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5pm Sun 12-5pm

Come see what our Art Group has been doing - Lots of new Original pieces of Art, special

One-of-a-Kind Art Items and special gift items for any occasion.  

Bonus Show Activities - Semi-Private Classes:

Learn Drawing Skills making Christmas Cards - Fun with Candles and Ink

Oct 1: Drop-In Painting Class – Doris Biddle 2-4pm
Oct 4: Fused Glass – Gunilla Kay 2-4pm
Oct 7: Acrylic Painting Class – Joanne Dennis
Oct 8: Learn Drawing Skills with Pumpkins & Ink – Wendy Mould, 
Oct 14: Acrylic Painting Class – Joanne Dennis
Oct 23: Christmas Card Class – Candles & Ink - Wendy Mould, 
Oct 29: Ceramics Class – Doris Biddle

All Classes 10-12:30 pm except where noted

Classes $50 each.  Some supplies included

Registration:  Contact Wendy  

Do you have big/small projects on the go?  

Looking for a sounding board, help, suggestions, techniques. You and your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  I am available for Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75). more info here.   

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

 

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy