Painting with Warm & Cool Colours - Drawing & Painting Tips

Right now it is mid-February on the West Coast of BC, and it is WARM.  

I mean wear your summer runners warm.  

Everyone is at the park and wondering through the plant shops!!  

It is warm. 

View from Campbell River Sea Walk - Matted 11 x 14 $225

 

Yes, we know that we still have lots of rain to go through before summer but 'We are enjoying it now'.  

Warm and Cold is not all about the weather but it is also, all about your paints too!!

When I finished painting this scene I realized that it was really all about warm and cool colours.  My sunny areas were the warm colours and the shady areas were cool. This may not be the case for other paintings.  Some will have the shade warm and a cool light.  This can also make for an interesting painting.  

Focus: The colours in the background

1.  The Background: I have circled the areas on the right side of the painting indicating W (yellow) for the Warm spots and C (fushia) for cool spots.  Note that the background of the landscape is layers.  By changing from warm to cool with each layer I have created depth in my work.  The warm comes forward and the cool pushes back.  So there is a push-pull with each layer there.

You will see evidence of this happening with each of the other areas.   

Rocky Mid-ground

  2. Rocky Mid-ground: The  clue here that things must be different is the rocks.  The rocks in the sunshine are faded, but light warm tones. (soft beige coloured and soft warm pink tones).   While the rocks in the shade are darker cool colors. (cool purples & blues)

Warm and Cool tones of the Trees 

3.  Painting the Tree: I think this area really brought it home to me what all this business of  Warm and Cool Colours was all about.  When you look at the tree and its branches your can see clearly that one section is in the sunshine and one section the shade.  So even though the branches are "green" they can't all be the same shade of green.  

This is an 'ahhhh' moment. If the leaves are cool greens, as the ones in the shade are, they are blue greens.  I used cool blues like viridian, cobalt teal blue as my base.  While the warm sunny branches have yellows mixed with sap green.  

When painting the branches things are not quite cut and dry.  Some of the branches on the sun side may be shaded by other branches. So not everything will be warm or cool. 

Warm and Cool Foreground

4.  Foreground area: This is the meat and potatoes of your painting.  The place where your viewer spends the most time.  The story of this painting. 

I found it to be the most challenging area to paint.  I had to keep reminding myself that the shade had to be cool colours.  Here again the cobalt teal blue came into play.  When I first put it on the logs I thought it was completely wrong.  Blue logs!!! But after, I became one of my favourite parts.  It really makes for a cool colour in the shade.  

The yellow grasses are another battle of warm and cool.  Although I have them circled as warm there is evidence within the warm golden colour grasses that some are in the shade and so are cool, almost lime green in colour.  

Take a look at some of your paintings. In many cases we make the right colour decision but often if things look a bit off, this could be the reason.  Certainly if the painting feels a bit flat, poor use of warm and cool colours could be the issue.  

Have fun with your warm and cool colours and I certainly hope you are getting a few nice sunny days, even if they are cold.  

You are invited to my Special Upcoming Events: 

1. Senior Show, Cloverdale Recreation Center ( 6188 176 St, Sry)
Feb 13 - Apr 13, 2026
Exciting to show 4 of my large drawings of large west coast birds: Heron, Bald Eagle, Short-erred Owl & Canadian Goose. 

2. Expressions of Spring Show - Newton Cultural Center, (13530 72 Ave, Sry)
 March 3-29, 2026.   

This is a group show with  Artswest.  I have 5 pieces in this show.  

3. Class - Introduction to Drawing with Pen & Watercolour, Newton Cultural Center

Friday, March 13, 10:30-12pm   
All supplies incld.  Free by Donation.  Registration Require with Wendy 

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

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,

Values & Shadows: Sketchbook Activity - Painting & Drawing Tips

Values and Shadows are really great at HIDING!!

Yes, hiding.  

Sketchbook: Trees in the Rain Forest 

They are like the stage crew in a theater production. The scene changes often happen right on stage with the curtains open.  In the half light you might see them scuttle about lifting, changing and shifting things.  But do you really 'see' them?  Probably not.  The performers are busy keeping your attention shinning in the bright light.  That's where your eye really wants to be.  

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Further discussion can be found on my YouTube: Sketchbook Activity - Values & Shadows.
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Take a look at my quick sketch of the trees and ferns.  They are a very common sight along the west coast of Vancouver Island.  Large sections of trees, logs and ferns all covered in a banket of moss. 

 
What do you really see first?

Is it the trees, the leafy area on the ground, the soft tones of the mossy mound or is it the fern, fanned out at the base of the tree?  I am betting it is the fern.  

Why the fern?

It's those values created by the shadows.  There is a strong shadow behind the fern.  This makes it 'POP" and drags your eye there. 

But there are other areas of really dark shadows.  Why are they not 'popping'?

Trees in the Rain Forest with only 2 values - white & mid-tone

They are hiding . . .   Next to the other darks are mid Values.  There is not the strong contrast of dark (Value 10 ) and white (Value 1).  

Trees in the Rain Forest - Introducing some darks

As soon as the Darks (Value 10) are introduced the sketch takes on a new life.  The trees begin to move forward and back.  The fern begins to fan out and draw the attention.  

This sketch is still not done.  It needs cohesion. 

Trees in the Rain Forest

Note how the midtones in the background suggest depth but also provide that bridge between the 2 clusters of trees.  At the same time, the addition of the midtone and darks in the foreground brings a greater sense of depth to the scene and grounds it.  

Values and Shadows are important.  They organize and direct the eye movement in your painting.  The results make your work more powerful.

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Further discussion can be found on my YouTube: Sketchbook Activity - Values & Shadows.

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Online Drawing Lessons with Wendy Mould, AFCA, CDM.

Enhance Your Drawing Skills – Outdoor Sketching Starter – Pen & Watercolour for Explorers

WHEN: Thursdays, Feb 12, 19, & 26  6:30-8:30pm PT
COST: Early Bird $75 After Feb 10, $90

REGISTER: Contact Wendy

This February I will be 'taking you out into Nature".  (Figuratively of course).    The guided drawing activities inspired by nature, teach you how to handle values, search for patterns and learn drawing secrets from the 'little things' on the forest floor. 
  
2 Hr Classes with access to recordings for limited time, individual discussion on weekly projects.
Mediums: pencil, pen & watercolour.
 Beginners to Advanced Welcome.

Always  Available at Art by Wendy's Studio

Original work, Commissions, Private Drawing Lessons, Prints and Cards of her Work, 

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,