The influence of light on color in the interior. Effect of lighting on color perception

In many cases, objects that are considered to be of the same color can take on color and become amazingly beautiful when the light intensity is increased. For example, a telescope image of a faint nebula usually appears "black and white", but astronomer Miller of the Mount Wilson and Palomar observatories was able, through his patience, to obtain color images of several nebulae. No one has ever seen the colors of the nebulae with their own eyes, but this does not mean that the colors are artificial, just that the light intensity was too low for the cones of our eyes to detect color. Particularly beautiful are the Ring and Crab Nebulae. In the image of the Annular Nebula, the central part is painted in a beautiful blue color and surrounded by a bright red halo, while in the image of the Crab Nebula, bright red-orange filaments interspersed against a bluish haze.

In bright light, the sensitivity of the rods seems to be very low, but in the dark, over time, they acquire the ability to see. The relative changes in intensity to which the eye can accommodate exceed one million times. Nature has come up with two kinds of cells for this purpose: some see in bright light and distinguish colors - these are cones, others are adapted to see in the dark - these are sticks.

Interesting consequences arise from this: the first is the discoloration of objects (in weak light), and the second is the difference in the relative brightness of two objects painted in different colors. It turns out that the rods see the blue end of the spectrum better than the cones, but the cones see, for example, dark red, while the rods cannot see it at all. Therefore, for sticks, red is the same as black. If you take two sheets of paper, say red and blue, then in semi-darkness the blue will appear brighter than red, although in good light the red sheet is much brighter than blue. This is an absolutely amazing phenomenon. If we look at the brightly colored cover of a magazine in the dark and imagine its colors, then in the light everything becomes completely unrecognizable. The phenomenon described above is called the Purkinje effect.

In FIG. 35.3, the dotted curve characterizes the sensitivity of the eye in the dark, i.e. sensitivity due to rods, and the solid curve refers to vision in the light. It can be seen that the maximum sensitivity of rods lies in the green region, and cones - in the yellow region. Therefore, a red leaf (red color has a wavelength of about 650 mm), clearly visible in bright light, is almost completely invisible in the dark.

The fact that vision in the dark is carried out with the help of rods, and there are no rods in the vicinity of the macula lutea, is also manifested in the fact that we see objects directly in front of us in the dark, not as clearly as objects located to the side. Faint stars and nebulae are sometimes easier to see if you look at them somewhat sideways, because there are almost no rods in the center of the retina.

Reducing the number of cones towards the periphery of the eye, in turn, leads to another interesting effect - at the edge of the field of view, even bright objects lose their color. This effect is easy to check. Fix your eyes in a certain direction and ask a friend to come up to you from the side, holding brightly colored sheets of paper in his hand. Try to determine the color of the leaves before they are right in front of you. You will find that you have seen the leaves themselves long before you can tell what color they are. It is better if your friend enters the field of view from the side opposite the blind spot, otherwise confusion will arise: you will already begin to distinguish colors, and suddenly everything will disappear, and then the leaves will appear again and you will clearly distinguish their color.

It is also interesting that the periphery of the retina is extremely sensitive to the movement of visual objects. Although we do not see well when we look sideways, with one corner of the eye, nevertheless, we immediately notice a beetle or midge flying from the side, even if we did not expect to see anything at all in this place. We are “pulled” to see what it flickers on the edge of the field of view.

The retina consists of two types of light-sensitive cells - rods and cones. During the day, in bright light, we perceive the visual picture and distinguish colors with the help of cones. In low light, rods come into play, which are more sensitive to light, but do not perceive colors. That is why at dusk we see everything in gray, and there is even a proverb "At night all cats are gray

Because there are two types of light-sensitive elements in the eye: cones and rods. Cones see colors, while rods see only the intensity of light, that is, they see everything in black and white. Cones are less light-sensitive than rods, so they can't see anything at all in low light. Rods are very sensitive and react even to very weak light. That is why in the semi-darkness we do not distinguish colors, although we see contours. By the way, the cones are mainly concentrated in the center of the field of view, and the rods are at the edges. This explains why our peripheral vision is also not very colorful, even in daylight. In addition, for the same reason, astronomers of past centuries tried to use peripheral vision when observing: in the dark it is sharper than direct.

