Finding the Color in the Shadows. 

Your painting really made your point. We are hugely benefitting from your generosity. Thank you Ian.

Excellent demonstration! Greatly appreciate you.

Love your teachings. Thank you so much. 👏👏❤️

Thank you Ian. As you probably know, there are a lot of painters on RU-vid. Your instruction makes sense to me. I enjoy your videos a great deal. You take the intimidation factor out of learning to paint.

Thanks Ian, really enjoyed the concept of the darks in shadows, from NZ

TUESDAY MORNINGS with IAN!!!! gets my creative juices flowing for the week....and painting outdoors again!!

There were two main take-aways from today’s demonstration about color in shadows, and, last week’s video, taking pictures for painting references…..a ‘light bulb’ illuminating moment, though both concepts are rather simple and intuitive, upon reflection. The first insight. As I thought about the pictures you were taking and the references you selected to sketch, and perhaps, to paint, it struck me once again how ordinary and unspectacular your subjects that you paint. Yet, the completed painting from those references is anything but ordinary……. And, it dawned on me….the reason they result in a well-composed and well-executed painting is because you are painting what attracts and interests you. It matters not the relevance to anyone else, but only to you, the artist! Paint what speaks to you! As a result, we see through your eyes, the artist, the ‘story’ you wish to communicate…….what it is that inspired or appealed to you. Careful forethought in design, structure, technique, et cetera, will convey to the viewer your message and intent. The second realization……determining the colors in shadows is all relative. What do I mean by this…….I always had the understanding that shadows were cool and what was not in shadow was warm. But, for example, as you demonstrated with your cliff faces, they were a warm shadow, somewhat neutralized by their complementary color (green, red). What determined whether they felt cool or warm, however, was not solely the result of the hue used, but by what color was placed next to another, it’s value and edge. In essence, you looked at the local color and determined to what degree other colors would be seen and their color shift……..If it was a red hue, you shifted that color, not necessarily the value, by using green, keeping it dark, yet the underlying hue of warm red was still evident. This created a shadow that was not harsh, or a sharp contrast unlike what would occur if you used a black. And the harmonious color was more pleasing and interesting! I was struck by how similar the fundamental concepts of painting shadow relate to painting sunshine: value, contrast, color temperature….. It is so enjoyable to see how each video builds upon the next……”part to whole,” as you stated. Thank you for your instruction! Also, I am very interested in your upcoming video, discussing plein air materials, especially palettes and easels.

Yea, Watercolor Demo!!!!!!!! By the way this video on shadows was great!

This was a spectacular video! Thank you!

Fascinating ... I struggle with making shadows too dark overall, and this helped a great deal to see a different approach.

As always, very helpful, even though I paint in watercolor. I’m recovering from knee surgery and have found that painting has been a sanity preserver! No sun on the west coast (PNW), but the minute the sun comes out, I will look for shadow color!

Your video are excellent. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. It's very helpful.

Brilliant video, certainly makes you think more. 👍

Thank you for the on point tips!

Excellent tutorial!

Great lesson 👍 I am learning so very much, thank you.

That’s the gift given to us artists…not necessarily the painting outcome, but the ability to see color and appreciate the beauty that color and subtlety all around us. Not a profound thing to say, but it is a profound thing to experience…a gift. Thanks, Ian!

Great demo that makes your point very clearly! 🙂

Great lesson again, thank you

Great! Thank You!

I’m late to the table and really enjoy your videos. I started in oils and am learning watercolor and all your videos are applicable. I’m also a photographer. For easy carry check out the Sony cyber-shot rx100 VII and with a 24-200mm lens you can’t go wrong. It’s a dream camera and can be in your pocket, pull it out and you can grab some great shots. There are many used models on B&H, you don’t have to buy new ones. Thanks for the great videos.

Wow, beautiful shadows, great lesson, now no need to be afraid of darkness (shadows)

To watch each of your videos is a real cultural and artistic pleasure. As every time, at the end a wonderful painting appears. With your clear and precise explanations, I understand my difficulties and failures and I progress. I hope one day to reach your mastery... but, I chose the longer way with watercolor. Thank you very much for your generosity.

Love your work and your comments that are so meaningful on every aspect of the painting!

Ian, that was great. In the beginning I thought, umm, the shadow colors he's mixing aren't blue enough or grey enough or dark enough (in my mind I'm thinking how I would have mixed them) but wow, it was spot on. So, I learned how to look more closely at what I'm actually SEEING. Lovely painting too. Thank you for great instruction, it's much appreciated. BTW, really looking forward to the plein air video.

