Paint and Lighting

Painting can be seen as a battle between light and dark. The battle can result in a victory for one or the other, be resolved in harmony or remain in a state of tension and flux. pg 5

Narcisse Virgile Diaz de la Pena - Landscape

A dramatically poised battle of light and dark between the white church and the black castle. Heavily inspired by romanticism.

The alchemist in Search of the Philosopher's stone discovers Phosophorus. 1795

The two light sources, the harshness of the master's bewilderment and the soft glow on his apprentices. The book doesn't believe his apprentices share his same viewpoint in the existence of the philosophers stone, but I bet they turn just as crazy.

The Israelites led by the pillar of fire by night
- painting of supernatural light, very much like an alien matte painting, or even that of fantastic four. (the remake)

- diffused light is absorbed by its surrounding in paintings.

Atkinson Grimshaw : Scarborough lights
- glowing intensity is provided by spots of white with glazes of colour on top (i.e street lights), this could also be applied to reflections in water.

Everything else in the picture is subdued, it's darkness built up by layers of dusky green which are so strong that they obliterate the light undercoat which just shows through giving the whole picture a muted glow. pg 21

- hot sun during noon i.e. requires sharp shadows:
 This is especially true of dry, Mediterranean countries, when the sun can be so bright and the shadows so sharp that everything seems as if rooted to the spot.

i.e Tristram Hill: Chapel of Misericordia, Viseu, Portugal.

The light in this painting is clear in an oppressive way. The paint is applied in compact brush marks of opaque paint. The sky particularly appears impenetrable, like a wall of heat. The only hint of movement is in the highlights on the elaborate architectural mouldings. Even these do not sparkle or shine but seem liquid, melting in the heat.

If I was applying this to painting Sri Lanka so it doesn't look like monsoon season this is what I would need to take note of.

- control tones to make it seem more overcast / realism

'No substance can be comprehended without light and shade; light and shade are caused by light.' Wrote leonardo da vinci, who made copious notes on the nature of the two elements.

Light can be used as part of the flow of composition, like colour and composition. remember that. - David Bomberg's in the hold, with several yellow fragments to lead the eye.

Drew, J (1983) Three Little Books about Painting. 1. Light. Arts Council Publications: London.