35. Is there 100% white and 100% black? What is the unit for whiteness??

In scientific color science, the term “whiteness” is also used to assess the light qualities of a surface, which is of particular importance for the practice and theory of painting. The term "whiteness" in its content is close to the concepts of "brightness" and "lightness", however, unlike the latter, it contains a shade of qualitative characteristics and even to some extent aesthetic.

What is whiteness? White characterizes the perception of reflectivity. How more surface reflects the light falling on it, the whiter it will be, and theoretically a perfectly white surface should be considered a surface that reflects all the rays falling on it, but in practice such surfaces do not exist, just as there are no surfaces that would completely absorb the light falling on them.

Let's start with the question, what color is the paper in school notebooks, albums, books?

You might be thinking, what an empty question? Of course white. That's right - white! Well, and the frame, window sill, painted with what paint? Also white. Everything is correct! And now take a notebook sheet, a newspaper, several sheets from different albums for drawing and drawing, put them on the windowsill and carefully consider what color they are. It turns out that being white, they are all different colors (it would be more correct to say - different shades). One is white and gray, the other is white and pink, the third is white and blue, etc. So which one is "pure white"?

In practice, we call white surfaces that reflect a different proportion of light. For example, we evaluate chalk soil as white soil. But as soon as a square is painted on it with zinc white, it will lose its whiteness, but if inside the square is then painted over with white having even greater reflectivity, for example, barite, then the first square will also partially lose its whiteness, although we will practically consider all three surfaces to be white .

It turns out that the concept of “whiteness is relative, but at the same time there is some kind of boundary from which we will begin to consider the perceived surface no longer white.

The concept of whiteness can be expressed mathematically.

The ratio of the light flux reflected by the surface to the flux incident on it (in percent) is called "ALBEDO" (from Latin albus - white)

ALBEDO(from late Latin albedo - whiteness), a value characterizing the ability of a surface to reflect the flow falling on it electromagnetic radiation or particles. The albedo is equal to the ratio of the reflected flux to the incident one.

This ratio for a given surface is basically preserved at various conditions lightness, and therefore whiteness is a more constant surface quality than lightness.

For white surfaces, the albedo will be 80 - 95%. The whiteness of various white substances can thus be expressed in terms of reflectivity.

W. Ostwald gives the following table of whiteness of various white materials.

A body that does not reflect light at all is called in physics absolutely black. But the blackest surface we see will not be completely black from a physical point of view. Since it is visible, it reflects at least some of the light and thus contains at least a tiny percentage of whiteness - just as a surface approaching perfect white can be said to contain at least a tiny percentage of blackness.

CMYK and RGB systems.

RGB system

The first color system we'll look at is the RGB (red/green/blue) system. The screen of a computer or TV (like any other body that does not emit light) is initially dark. Its original color is black. All other colors on it are obtained by using a combination of these three colors, which in their mixture should form White color. The combination "red, green, blue" - RGB (red, green, blue) was empirically derived. There is no black color in the scheme, since we already have it - this is the color of the "black" screen. So the absence of a color in the RGB scheme corresponds to black.

This color system is called additive (additive), which in rough translation means "adding / complementing". In other words, we take black (the absence of color) and add primary colors to it, adding them together until white.

CMYK system

For colors that are obtained by mixing paints, pigments or inks on fabric, paper, canvas or other material, the CMY system (from cyan, magenta, yellow - cyan, magenta, yellow) is used as a color model. Due to the fact that pure pigments are very expensive, to obtain black (the letter K corresponds to Black), the color is not an equal mixture of CMY, but simply black paint

In a way, the CMYK system works in the opposite direction from the RGB system. This color system is called subtractive (subtractive), which in rough translation means "subtractive / exclusive". In other words, we take the white color (the presence of all colors) and, applying and mixing paints, remove certain colors from white up to the complete removal of all colors - that is, we get black.

The paper is originally white. This means that it has the ability to reflect the entire spectrum of colors of light that hits it. The better the paper, the better it reflects all colors, the whiter it seems to us. The worse the paper, the more impurities and less white in it, the worse it reflects colors, and we consider it gray. Compare the paper quality of a high-end magazine and a cheap newspaper.

Dyes are substances that absorb a specific color. If a dye absorbs all colors except red, then in sunlight, we will see a "red" dye and consider it "red dye". If we look at this dye under a blue lamp, it will turn black and we will mistake it for "black dye".

