The Colour White

Colour is a very interesting subject, a science by itself. To write about colour I will be busy for a very long time, so I am not going to even try to go into the physics of it. Most people do not even have to think about colour, except when they want to buy a car or what colour shoes to wear with their clothes.

But an artist has to think about colour all the time. We have to observe how objects reflects the nearby colours. We have to think about which colours are found in shadows, how colours change from sunny skies to overcast conditions. We have to think about how indoor lighting effects portraits or still life studies. Then we also have to figure which tube colours to mix to get the millions of colours we observe. It is difficult to be an artist!

We have to think about colour harmonies, colour contrasts, warm and cool colours, colour brightness, complimentary colours and how to apply it. You cannot use just one hue of red to paint an apple - it will look flat. There must be a highlight and shadows. For the highlight of a red apple you do not use pure white, also not white added to red (pink). You must add a touch of green, the compliment of red, to white. The same goes for the shadow, you use green in the shadow area. That is one way to make the colours sing. They compliment each other.

So how do you paint a white object, like white roses, in a white object on a white cloth against a white background? By adding touches of colour to create highlights and shadows. In this painting there is not one spot of pure white, and if you look closely you will see lots and lots of colour!

Please also note that I have updated my website again. You will find this and other new paintings on my website.
Click here to go to Painted Canvas, the website.