Thanks ...trying out your instructions

Wow thank you. I loved your book Mastering Composition; a great addition to my library which I recommend to everyone. I'm really enjoying your RU-vid workshops.

Not sure everything you need the camera for, but if you want something that takes outstanding photos and is extremely compact look into the Ricoh GR digital cameras. It's a fantastic camera and a popular camera among photographers for it's sharp lens and because it's the smallest camera with an APS-C sized sensor (Same size most store bought big DSLR cameras have). I can't recommend these cameras enough. Really enjoy your videos. :)

Superb demonstration Ian, so interesting, I liked very much. Thank you!

That was just fantastically done color shadows, so interesting.

Thank you for such generosity. Sony RX10 IV can do things the phone cannot: small and great long range lens.

I loved the painting more than the photo ☺️ and the process of creating the effect of light shining on the rock against the shadows was absolutely delightful!

Hi Ian. Another great lesson. Thank you. I am going to mimic what a lot of others have been posting. Try your phone. I use to take a camera with me always. Now I don't, I leave the camera in the studio and it stays on my tripod for the most part to catalog my work. I have the iPhone Pro Max 12 and use it whenever I leave the house. I have taken thousands of pictures on it and to be honest the photos are top notch. I read one of the comments that said, "cannot capture sunsets...". I personally don't see it as an issue because I know that sunsets are never on film what they are in person--but I'm a painter not a photographer. Best Wishes, Natalie

I wouldn't buy a new camera specifically to take reference photos for painting when the cameras on the newer phones are so sophisticated and you always have one in your pocket. There are also some great apps for manipulating the images to open up shadows, increase contrast and saturation etc. As a professional artist and photographer I would have cringed at this comment 10 years ago.

Loved this demo, so helpful! I encourage you to try using your phone for taking photos. The cameras on phones have gotten so good. That's all I use and I get fantastic photos. I often take landscape photos where I have to focus in from a distances. These photos are good enough to crop, and print large enough to hang on the wall. Try it.

U are superb!

Another brilliantly helpful and generous video, thank you!

Can’t wait to see your watercolour demo!

Very helpful and encouraging. Thank you Ian.

Just bought a Canon M50. Nice small size and lots of nice features.

It's becoming clearer the shadows and highlights of scenes. I think I now can paint something this way...Ian you're explanations and calm help drive me to my goals...Thank you so very much.

My fingers always itch to paint after I watch one of your videos. Do you think you’ll want to do a live stream workshop anytime…..? Soon? 😊

Really helpful and wonderful as always Ian! As one 1952 person to another, just break down and update your phone. Honestly, the camera is terrific!

Perfect, just what I needed to see about painting shadows. Really like your painting too! Cheers -Greg

Such a great informative video- thanks so much for sharing your great knowledge and talent with us all!

Great videeo! One trick I sometimes use to find colours in a scene (I discovered this accidentally as a kid) is to stand with my back to the view and then put my head between my legs and view it that way. Basically I'm viewing the scene up side down, and because it doesn't make a great deal of sense to my brain, it's a mass of beautiful colours that I don't normally see. I'll try this technique next time I go out on a sunny day to look at shadows! Thanks as always Ian. :-)

Amazing, Ian. Thank you. 💖

Hi Ian. Any decent modern phone has a camera that is perfect for reference photography. I shoot with a big Dslr for work (portraits, packshots etc.) and take my reference shots for painting with my iPhone whenever I see something interesting. Works perfectly 🙂

Thank you, Ian, for sharing your talent with us. I'm spending a lot of time on structure rather than starting a painting haphazardly. I tend to be too much of a perfectionist at times so am now looking for a happy medium so I can get started again. The method of thirds helps to not feel so overwhelmed. Your videos are so informative!!

Great info as always, thanks Ian!

Don't dismiss the Handycam too quickly, if its the one with the Carl Zeiss lens, particularly. Its one of the best cameras for distinguishing between colours and tones/values. I put it an par with Leica.

I would have looked at this photo and discarded it. You looked at the photo, and immediately could take a great leap forward to imagine a path to a very handsome painting by 1) lightening the shadowed foreground (which defies intuition, since we are often reminded to increase value contrast) 2) saturating all that is in sunlight 3) having an idea what colors would work, especially in the shadows. The colors painted in the shadows differ from those in the photo So what might be a path to learning to recognize useful insights such as 1), 2) and 3) when looking at other photos? Maybe some questions to ask ?

