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.

A Red Rose for You

Okay, it is a bit late for Valentine's Day, but you can still buy this red rose for your loved one. I used some very dramatic colours for this little gem. I also made use of the complimentary characteristics of red and green. The green makes the red look even more red than it really is. There are a number of ways to use complimentary colours (those colours opposite each other on the colour wheel):

Here are a few ways to use complimentary colours:

1. Use a subdued compliment to make the other compliment stand out, as I have done here.
2. Use the compliment of a colour in its shadow area, for example use green in the shadow side of a red apple.
3. Use the compliment of a colour to grey down or soften the colour. Example add a little yellow to purple to make the purple less purple.
4. Use the compliment to create vibrancy or to make colours sing. Example: paint the blue sky over a orange ground layer and let the orange shine through. Just make sure the orange is already dry, else you will end up with a grey sky.


The Little Gems on my website are a great way to start investing in quality art. These small paintings are available for $100 or less. Have you ever seen how stunning a small painting looks in the right bulky frame?
You are also welcome to contact me if you want something specific in any size.
Please visit my website for more information.

Roses for a friend

A friend commissioned me to do a painting for her sister who is also a very special friend of mine. She said it is my decision as to what to paint, how large and I could also get it framed with the frame of my choice. Sounds like an easy task, but it was not. I thought long and hard about what I should do. Finally I decided on a still life with roses. Now roses (my opinion) is the most difficult thing to paint. I got some reference material ready, I bought a bunch of roses, my canvas, paint and so on. I was ready to paint roses - my very first attempt. I decided on the colours that I wanted to use that would compliment each other and be in harmony.

I started painting, and along the way I had to scrape a lot of paint off the canvas from roses that did not work. Then I tried again, and again, and finally this is the result of hours of work. I took the painting to the framers when it was finally dry to the touch and decided on the frame. What a huge difference the right frame makes to a painting!!! I still consider this painting as one of my best. I just love this painting, and my friend also loves her gift from her sister.

I did a couple other paintings of roses also in the meantime, but I know I still have a lot to learn about roses and how to paint them. I hope you also like this painting - please tell me if you do!