Mastering Light & Colour Online

The course will begin by examining light, and learning about the parts of light and shadow, including their qualities, behaviours and characters. We will look at how artists, past and present, have isolated light in studies such as grisaille or monochromatic painting and using techniques such as chiaroscuro.

You will also be shown idiomatic techniques within each medium, for example:

• Glazing in oil painting
• Overlaying washes in watercolour painting
• The addition of mediums to enhance luminosity in acrylic and gouache painting, as well as exploiting their strength of opacity

There’s no doubt that colour is complex. However, there are many strategies that can be employed to help you simplify the painting process, representing colour faithfully while also harmonising and designing the painting as a new and independent creation in its own right. Some of the concepts that will be covered include:

• Separating out the different parts of light and shadow, and hue, value and chroma, and dealing with them in a logical and step-by-step manner
• Selecting the right colours, using gamut mapping for instance, and then organising your palette in a user-friendly way
• Mixing paint correctly
• Understanding the basics of colour theory, primary colour biases, colour temperature, and transparencies and opacities of paint colours (in different mediums)
• Developing colour harmony through intelligent design and by working with a limited palette

Each class will include many demonstrations, which will guide you through the painting process in detail. Group discussion, one-to-one support, and practical exercises will reinforce your learning and answer any questions that you have.