Your live stream was wonderful and I'm happy to hear that you'll do it again. I love how you made the lit areas at the background pop simply by lowering the values of the shaded areas. Making a warm colored shadow area (like the red-orange plants in your painting) is difficult for me. I see that you actually adjusted the values of the shadow areas up a bit compared to the photo. Brilliant! Thank you so much for showing this painting.

Thanks Ian. I really enjoy your RU-vid videos, so thanks. I have a bit of a strange question/request: I learn more from mistakes then doing things correctly from the beginning. Could you do a demo on mistakes you've made as an experienced painter and how you go about fixing them?

iPhone has a great camera and it is multifunctional

The more I paint, the less I want to use reference photos. The mind finds the gems of colour nuance that the machine cannot 'see'.

Thank you. I have been painting the shadows way too dark, and lost all the details. Now I will try to add some colors in the shadows.

As a photographer and a painter, I’ll tell you fujifilm makes great cameras.

Love this info plus your talent is amazing

Thank you for your videos, they're so helpful! I have a question on how do you determine what colors to use, do you mix all the colors before starting the painting or you start with the basic colors then you darken and lighten your colors as you paint?

Hi.. I think you must se Canon G series cameras... Hop its work for you..

Hey, Ian, I discovered you and your videos by chance on youTube. I am on older woman who returned to painting after having raised 4 kids. I live in Israel and I really don't know any fellow painters around me ,so demos and online instruction are like a lifeline for me. I am GREATLY appreciating your excellent and clear instruction and your sincere and unpretentious manner.I love the way you paint too. Thank you VERY much and give your wife a warm thank you as well!

You have really targetted what is such an overlooked problem for us aspiring painters, Ian. Brilliant tutorial! ☺☺☺

Thank you! Perfect timing. I've been studying and painting (in WC) an image of an autumn maple leaf from a photo I recently took - noticing all the warm orange and burgundy colors bouncing off the leaf and residing in the shadows.

Great tips and stunning demonstration as always, thank you Ian Roberts. I just painted a similar scene today, from a photo of Lulworth Cove in the UK. It was a sketch painting in watercolour, so now with your tips here I will have a go at a full size painting in watercolour- but using denser pigmentation as you suggested in a previous comment. It's a bit daunting to be honest, but hey, life is short, gotta go for it!

You continue to amaze me with your artistic gifts as well as your gentle and humble manner in which you offer your knowledge and experience. Thank you so so much.

This video blew my mind. I wasn't really sold on it until the lit rock was painted and then I was truly amazed.

The Tuesday films are always treats to look forward to! When i saw your photo, I could identify the five areas but to a certain extent I was foxed by the local colour. The area in shadow, I identified as more of a blue and cool grey and had I been painting, the further headland would have been more blue to give a sense of distance. It was a surprise to see you complete the headland with strong local colour and the foreground in shadow in warm neutrals tones. The result was a very pleasant surprise which works so well. Sometimes were use too much blue as well as resorting to black! Also the red of the ice plants on the nearer cliff helps to warm up the foreground. This is a lesson in not painting by formula but responding with a trained eye! Many thanks!

I actually love that hit of warm light on the rocks on the left! Serves so well to contextualise the shadows of the foreground in my eyes. 👍

Wow! Thanks Ian. Cloudy day in Nebraska. I love when the sun comes out! Hey my phone photos are great! The 13 iPhone has zoom and wide angle, I think. The 11 or 12 is still great. You can zoom by pinching your photo and if you have an iPad you can easily send it to your iPad and crop and edit with the system’s editing program. It is a game changer. Also Amazon has a thing to hold your iPad to your easel. And there is an App called Art Tools it’s by the guy who makes the plastic proportional divider. It has grids, you can check your values and all sorts of neat stuff! Toys for artists:) ! Yippee!

You'd like Micro four-third body like Olympus e-m5 and Panasonic 14-140mm or 12-32mm & 45-150mm lenses, if you didn't get new camera yet.

Love your videos. Even great for a rewatch!!❤️👍🏻

Thank you so much, Ian. As it is I find shadows very challenging and you gave a wonderful demonstration here. I mainly use watercolours and constantly have to guard against making my colors muddy. Thanks again.