By applying to white paper different dyes, we reduce the number of colors it reflects. By painting the paper with a certain paint, we can make it so that all the colors of the incident light will be absorbed by the dye except for one - blue. And then the paper will seem to us painted blue. And so on ... Accordingly, there are combinations of colors, mixing which we can completely absorb all the colors reflected by the paper and make it black. There is no white color in the scheme, since we already have it - this is the color of the paper. In those places where white is needed, the paint is simply not applied. So the absence of color in the CMYK scheme corresponds to white.

A great influence on the perception of form is exerted by light, its direction, incident and its own shadows. When lighting a room with dim light reflected from the ceiling, i.e. falling on all objects from above, it gives the impression of a cloudy afternoon. With one-sided lighting, sharp and warm in color, which forms sharp shadows from all objects, a feeling of a summer evening is created when the light is bright, side, etc. We get the most correct impression of color in sunlight at noon.

In the light of incandescent lamps, the blue and violet parts of the spectrum are almost absent, so red, orange, yellow and green colors are perceived with only slight deviations compared to the same colors in daylight, while blue and violet surfaces darken and redden significantly.

The light of fluorescent white fluorescent lamps in its spectral composition is close to the natural daylight of the sky. When illuminated by these lamps, color perception will be relatively correct, coinciding with daylight perception. When painting rooms and equipment, it is necessary to take into account the changes that will occur with the color of surfaces under artificial lighting.

Depending on the method of solving the problem of the relationship between the object and the background, one can achieve the impression of remoteness or proximity of the object, the feeling of an increase in space, and, conversely, the creation of the so-called. "stage perspective" - ​​i.e. imposition of contours, identification of the foreground, the second, the illusory distance of the third plan (Table 1).

A dissected plane or space is perceived to some extent larger than undivided. This is based on visual illusions and a psychological moment: it takes more time to view a dissected space or plane than to view an undivided plane.

12. Influence of contrast.

A more complex kind of illusion is the edge contrast (or it is called the border effect), which occurs in places where a light field is in contact with a darker field. A light field near the border with a dark one appears even lighter, and a dark field appears darker. One gets the impression of uneven coloration of both fields.

Students encounter the phenomenon of edge light contrast in almost every work: in drawing and painting objects of a multifaceted shape (cube, ball), as well as a human head. In places of contact with the background shadow side the head seems too dark, and the background, on the contrary, is light; the illuminated part of the face in relation to the background seems too light, and the background on the border with the light - very dark.

Sometimes students begin to whiten the shadow part, make the background behind the head darker or the light on the face. The work loses contrasting expressiveness, becomes “sluggish”. Most often, in such cases, it is necessary to lighten the edge of the shadow part of the object, and on the border of light and dark along the edge of the light on the object, apply a light halftone.

The effect of the edge contrast will be weakened. The object will be perceived as more voluminous, spatial1. In ornamental compositions (for example, on fabrics, carpets, wallpaper, etc.), where several planes, different in color, lightness, adjoin each other, they are usually outlined in black, white or gray. These thin intermediate strips that interfere with the action of edge contrast are called spacers.

From the neighborhood with each other, colors change not only in lightness. Being close and mutually influencing each other, they acquire new color shades. For example, surrounded by red grey colour it seems somewhat greenish, and on a green background, on the contrary, pinkish, reddened, surrounded by yellow - bluish, etc. It seems that the corresponding colors are mixed with the gray tone every time, i.e. achromatic colors have a color tint.

In the given examples gray tones acquired opposite (additional) shades of the backgrounds on which they were located. Similar phenomena can be observed in chromatic colors. If a yellow is, for example, surrounded by red, then it is perceived as somewhat green, lemon yellow; on a green background, it looks reddish or having an orange tint, on a blue background it looks more saturated, since blue is the opposite color to yellow. Red surrounded by green is perceived as more saturated, green color on green, but with less saturation than the background, achromatized, gray. These phenomena in changing colors are called chromatic (color) contrast.

So, with edge and simultaneous contrasts, the color is perceived as darker if it is in the environment. light colors; and lighter - surrounded by dark ones. This phenomenon is typical for both chromatic and achromatic colors.

If a color is surrounded by chromatic colors, then it is as if mixed with it (according to the law optical mixing) a color close to the environment's complementary color.

If the color is in the neighborhood or against the background of its complementary color or close to it, then it is perceived as more saturated. If a small spot of the same color, but less saturated, is placed on a color plane, then the latter loses its saturation even more.

Working with relationships in painting.

