This guide is an introduction to fine art painting, in a realistic style. Realism is all about accuracy. The most important factors are the accuracy of the structure and the accuracy of the lighting values. When you get these two factors right, you will have a 100% success rate.
8 main factors in achieving realistic results are: 1. Accurate – accurate design of observation. 2. Values – brightness values. 3. Contrast – the range of contrast in brightness values. 4. Edge – sharp or soft. 5. Transfer – in terms of brightness, color, texture, temperature, etc. 6. Temperature – warm and cold colors. 7. Colors – the effect of the object. 8. – How vivid and rich the colors are. Understanding these features applies to anyone. That is, pastel, oil paint, acrylic, watercolor, etc. In addition, it is recommended to understand the laws of nature, perspective (linear and atmospheric), depth, geometry and acquire the skill of color combination. Note: At the end of this tutorial, you will find how to determine your drawing style, useful drawing tips and a summary. 1. Accurate drawing is the ability to draw anything from observation.
With knowledge and experience, we can paint any style (portrait, still life, landscape, etc.) and any type of texture (glass, metal, hair, fabric, etc.).
Using a drawing guide The advantage of learning to draw before (or alongside) drawing is to understand the importance of precision, the value of lighting, edges and variations.
Important: It is very important to be accurate in the initial plan. Accuracy is synonymous with similarity, meaning how valid the result seems. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to shapes, proportions and anatomy.
2. Brightness values The brightness value is the amount of darkness or brightness of each part of the painting. By using dark and light values, a three-dimensional illusion can be created on a two-dimensional surface, thus creating depth (illusion) in a painting. The more accurate the brightness, the higher the level of realism. Therefore, accuracy in brightness values is very important! It is not more complicated to see the difference of values in a painting or monochrome painting. With colors, it’s a little more challenging. The way to understand and apply values is to first understand their importance. Then, it is observed. That is, look at any part of an object or surface, try to determine how dark or light it is. One way to determine the value of an object is to blink or close your eyes slightly to lose focus. While out of focus, the texture of an object becomes less noticeable and its brightness is easier to discern. With your eyes partially closed, you can compare your drawing to the object or image you are trying to draw and see which is darker or lighter.
Note: When drawing with a graphite pencil, there is only one color (gray), so focus on the brightness values. Therefore, drawing is a good foundation for learning to draw.
3. Contrast Contrast is important in brightness values. If the dark parts of a painting are not dark enough or the light parts are not bright enough, the painting will look flat or dull. When there is enough contrast, meaning a large amount of brightness, from deep shadows to bright highlights, the painting will have more depth.
4. Lines There are no lines in nature! In the past, when the laws of perspective were not yet fully understood, contour lines were widely used to draw objects and shapes. Unlike cartoon and comic drawing, which is characterized by the drawing of main lines, when painting realism, painted objects do not have lines. Each part, area, or surface ends on an object. Where an object or part of an object ends is its edge. Edges can be sharp or smooth. When an object or shape has a soft edge, it appears less sharp and out of focus. Soft objects such as hair, fur, cloth, etc. have soft edges. Shadows have soft edges. Light travels in waves, so the shadow cannot be perfectly sharp. In landscape paintings and in accordance with the laws of atmospheric perspective, the greater the distance of an object, the less clear it is, that is, it is not in focus, and therefore its edges will be softer.
5. Transition Transitions in a painting are changes in an object or a surface.
Some common types are: * Transfer value, from dark to light. * Changing color or shade, from one color to another. * Temperature change, from warm colors to cold colors. * Transition in texture, from soft surface to rough surface. * Transition at the edges, from sharp to blurry. For example, a sharp change in brightness creates sharp edges and sharp angles. In contrast, a gradual transition in brightness values creates soft edges and convex objects:
Each part of an object or a surface will have different relationships with each light source. Therefore, some parts of the tile will be closer to the light source, or at a different angle, meaning there will always be variations. Sometimes the changes are due to a reflection such as the reflection of the sky.
Transition due to reflection is more important when painting, because usually a small part of the canvas represents a much larger area in reality, especially in landscape paintings. Therefore, to create a smooth and unnatural surface, pay attention to the changes.
Transition of colors in the sky: from blue-green on the left, to purple-blue on the right
6. Color temperature When using colors, color temperature is important. Temperature is whether the colors are cool or warm. * Purple, blue and green are cold colors. They bring to mind cold things like the ocean. * Red, orange and yellow are warm colors. They bring to mind hot things like fire or the sun. Cold or warm color can be warmer or colder. For example, cadmium yellow is warm yellow because it is orange yellow. Lemon yellow, on the other hand, is a cooler yellow because it is greenish yellow. It is still yellow and therefore a warm, slightly cooler color. In fact, the issue of lighting is complex. For example, warm sunlight creates warm areas, but shaded areas are illuminated by the sky, which is a secondary light source. On a clear day, when the sky is blue, the cold shade will be slightly purple or blue. On the other hand, at sunset, when the sky is warm, like pink or orange, the shade will also be warm. The reason for that is the role of the sky as a secondary light source that provides the scattered radiation of the sky, i.e. diffused light. Therefore, on a clear day, due to the effect of the atmospheric landscape and the blue sky, the distant areas of a painting will be colder (because there are more atmospheric particles between them and the observer), and the near areas will have warmer colors. .
Despite the warm sunlight, the shadow will be cool (purple) due to the sky. In indoor lighting, several artificial light sources (cool, warm, or a combination of both), including cool sky light (or direct warm sunlight) and reflection From the surrounding environment, such as the color of the walls, etc. Can you see the color temperature on the wall?
To achieve real results, we need to train our eyes to perceive color temperature. In the next example, the top of the wall has a warm color due to warm artificial light and reflections. The lower part of the wall receives cool direct light from the sky (through the window).
7. The color of each object is made of special pigments, so it is characterized by a unique color. Color acts as an object’s fingerprint. To accurately choose colors, we must master the skill of color combination and understand the relationships within the color wheel. Colors change throughout the day depending on light, weather conditions, and other factors, however, each object has color characteristics determined by the pigments it is made of. In some cases, as long as the values are accurate, inaccuracies in color mixing do not matter, but inaccuracies in the values produce unrealistic results.
To accurately define the color we want to use, we must pay attention to 3 color characteristics: * color * brightness values * temperature
8. Color purity refers to how sharp and rich a particular shade of color is, or how dull and gray it is. Without any color, the color will be gray. In contrast, pure color, i.e. maximum saturation, is created using a single wavelength such as a laser beam. Therefore, the purity of color is determined by the types of wavelengths that make up the color and their relative intensity. Adding white, black, gray or brown colors to a certain shade will help reduce its saturation if needed. In nature, the colors are somewhat gray. Adding a bit of the opposite color on the color wheel to any color will make it less saturated. With experience in color mixing, it is easy to see how saturated each part of an object is.
How is your painting style determined? There are 4 main characteristics that determine the level and style of your painting method: * learning * practicing * passion * personality
Learning: Know your profession, constantly research and always ask the reason! .
