What are neutral colors? Neutral colors are colors that are not found on the color wheel such as, brown, beige, cream, gray, black and white. You can also make neutrals by mixing complementary colors together like yellow and violet or blue and orange. Neutrals provide the viewer a break from the intensity of highly saturated tones while also complementing and balancing them. Using neutrals in your paintings creates interest and provides subtle variations that are important for your work.
We are naturally attracted to bright and saturated colors and want our florals paintings to be more vibrant. However, if we use too much of it in our work, it can be distracting. All those bright colors can become overwhelming and appear to be shouting. The viewer’s eye will have a hard time knowing where to look and it can start to appear unnatural. So, it is important to give neutral colors just as much attention as the saturated tones. Remember, the brighter tones cannot be so bright without the neutral tones.
Here are some important tips about using neutrals in your floral paintings:
BALANCE AND HARMONY: Neutral colors, such as shades of gray, beige, or brown, provide a sense of balance and harmony in a floral painting. They can help tone down the vibrant and intense colors often found in flowers, creating a visual contrast that allows the focal point—the flowers—to stand out. Neutral colors act as a visual anchor, preventing the painting from becoming overwhelming or chaotic. You can still use colorful backgrounds, but mute their intensity by mixing in a tiny bit of a complementary color. My favorite background color is a muted green. I will usually mix a Sap Green with Titanium White, Neutral Gray No. 8 and a small amount of Cadmium Red Light. You can also buy a tube of Golden Titan Green Pale that is the same color.
HIGHLIGHTING COLOR CONTRASTS: When neutral colors are used alongside bright or saturated colors, they can enhance the contrast and make the colors appear more vibrant. Neutral colors act as a backdrop that allows the colorful flowers to pop and stand out. The contrast between the neutrals and the vivid hues of the flowers can create a visually striking effect, capturing the viewer's attention. You can see in this painting where the vibrant pink hollyhocks are balanced with a grayish green colored background. The green is a complement to the pink and makes the pink even brighter but since the green is more grayish, it doesn't compete with the flowers.
TIMELESS AND VERSATILE: Neutral colors have a timeless quality that can make a floral painting feel more enduring and adaptable to different settings. They can create a sense of elegance and sophistication, making the artwork suitable for a variety of environments and decor styles. Neutral colors also have the ability to evoke a sense of calm and tranquility, adding a serene and contemplative mood to the painting. In this painting of the white roses, all the colors are muted. I've used the complementary mixtures of blues and oranges to calm the mood but at the same time, highlight the warm colors of the vase.
UNIFY THE COMPOSITION: Neutral colors can help unify the different elements in a floral painting. They can create a cohesive visual flow by connecting the various colors and shapes together. By using neutral colors strategically throughout the painting, you can create a sense of visual harmony and ensure that all the elements work together as a cohesive whole.
Having a good balance of neutrals with your saturated colors, will give you work more vibrancy and harmony.
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