To master the skill of realistic painting, it is necessary from the very beginning

learning to understand the essence and meaning of its two main features. Only in this case

a novice artist embarks on the path of professional education, and each new

work on picturesque qualities will be more perfect.

The first feature is that a competent pictorial image from nature,

the transfer of its volumetric, spatial and material qualities is based on the method

proportional arrangement of the visual image of the color relations of nature on

palette color range. The essence of the color relations conveyed in the study follows from

the essence of relations perceived by sight. Moreover, the construction of color relationships

etude is made taking into account the general tone and color state of illumination

(depending on the strength and spectral composition of the illumination - the color of the illumination). Working method

relations is the basic law of pictorial writing. An artist is a person

having a heightened sense of not only proportions, but also color relationships.

The second feature is that the color relationships of natural objects

performances are determined by comparison with their whole perception. Without such a setting

eyes on the integrity of vision, the color relationships of nature cannot be determined,

the image of nature will be motley, fractional, inharmonious. It is as a result

mastering these two features of professional literacy, you can create a complete

valuable, emotionally effective coloring of the image.

Primary and derivative colors.

Primary (or primary colors)- three basic colors - yellow, red and blue, from which all the rest are obtained by mixing.

These three colors cannot be obtained by mixing any of the others.

secondary colors- shades of color that can be obtained by mixing two basic ones.

Yellow + red = orange

Yellow + blue = green

Red + blue \u003d purple (lilac)

Tertiary (derivatives) colors are obtained by mixing primary and secondary colors.

Yellow + green = yellow green

Yellow + orange = yellow-orange

Red + orange = red-orange

Techniques of watercolor painting.

depending on paper moisture Let's single out such watercolor techniques as "wet work" ("English" watercolor) and "work in dry" ("Italian" watercolor). An interesting effect is obtained by working on a fragmentary moistened sheet. In addition, combinations of these techniques can also be found.

Wet work.

The essence of this technique is that the paint is applied to a sheet previously moistened with water. Its moisture content depends on creative idea artist, but usually begin to work after the water on the paper ceases to "shine" in the light. With enough experience, you can control the moisture content of the sheet by hand. Depending on how filled with water the hair bundle of the brush, it is customary to conditionally distinguish between such methods of work as "wet-on-wet" and "dry-on-wet".

Advantages of wet technique.
This way of working allows you to get light, transparent color shades with soft transitions. Especially successfully this method is used in landscape painting.

Difficulties in wet technology.
The main difficulty lies in the main advantage - this is the fluidity of watercolor. When applying paint by this method, the artist often depends on the vagaries of smears spreading over wet paper, which in the process of creativity can turn out far from what was originally intended. At the same time, it is almost impossible to correct only a single fragment without affecting the rest. In most cases, the rewritten section will be out of harmony with the general structure of the rest of the canvas. Some soiling, dirt, etc. may appear.
This way of working requires constant self-control, free use of the brush. Only considerable practice allows the artist to somehow predict the behavior of ink on wet paper and provide a sufficient level of control over its spreading. The painter must have a clear idea of ​​what he wants and how he must solve the problem.

A la Prima technique.

This is a painting in a raw style, written quickly, in one session, which creates unique effects of streaks, overflows and overflows of paint.

Advantages of the A la Prima technique.
Getting on the wet surface of the paper, the paint spreads over it in a unique way, making the picture light, airy, transparent, breathable. It is no coincidence that the work done in this technique is practically impossible to copy, since each stroke on a wet sheet is unique and unrepeatable. Combining various color combinations with a variety of tonal solutions, you can achieve amazing overflows and transitions between the subtlest shades. The a la prima method, since it does not involve multiple registrations, allows you to maintain maximum freshness and richness of colorful sounds.
In addition, an additional advantage of this technique will be a certain time saving. As a rule, the work is written “in one breath” while the sheet is wet (which is 1-3 hours), although, if necessary, you can additionally wet the paper during the creative process. In quick sketches from nature and sketches, this method is indispensable. It is also appropriate when performing landscape sketches, when fickle weather conditions oblige a quick execution technique.
When writing, it is recommended to make mixtures of two, maximum of three colors. Excess paint, as a rule, leads to clouding, to a loss of freshness, brightness, color definition. Do not get carried away by the randomness of spots, each stroke is designed to meet its purpose - to be strictly consistent with the shape and pattern.

