DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19951#0055
SUNSET.
45
sun. Unless the sentiment of the subject be fully felt,
where so much depends upon the influence of the mind,
the learner will gain but little from the most circumstan-
tially detailed description of the mode of treatment required
for such a picture as that under consideration.
In the list of colours for sunset skies, Cadmium Yellow
certainly holds an important place : when used alone, it
readily throws all other yellows into the shade; and mixed
with Vermillion, or with Crimson Lake, it produces an
orange of intense power. It is not quite so transparent
as Indian Yellow, and therefore mixes admirably with
Chinese White for the light touches of bright clouds or of
mountains. Rose Madder is invaluable for glazing over
such touches when dry, should they be required to be of a
warmer hue.
The student, who really looks to nature for colour, and
studies carefully her combinations, will very rarely err
materially in his work. Thus, at sunset, orange is the
prevailing colour, not merely in the sky, but also on all
objects lighted by the sun's rays. The proper contrast to
orange is blue: and accordingly we find that, in nature,
blueish or purple shadows are continually opposed to the
warm orange lights. In a gray twilight, on the contrary,
where the lights are sparkling, but cold, the shadows par-
take of a warm, or brownish hue. This principle must
be borne in mind as being one of the most important in
painting.
In all effects, then, which depend upon sunlight, con-
trast is the grand object of attainment. By contrast is
meant not only the power possessed by cool tints of in-
creasing the hue of warm ones, but also the powerful
opposition of dark tones against the lights of the picture.
Let the student, for example, work a sky as follows :—
at the top, with cool gray, graduated into pale orange,
tending to red towards the horizon. The colours are
to be employed according to the instructions given in
the preceding pages. The colours may appear warm,
45
sun. Unless the sentiment of the subject be fully felt,
where so much depends upon the influence of the mind,
the learner will gain but little from the most circumstan-
tially detailed description of the mode of treatment required
for such a picture as that under consideration.
In the list of colours for sunset skies, Cadmium Yellow
certainly holds an important place : when used alone, it
readily throws all other yellows into the shade; and mixed
with Vermillion, or with Crimson Lake, it produces an
orange of intense power. It is not quite so transparent
as Indian Yellow, and therefore mixes admirably with
Chinese White for the light touches of bright clouds or of
mountains. Rose Madder is invaluable for glazing over
such touches when dry, should they be required to be of a
warmer hue.
The student, who really looks to nature for colour, and
studies carefully her combinations, will very rarely err
materially in his work. Thus, at sunset, orange is the
prevailing colour, not merely in the sky, but also on all
objects lighted by the sun's rays. The proper contrast to
orange is blue: and accordingly we find that, in nature,
blueish or purple shadows are continually opposed to the
warm orange lights. In a gray twilight, on the contrary,
where the lights are sparkling, but cold, the shadows par-
take of a warm, or brownish hue. This principle must
be borne in mind as being one of the most important in
painting.
In all effects, then, which depend upon sunlight, con-
trast is the grand object of attainment. By contrast is
meant not only the power possessed by cool tints of in-
creasing the hue of warm ones, but also the powerful
opposition of dark tones against the lights of the picture.
Let the student, for example, work a sky as follows :—
at the top, with cool gray, graduated into pale orange,
tending to red towards the horizon. The colours are
to be employed according to the instructions given in
the preceding pages. The colours may appear warm,