Summary:
This paper explores the important role and expression of light and color in watercolor painting. Light and color in watercolor painting are not only a means to express objects and space, but also a medium for artists to express emotions and resonate with viewers. Through the use of light, the artist is able to shape the chiaroscuro and spatial sense of the picture, making the picture more vivid and three-dimensional. The use of color can express the artist's emotions and themes, and arouse the viewer's empathy and emotional experience.
I. Introduction
As an ancient and fascinating art form, watercolor plays an important role in the history of art. Its unique form of expression and its distinction from other painting mediums give it a unique artistic charm and expressiveness. Watercolor painting uses water-based pigment as the main material, with the help of the characteristics of water, with soft and delicate lines and colors, showing a unique artistic effect. Compared with other forms of painting, such as oil painting, it pays more attention to the transparency and lightness of color, as well as the reflection and refraction of light, which makes watercolor painting have unique advantages in expressing light and color.
II. Characteristics of light and color in watercolor painting
A. The transparency and lightness of watercolor pigments
One of the unique charms of watercolor painting is that the water-based pigments used are transparent and lightweight. Compared with other painting mediums such as oil painting, watercolor paints pay more attention to the transparency and lightness of colors. This characteristic allows watercolor paintings to express a unique artistic effect with soft and delicate lines and colors.
First of all, the transparency of the watercolor paint gives the picture a clear and bright effect. When applying paint, watercolor paint can penetrate between the fibers of the paper, creating a transparent color gradation, making the picture reveal a transparent beauty. This transparency not only increases the brightness and light perception of the picture, but also produces rich color variations when superimposing colors, making the picture appear more colorful.
Secondly, the lightness of the watercolor paint makes the picture appear light and elegant. Watercolor paints are lighter and lighter, and when applied to paper, they do not form heavy patches of color, but rather render the details and texture of the picture in a thin layer of color. This lightness gives the watercolor works a soft and smooth aesthetic, allowing the viewer to feel a beautiful emotion of lightness and elegance when appreciating the works.
B. Effect of light refraction and reflection on color
The refraction and reflection of light is one of the important factors in color change in watercolor painting. Light is refracted when it passes through transparent watercolor paint, and it is reflected when it hits an opaque surface, and these changes in light will directly affect the color expression of the picture.
First of all, the refraction of light makes the picture appear rich in color variation. In watercolor painting, when light passes through a transparent layer of pigment, light of different colors is refracted at different angles, creating a rich and colorful color variation. This color change makes the picture present a vivid light and shadow effect, which enhances the three-dimensional sense and layering of the picture.
Secondly, the reflection of light makes the picture appear as a contrast between light and dark. In watercolor painting, light is reflected when it hits an opaque surface, creating an alternating effect of light and dark. Through the rational use of the reflection effect of light, the painter can make the picture present the effect of light and dark, enhance the layering and three-dimensional sense of the picture, and make the picture more attractive and tense.
C. Layering and shading of colors
The layering of colors and the change of light and shade in watercolor painting is one of the important means to express objects and space. By making reasonable use of the layering of colors and the change of light and shade, the painter can make the picture present a sense of three-dimensionality and depth, and enhance the sense of space and realism of the picture.
First of all, the layering of colors makes the picture appear three-dimensional. In watercolor painting, by using the light and shade changes and superposition of different colors, the painter can make the picture present rich color levels, making the picture more three-dimensional and full. This layering of colors can not only enhance the realism of the picture, but also make the viewer feel immersive, enhancing the artistic appeal of the work.
Secondly, the change of light and shade makes the picture appear a sense of depth. In watercolor painting, through the rational use of light and shade, the painter can make the foreground and background of the picture produce chiaroscuro, forming a sense of depth and distance. This change of light and shade can not only make the picture more three-dimensional, but also make the viewer feel a kind of extension and expansiveness of space, which enhances the visual effect and artistic appeal of the work.
III. Methods of Expression of Light and Color
A. Smudging technique: the expression of blurred boundaries and the use of gradient colors
The blending technique is a common method of expression in watercolor painting, which uses blurred boundaries and gradient colors to give the picture a soft and smooth effect. In the blending technique, the painter usually uses the wet painting method, in which a wet paint is applied to the paper, and then a wet brush or wet sponge is used to blend the paint while it is not dry, so that the edges of the paint gradually merge to form a blurred border.