The complexities of the A la Prima technique.
The advantage and at the same time the difficulty here is that the image that instantly appears on paper and fancifully blurs under the action of the movement of water cannot subsequently be subjected to any change. Each detail begins and ends in one step, all colors are taken at once in full force. So this method requires extraordinary concentration, sharp writing and a perfect sense of composition.
Another inconvenience can be called the limited time frame for the execution of such a watercolor, since there is no possibility of leisurely work with breaks between painting sessions (including when writing a large-format painting, by gradual execution of individual fragments). The image is written almost non-stop and, as a rule, "with one touch", i.e. the brush, if possible, touches a separate part of the paper only once or twice, no longer returning to it. This allows you to maintain absolute transparency, lightness of watercolor, to avoid dirt in your work.

Dry work.

It consists in the fact that the paint is applied to a dry sheet of paper in one or two (single-layer watercolor) or several (glazing) layers, depending on the artist's idea. This method allows you to provide good control over the flow of paint, tonality and shape of strokes.

Single-layer watercolor "dry".

As the name implies, in this case the work is written in one layer on a dry sheet and, as a rule, in one or two touches. This keeps the color purity of the image. As needed, you can "include" paint of a different shade or color in the applied, but not yet dried layer.

single layer method dry-on-dry more transparent and airy than glazing, but does not have the beauty of wet overflows achieved by the A la Prima technique. However, unlike the latter, without any particular difficulties, it allows you to perform strokes of the desired shape and tone, to provide necessary control over paint.

The colors used in the work, in order to avoid the appearance of dirt and filthiness, it is advisable to think over and prepare in advance, at the very beginning of the painting session, so that they can be applied to the sheet without hindrance.
It is convenient to work in this technique by outlining the contours of the drawing in advance, since there is no way to make adjustments with additional layers of paint. This method is well suited for graphic images, as strokes on dry paper retain their clarity. In addition, such a watercolor can be written both in one session and in several (with fragmentary work) with breaks as needed.

Another way to perform a single-layer watercolor is wet-on-dry, lies in the fact that each stroke is applied next to the previous one, capturing it while it is still wet. Thanks to this, a natural mixture of shades and a soft transition between them is formed. To enhance the color, you can pour the necessary paint with a brush into a smear that has not yet dried. You need to work fast enough to cover the entire sheet before the previously applied strokes dry out. This allows you to create beautiful painterly overflows, and the dry surface of the paper provides sufficient control over the fluidity and outlines of the strokes.

Multi-layer watercolor (glazing).

Glazing is a method of applying watercolor with transparent strokes (as a rule, darker ones on top of lighter ones), one layer on top of another, while the bottom must always be dry. Thus, the paint in different layers does not mix, but works through the light, and the color of each fragment is made up of the colors in its layers. When working in this technique, you can see the boundaries of strokes. But, since they are transparent, this does not spoil the painting, but gives it a peculiar texture. The strokes are done carefully so as not to damage or blur the already dried picturesque areas.

Advantages of the multi-layered watercolor technique.
Perhaps the main advantage is the ability to create paintings in the style of realism, i. most accurately reproducing a particular fragment environment. Such works outwardly have a certain similarity, for example, with oil painting, however, unlike it, they retain transparency and sonority of colors, despite the presence of several layers of paint.
Bright, fresh glazing paints give watercolor works a special sonority of color, lightness, tenderness and radiance of color.
Glazing is a technique rich colors, deep shadows filled with colorful reflexes, the technique of soft airy planes and endless distances. Where the task is to achieve color intensity, the multi-layer technique comes first.

Glazing is indispensable in shaded interiors and distant panorama plans. The softness of the chiaroscuro of the interior in calm diffused light with a multitude of all kinds of reflections and the complexity of the general pictorial state of the interior can only be conveyed by the glazing technique. In panoramic painting, where it is necessary to convey the most delicate air gradations long-term plans, you can not use body tricks; here you can achieve the goal only with the help of glazing.
When writing in this technique, the artist is relatively independent in the matter chronological framework: no need to rush, there is time to think without haste. The work on the picture can be divided into several sessions, depending on the possibilities, necessity and, in fact, the desire of the author. This is especially important when working with large format images, when it is possible to perform various fragments of the future picture separately from each other with their subsequent final merging.
Due to the fact that the glazing is carried out on dry paper, it is possible to achieve excellent control over the accuracy of strokes, which allows you to realize your plan to the maximum. By gradually applying one layer of watercolor after another, it is easier to choose the right shade for each element in the drawing and get the right color scheme.

