Creating Depth With Color and Values
We can learn so much from a single piece of candy corn. This piece starts to take on the 3D effect using 3 techniques.
- Making the values on the side of the candy corn darker and duller by adding the complement of the color on the front. Adding the complement, the exact opposite on the color wheel, does what is called, graying the color. It doesn’t necessarily make the color gray, but it does mute the color and we need that value shift to create depth.
- On the side of the candy corn, the bottom of each color has to be angled to create depth. If you went straight across you could not get that 3D effect. It’s amazing how a 1/4″ line at the right angle does for this piece.
- The shadow. Getting that dark shadow right up underneath the candy corn where the candy meets the surface below is critical. Then adding a lighter shadow that also goes around the edge adds to the 3D effect of the candy.
The three lessons we learned above can be used in every painting you create in the future.
Understanding how complements work is a very important piece of color theory. The next time you need a shadow or the darker side of an object, add the complement of the color you’re working with and possibly some white if it’s too dark and you should be on the right track.
Getting the perspective right in the drawing phase of a painting is important as well. You can correct incorrect perspective with paint, but you need to know what the problem is and how to fix it. That angle on the side of the candy corn makes all the difference. The slight curve across the bottom and in the color changes also adds a little roundness and helps with the depth perspective.
Finally the shadow. You have to determine where the light source is coming from to get the shadow correct, but the shadows make an enormous difference. Never underestimate the need for shadows and highlights.
There is so much to be learned in even the simplest of subjects and a simple subject makes it so much more obvious. Yes, there’s lots to be learned in painting a single piece of candy corn.
As always, I hope this was fun little painting was instructive. Have a great day!
Let’s paint together real soon!
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