Principles of painting

Principles of Painting

Colour Theory

• Hue: A specific colour or shade.
• Value: The lightness or darkness of a colour.
• Saturation: The purity of a colour. High saturation means a vibrant colour, low saturation results in a more faded or greyish colour.
• Colour relationships: Understanding complementary (opposite), analogous (side-by-side), triadic (three evenly spaced) and tetradic (two pairs of complementary) colours.

Paint Application Techniques

• Glazing: Applying a transparent layer of paint to achieve depth and glow.
• Impasto: Applying paint thickly so it stands out from the surface.
• Scumbling: Applying a thin, semi-opaque layer to soften or blur detail.
• Dry brush: Applying paint with a dry brush to create a coarse effect.
• Sgraffito: Scratching into wet paint to reveal layers below.

Composition Techniques

• Rule of thirds: Dividing the canvas into nine equal parts and placing the focal point at the intersection of these lines.
• Golden section: A mathematical ratio that’s supposed to be aesthetically pleasing.
• Focal point: The main area or object in a painting.
• Balance: The distribution of visual weight in a painting.
• Proximity: Grouping related items together to create a sense of organisation.

Perspective Techniques

• Linear perspective: Using vanishing points and horizon lines to create depth.
• Aerial perspective: Creating the illusion of distance by reducing detail, contrast, and saturation for faraway objects.
• Overlapping: Strategically placing objects over each other to indicate depth and distance.

Remember to actively experiment with different techniques and principles and critically evaluate your own work to continuously improve. Painting is a form of communication and expression, so work on developing your own unique voice and style.