First of all, the smudge technique can blur the boundaries of the picture. In watercolor painting, due to the transparent and light nature of the pigment, it is often difficult to form a clear boundary when applying the pigment. Through the blending technique, the painter can take advantage of the natural diffusion of the wet pigment on the paper, so that the edges of the pigment gradually merge, forming a blurred border, giving the picture a soft and smooth effect.
Secondly, the blending technique can use gradient colors to enrich the expression of the picture. In watercolor painting, by controlling the consistency and humidity of the pigment, the painter can achieve a gradient of color from rich to light, from bright to dull. This gradient color can not only increase the layering and three-dimensional sense of the picture, but also make the picture present a colorful effect, which enhances the visual impact and artistic expression of the picture.
B. Overlay Effect: Multi-layered color overlay and light interweaving effect
The superposition effect is a commonly used expression method in watercolor painting, which makes the picture present a colorful effect through multi-layered color superposition and the interweaving effect of light. In the superposition effect, the painter usually applies a layer of paint to the paper, waits for it to dry, and then superimposes other pigments, and so on, to form a multi-layered color superposition effect.
First of all, the overlay effect can make the picture appear colorful. In watercolor painting, light of different colors is repeatedly refracted in transparent layers of pigment by superimposing paint multiple times, forming a colorful color effect. This superposition of colors can not only increase the brightness and light sense of the picture, but also make the picture present rich color changes, enhancing the visual impact and artistic expression of the picture.
Secondly, the superposition effect can achieve the interweaving effect of light. In watercolor painting, by reasonably superimposing pigments, the painter can make the picture appear an alternating light and dark, and the effect of light and shadow interlacing. This interweaving effect of light can not only enhance the three-dimensional sense and layering of the picture, but also make the picture present a dynamic beauty, and enhance the artistic appeal and expressiveness of the work.
C. Harmony technique: the harmony and unity of colors to create a unified atmosphere
Harmony is one of the most important methods of expression in watercolor painting, by adjusting the light and shade, cold and warm tones of the color, so that the picture presents a harmonious and unified atmosphere. In the blending technique, the painter usually uses the principle of color theory and color matching to carefully select and match colors, so that the picture presents a unified tone and atmosphere.
First of all, the blending technique can achieve the harmony and unity of colors. In watercolor painting, through careful selection and matching of colors, the painter can make the picture present a harmonious and unified tone, so that the colors are in harmony with each other, presenting a sense of wholeness and unity. This harmony and unity of colors can not only enhance the visual effect of the picture, but also make the viewer feel a sense of comfort and pleasure, and enhance the artistic appeal of the work.
Secondly, blending techniques can create a unified atmosphere. In watercolor painting, through the rational use of light and shade, cold and warm tones, the painter can make the picture present a unified atmosphere, thereby enhancing the expressiveness and appeal of the work. This unified atmosphere not only immerses the viewer and resonates with it, but also enhances the artistic expression and aesthetic value of the work.
IV. The role of light and color in the representation of objects
A. Expressing the texture and details of the object
One of the important roles of light and color in watercolor painting is to express the texture and detail of objects. Through the use of light and shadow effects and color changes, the painter can make the objects in the picture appear different textures and details, thereby enhancing the viewer's perception and understanding of the objects.
First of all, the use of light and color can highlight the texture of the object. In watercolor painting, through the rational use of chiaroscuro and the refraction of light, the painter can make the surface of the object present the effect of alternating light and dark, thereby enhancing the three-dimensional sense and texture of the object. For example, when depicting a fruit, the painter can make the viewer feel the smooth, moist, or rough texture of the fruit's surface by drawing light and shade changes between the light and shadow sides.
Secondly, the use of light and color can highlight the details of the object. In watercolor painting, by meticulously depicting the details and textures of an object, the painter can make the viewer perceive the form and characteristics of the object more realistically. Painters can use small brushstrokes or subtle color variations to depict the texture of objects, such as the bark texture of trees, the petal details of flowers, etc. Such detailed depictions can enable the viewer to understand the object more deeply and enhance the artistic expression and appeal of the work.
B. Create a sense of space and depth of field
Light and color can also be used in watercolors to create a sense of space and depth of field. Through the rational use of the principle of perspective and the change of color cold and warm, the painter can make the picture present the effect of orderly distance and clear spatial hierarchy, and enhance the three-dimensional sense and sense of space of the picture.
