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...
Let’s focus on the importance of color repetition in your paintings, or simply bouncing the colors around. When certain shapes, lines or colors are repeated throughout the art piece, it can give it a sense of movement, rhythm and unity. One of the simplest things you can do to keep your viewer interested in your work, is by repeating certain colors. It’s natural for us to find similarities and make connections when looking at art. Using color expressively can be fun and create strong compositions. For example, in this Garden Gate painting, the gate is painted a teal color. The gate is the focal point but to connect it to the background and create unity, I’ve scattered the teal color...
Have you ever wondered why it is recommended to create an underpainting or to tone your canvas even though you're going to just paint over it? Here are five reasons that doing so is a good idea even though it may seem like a waste of time and paint. Underpainting and the Final ONE: ELIMINATES ANXIETY Have you ever stared at a blank canvas and feared you might mess up or questioned your ability to even start? If you just lay down some color and know that it will be eventually covered up, it will help alleviate the anxiety we build up to just get started. TWO: CREATES A ROADMAP By creating an underpainting, it can create a roadmap for...
Have you ever been afraid or anxious about starting a painting? This past week, I had been procrastinating when it came to one particular painting. I just couldn’t make myself start on it. If you find yourself in this same situation, here are some tips to help you get started.
FIVE THINGS TO AVOID AS A BEGINNER PAINTER I’m a lifelong creative and have always strived to grow and learn to be better. So when I come across some great advice on creating more dynamic works and improving my technical skills, I’m all ears. So, today I’d like to give a few tips for beginner floral painters about the five things they should avoid when painting their florals with some added suggestions. I’ve picked these five because they are the most common mistakes I see in beginner works and I actually did the same thing too in the beginning. If you’re not a beginner, then just read on for fun. #1 Avoid Painting Colors Straight from the Tube Nature...