The complexity of layered watercolor.
The main criticism directed at this technique is that, in contrast to the single-layer style of painting, which preserves the transparency of colors as much as possible, watercolor works executed with glaze lose their airiness and resemble images in oil or gouache. However, if the glazing is applied thinly and transparently, then the light falling on the picture will be able to reach the paper and be reflected from it.

It is also worth noting that the multi-layered writing often hides the texture of paper and paints or the texture of semi-dry brush strokes on a granular sheet.
Like any watercolor painting, glazing involves very careful work - strokes must be placed carefully so as not to smear the lower, already dried, layers of paint. Because the perfect mistake can not always be corrected later without consequences. If paper and a fragment of the image allow, it can be blurred with a hard column previously moistened with clean water, an unsuccessful place, then blot it with a napkin or cloth, and then, when everything dries, carefully restore the color.

Also, work can be done in combined (mixed) watercolor technique when in one picture both the “wet” and “dry” techniques are harmoniously combined. For example, the first layer of paint is placed on wet paper to create the desired blurring of the background (or/and separate fragments of the middle and foregrounds), and then, after the paper dries, additional layers of paint are placed successively while drawing the elements of the middle and foreground in detail. If desired, other combinations of raw writing and glazing are also used.

An interesting way work on a fragmentary moistened leaf , when the latter is not completely wetted, but only in some specific places. A long stroke, covering both dry and wet areas of the paper, will take on a unique shape, combining, with its general continuity, clear contours in dry places with “spread” ones in wet ones. The tonality of such a smear will change accordingly in areas of the paper with different degrees of moisture.

According to the color palette used by the artist, we will conditionally highlight monochrome watercolor - grisaille, and multicolor - classical. In the latter, there is no limit on the number of colors used and their shades, while in grisaille, different tones of the same color are used, not counting the color of the paper. Most often, sepia is used and, less often, black, ocher.

Sometimes in relation to watercolor work, you can also find such a term as "dichrome". As a rule, it is used extremely rarely and refers to those images in the creation of which not one, but two colors were used.

According to the degree of humidity can be divided not only work surface, but also brush hair bundle during a painting session. Of course, this division is more than arbitrary, since, depending on the desires of the artist, the same brush can change the degree of moisture with each stroke. At the same time, we will single out the work with a dry (wrung out) brush, semi-dry and wet, since the strokes in these cases differ from each other.
A brushstroke with a pressed brush when writing "wet" provides less "fluidity", allows you to better maintain control over the paint applied to the sheet. When writing “in a dry way”, such a stroke can only partially cover the paper, “slipping” (especially for embossed paper, medium-grained and torchon), which is of particular interest for specific creative solutions.

Writing with a semi-dry brush is universal and well suited for writing on paper of varying degrees of moisture. Of course, each case will have its own characteristics. With a wet brush, they write, as a rule, “in a dry way”, since dotted strokes on the wet surface of the sheet give a strong “spreading” and are difficult to control. However, a wet brush is well suited for pouring, stretching, washes and other techniques when you want to keep as much water in the brush as possible.

There are techniques for watercolor mixed with other coloring materials , for example, with whitewash (gouache), watercolor pencils, ink, pastels, etc. And, although the results are also very impressive, such techniques are not “clean”.

In the case of a combination of watercolor with pencils, the latter complement the translucency of colors with their bright and clear shades. With pencils, you can either emphasize some details of the pictorial image, making them clearer, sharper, or do the whole work in mixed media, in which linear strokes, brush strokes and colorful stains are equally present.

Pastel does not connect with watercolor as well as a pencil, but sometimes artists use it, applying pastel strokes over the finished watercolor hillshade.

ink, both black and color, can be used instead of watercolor. However, ink gives new possibilities and is usually used in brush washes or pen drawings. The combination of black ink drawing and abstract watercolor spots that merge and cross the boundaries of ink objects gives the work a fresh and original look.

combination of watercolor and pen very well, for example, for book illustrations.

Usually, whitewash(opaque coloring material, such as gouache) in mixed media are used to "simplify" the painting process. Sometimes the "reserve" of individual places in the picture presents a certain difficulty, especially when these places are small and there are many of them. Therefore, some artists paint without it, and then “bleach” the right places with paint (for example, highlights on objects, snow, tree trunks, etc.).
When creating one work, it is possible and combination various materials , for example, in addition to watercolors, white, ink and pastel are used in the process of painting, depending on the artist's creative intent.