First of all, the use of light and color can create a sense of orderly space. In watercolor painting, through the rational use of perspective principles and light and shade changes, the painter can make the size and position of the objects in the picture gradually smaller, echoing the distance, creating a sense of orderly space near and far. For example, when depicting a landscape, the painter can use perspective lines and light and shade changes to make distant mountains, buildings, and other objects appear lighter colors and blurred outlines, creating a sharp contrast with nearby objects, creating a sense of orderly space near and far.
Secondly, the use of light and color can create a depth-of-field effect. In watercolor painting, by controlling the warm and cold changes of color and the contrast between light and dark, the painter can make the foreground, middle ground and distant ground in the picture appear different tones and shades, forming a chiaroscuro and warm and cold contrast, thus creating a clear depth of field effect. For example, when depicting a city streetscape, the painter can make the viewer feel the spatial distance and hierarchical relationship between the scenery at different distances by making the buildings in the foreground appear bright and warm tones, the buildings in the middle ground show soft tones, and the buildings in the distance show faint cool tones.
C. Accentuate artistic conception and emotional expression
Light and color can also be used in watercolor paintings to set off artistic conceptions and express emotions. By using the light and shade of light and the change of color to warm and cold, the painter can create different atmospheres and emotions, so that the viewer can resonate and experience emotions.
First of all, the use of light and color can create different atmospheres. In watercolor painting, by adjusting the brightness and shade of light and the warmth of color, the painter can make the picture present different atmospheres such as bright and cheerful, soft and quiet, dark and mysterious. For example, when painting a picture of a sunset, the painter can give the picture a warm and romantic atmosphere by making the light take on a warm yellow tone.
Secondly, the use of light and color can express the artist's emotions and themes. In watercolor painting, the painter can express his emotional attitude towards the subject of the picture by adjusting the light and shade and the warmth of the color. For example, when painting a sad picture, a painter can make the picture appear heavy, melancholy by making the light appear dark tones and contrasts of light and dark.
V. The interaction of light and color with the viewer in watercolor
A. Empathy effect: the emotional resonance between the viewer and the picture
The light and color in watercolor painting are not only elements on the picture, they can also evoke deep emotional resonance in the viewer's heart, thus achieving an empathetic effect between the artwork and the viewer. When the viewer appreciates a watercolor painting, the use of light and color often triggers the viewer's inner emotions and memories, causing them to resonate and experience emotions. For example, a watercolor depicting the afterglow of a sunset may evoke a longing and longing for a warm family, which can resonate with the viewer with the emotions in the image.
B. The relationship between the viewer's angle and the direction of light
The viewer's angle and the direction of light play a crucial role in watercolor painting. When viewing a watercolor painting, the angle and direction of light will affect the viewer's perception and understanding of light and color in the painting. For example, when a viewer looks at a watercolor painting depicting a sunrise by the sea from different angles, the light effects and color changes they perceive may be different, resulting in different viewing experiences.
C. Emotional communication between the artist and the viewer
Through the use of light and color, watercolor painters not only express objects and spaces, but also communicate with the viewer emotionally. Through the artist's exquisite technique and profound emotional expression, the viewer can understand the themes and emotions expressed in the picture more deeply. When viewing watercolor paintings, the viewer can communicate and resonate with the picture by feeling the artist's emotions and thoughts. This kind of emotional exchange is not only one-way, but the viewer can also respond to the work through their own feelings and emotions, and interact and communicate with the artist emotionally.
VI. Conclusion
Light and color play a crucial role in watercolor painting, not only as a means of expressing objects and spaces, but also as a medium for artists to express emotions and empathize with the viewer. Through the use of light, the artist is able to shape the chiaroscuro and spatial sense of the picture, making the picture more vivid and three-dimensional. The use of color can express the artist's emotions and themes, and arouse the viewer's empathy and emotional experience. In watercolor painting, light and color interact with each other to jointly construct a rich and colorful art world, bringing profound artistic enjoyment and emotional experience to the viewer.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Gury, M. (2012). Watercolor: Realistic Painting. Abrams.
Hillberry, J. D. (1998). Drawing Realistic Textures in Pencil. North Light Books.
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