From the photo, in the middle of the foreground, I can see a lot of dark blue reflecting the color of the sky, but your painting didn’t catch that, making this area much duller that it really is. I don’t understand why?

A point and shoot camera might be best for you because it will have good automatic settings so you won't have to fiddle too much, they're very compact and the perfect quality for what you would need.

I loved this episode on shadows. I am always amazed how you take a complex image and simplify into shapes and then the painting appears. I know... squint on the subject, but training myself is difficult. I always get caught up in the darn details. I look forward to Tuesdays and my lesson from you. Hope to attend the live session, but happy I can catch it after the fact.

Super job, I have a Cliff and River scene I have really been struggling with and you have given me an entirely new take on where to go next. Thanks

Thank you Ian for the wonderful demo.. I wanna see demo from the people who are disliking the video.. Guys appreciate and support. Dear Ian you're doing great 👍, please keep it up. Tk cre buddy..

Great lesson Ian. Thanks for telling your plan for next few weeks. Looking forward to your watercolor demo. I'll be there Dec 11. Loved the live stream. Glad you are teaching so many. Thank you. 🙏☺👏

Please, please would you tell us the tube names of the colors you use when ever you paint. There are so many ways to make green orange etc. and learning how you mix colors would be incredibly helpful!!! Thanks.

Is this painting done at fiscalini ranch preserve in cambria? it looks exactly like the spot I had painted plein-air there.

Ian… i’m pretty sure I’m close to your age… I’ll be 60 in a couple of years… And I can tell you categorically that the iPhone is better than any camera on the planet! Especially the iPhone 12 which I just bought one last year. I’ve been painting for 45 years and I use it occasionally if I need to but mostly painting out of my head these days…

Ian, do you have a mild undertone on this canvas? Do you normally under-paint your canvases - or not?

I understand warm light and cool shadows and vice versa but how do I tell whether the light itself is warm or cool? If I can see or know that clearly, then the shadows won't be a problem. I've heard people say the light is warm or cool even if the sky and light are bright and sometimes I can't tell whether the shadows are purples, blues, reds or greys.

Thank you so much for this fantastic lesson! It was an “AHA” moment for me! I love and appreciate your videos so much! I can’t thank you enough! I look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays! 😍

Thank you, so helpful. I am guilty of generic dark sludge shadows! Not any more!😊

I would have never recognized the colors you added to the shadows. Time to practice. Thank you for your dedication to open our eyes and not only inspiring to get better but showing the way. I am looking forward to see more...

Great artist!! Beautiful painting!! Thank for sharing.

Wonderful lesson on shadows! Even tho there is color in them you still can tell what is in the shade. Thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Most artists who create photos from paintings take many photos for every one they consider useful. And more often than not we wonder why we took any photo. What are we thinking wrong?.

Thanks Ian!!! I get to learn a lot from these demos. Plein Air would be really helfpul.

My husband is a photographer and he advises people use their phones, because when a photo appears you are far more likely to have your phone than a camera. Also, the quality of photos on a phone is excellent these days.

As always, a super helpful video! Thanks so much. I do have a question, regarding plein air paintings. When you have a white building that is being lit head-on by the sun, whether it's morning sun or evening sun, how do you keep the color from looking flat? Maybe you've answered this in the past, if so, could you direct me to the answer? Many thanks!

I hate to ask, but could you list all the pigments /colors you're using: maybe as a graphic list we could jot down? Us 60 plussers would appreciate the punch list or post it in the description.......... Great video. Daylight Savings time does have a purpose.lol....😊.......the sun is extremely bright as 'I can see for miles and miles'. Not coincidentally I was struggling with this needed topic. Thx for sharing your talents with so many. It's appreciated. I have been sharing your name/channel to encourage others on the FB page Paint&Show. A non-judgmental, encouraging page with a variety of talents. Again, thx Ian !!!!!

THANK YOU for this video on shadows..I struggle with them!!! Wondering if you tlked about warm and cool shadows..looks like you have both in your shadows. ..Still i'm not reading your shadows as bein dark enough??

Thank you, Ian! Shadow color is mother of all questions.

Love your demos Ian. Keep going with it

Please give demo of human figures in the landscape

Gorgeous! Thank you so much for showing how to deal with shades and colours! Great hints!

So glad I found you on here. I've only watched 3 videos, about 15-20 mins. And... Ty! Already I'm feeling excited to implement your ideas. Ty again.