In watercolor, one can conditionally distinguish such writing techniques , like: strokes, pouring, washing, stretching, reserves, "pulling" paint, etc.
smears- this is perhaps one of the most common ways of writing in painting, by the nature of which it is easy to distinguish a dynamic drawing from a boring work. The brush filled with paint, in contact with the surface of the sheet, performs one or another movement, after which it breaks away from the paper, thereby completing the stroke. It can be dotted, linear, curly, clear, blurry, solid, broken, etc.
fill- a technique performed in cases where it is required to cover a significant area of ​​​​the pattern with one color or make smooth transitions between different colors. It is performed on paper tilted at an angle, as a rule, with long horizontal strokes with a large brush, so that each next stroke flows down and “captures” part of the previous one, thereby organically merging with it into one texture. If, after filling, there is excess coloring pigment, then they can be carefully removed with a wrung out brush or napkin.
laundering- a technique of watercolor painting, in which paint heavily diluted with water is used - they begin to write transparent layers with it, repeatedly passing through those places that should be darker. The overall tone of each of the sections of the image is ultimately achieved by repeated overlays of these layers, and each of them is applied only after the previous one has completely dried, so that the colors do not mix with each other. At the same time, it is not recommended to apply more than three layers of paint so that dirt does not appear. Therefore, most often the second registration enhances the colors of the halftones, and the third saturates the color of the shadows and introduces details. In fact, washing is a repeated pouring of one tone onto another with a solution of the same concentration. Most often, this technique is used by architects and designers, since an ordinary drawing does not give the viewer a visual representation of the shape and color of the building. In addition, working with color, the architect finds the best combination material for the perception of what was conceived, clarifies tonal relationships, achieves an expressive silhouette and volumetric solution of the project.

gradient stretch- a series of successive strokes smoothly transitioning into each other, in which each subsequent one is lighter in tone than the previous one. In addition, sometimes a smooth transition from one color to another is also called.
Often in watercolor, a method such as "pulling" paint. A clean, wrung-out brush is carefully applied to the still wet painting layer, the hair of which absorbs part of the pigment from the paper, making the tone of the stroke lighter in the right place. Best of all, the paint is drawn out when writing “wet”, as the surface is still wet and the pigment does not hold well. If the smear is already dry, it can be gently moistened with a clean wet brush, and then “pull” the paint to the desired tone. However, this method is less effective on dry paper.

Reservation - this is the part of the sheet that remains white during the painting process. A real watercolorist observes the rules of purity of this technique, refusing white. Therefore, the level of the artist's skill, among other things, is determined by the ability to perform a high-quality reservation technique. There are several main ways.
"Walking"- the most complex and most "clean" reservation technique. With such a letter, the artist leaves the necessary places of the picture not painted over, carefully “bypassing” them with a brush. The method is performed both "dry" and "wet". In the latter case, you need to keep in mind that the ink applied to wet paper spreads, so the reserve should be done with some "margin".
The method often used is mechanical impact on a dry layer of paint. In the right places, it is scratched with a sharp object (for example, a razor) to the white surface of the sheet. However, this technique requires a certain skill and violates the texture of the paper, which can eventually lead to negative consequences.
It is also possible to use various so-called "camouflage", which can be used at almost any stage of the development of the picture, preventing paint from getting into the areas covered by them.
Using these solutions, you can keep bright light accents, glare, splashes white, achieve a variety of effects with the overlay method, when masking is applied after the first wash of color is applied, and a second, darker shade is applied on top.
However, with such a reserve, sharp and contrasting borders are obtained between the paint layer and the protected area. Softening such transitions is not always successful, so it is better not to abuse the use of masking tools, using them only to create interesting and beautiful effects.

You can also create a preliminary drawing in the right places. wax crayons without covering large areas. Then moisten all the work with water and fill with paints on a still wet sheet. Places originally painted over with wax crayons will remain untouched by watercolor, because. Wax repels water.

Another way is washout paint with a damp or wrung out brush. It is best done on a dry layer. However, it is no longer possible to achieve the initial whiteness of the paper, since part of the pigment still remains in the texture of the sheet. Instead of a brush, you can use a dry napkin, gently applying it to the specified places in the picture (for example, thus “creating” clouds in the sky), etc.
Sometimes there is such a technique as removing part of the semi-dry paint palette knife. However, it requires a certain skill and is used only in some particular solutions (for example, it can emphasize the outlines of mountains, stones, rocks, sea ​​waves, you can depict trees, grass, etc.).

Sometimes when creating watercolor works, some special effects .
For example, salt crystals applied on top of a wet paint layer, absorb part of the pigment, leaving unique stains on the paper, moving tonal transitions. With the help of salt, you can get mobile air environment in the picture, decorate the meadow with flowers, and the sky with stars.

Of particular interest is the watercolor, made on pre-creased paper, due to which the paint accumulates in a special way at the bends of the sheet, creating additional volume.

Sheet tinting black tea may contribute to the visual "aging" of the paper.

In some cases, it is justified to apply the pigment to the sheet by splashing(for example, a finger from a toothbrush), because to reproduce many tiny dots with a regular brush is quite difficult and time consuming. But at the same time, it must be borne in mind that the particles of the paint solution from the hard hair of the brush “scatter” almost uncontrollably, so this technique requires a certain skill.

An interesting effect is given by the usual cling film, firmly attached to the still wet paint and then carefully removed from the sheet.

In conclusion, I would like to note that, in addition to the main ones outlined, there are many other private techniques and ways of working with watercolors.

When choosing wallpaper, furniture, curtains or any other thing for the interior of our apartment, we first of all pay attention to the color of the object. Coloring is one of the main criteria that influences the decision to buy this or that thing for the home. And what a disappointment there is when, seeing a purchase at home, we find that in our apartment the color of it suddenly became completely different and does not look as charming as in the store. And to blame for this fairly common problem, metamerism, the term for color change depending on the observation conditions (lighting, etc.).

There are 4 main types of metamerism:

Radiation metamerism - color change depending on the light source;

Observer metamerism is a natural phenomenon and a long-known fact that all people perceive color individually, therefore, for different people the same color will look different;

Metamerism of the size of the measured field - a change in the perception of color depending on its area, many colors become more "aggressive" with a larger occupied area;

Metamerism of geometry or viewing angle - color change depending on the viewing angle of the observer. This effect is especially noticeable on metallized or coated with special paints surfaces.

How does light change color?

The color in your home always depends on the lighting. If you are observant, then you have probably already noticed this yourself. In daylight, the color of the walls is one, and in the evening, when the light sources are turned on, the color of the walls changes and becomes different. And of course this applies to all surfaces in the room.

That is why it is recommended to check all finishing materials under different light sources and always at home so that there are no unexpected surprises. After all, it often happens that you like wallpaper in a store, but you bring it home - and the color is not the same.

There are certain patterns in the change in color under the influence of light. They can be summarized something like this: in warm light, warm colors become softer and more tender, and cold colors fade and gray. In cold light, on the contrary, cold colors become brighter and more radiant, and warm colors become grayish.

This must be taken into account when buying lamps for your fixtures. Incandescent lamps, which today are already a thing of the past, have a warm light. Energy-saving lamps can have both warm and cold light. Their packaging always indicates what kind of light the lamp gives. Pay attention to this and buy exactly those lamps that will advantageously emphasize the colors in your room.

The smallest color change of finishing materials is given by simple halogen lamps, which emit a white light that is closest to natural midday lighting.

With natural light, you need to take into account the climate and the location of the windows. In the southern latitudes, the light is brighter, and in the northern latitudes it is more diffused. In bright southern light, the colors appear paler, so to compensate for this effect, it is recommended to choose a color 1-2 shades darker. To soften too sunny rooms choose cold dark pastel (desaturated) colors.

To prevent northern rooms from looking too gloomy and cold, warm colors are used. If there is not enough light in the room, then light and intense tones can compensate for this deficiency. In general, when exposed to indirect northern light, colors appear darker and less intense.

The table shows examples of how colors change under the influence of warm and cold light. Since the colors of your monitor may distort the actual colors, please refer to them as an example. And remember, in order not to make a mistake in choosing, test finishing materials at home with home lighting.

In addition, the perception of color is influenced by the colors surrounding it, for example, illusion of contrast and Hering's lattice give an idea of ​​this phenomenon. Also colors in color combinations can mutually reinforce or weaken each other. Going to the store to choose finishing materials and furniture for the home, these phenomena should be taken into account.

In order to get exactly the color in the interior that you wanted, you need to approach the choice in advance. First, determine what types of lighting will be present in your apartment, and how a particular object or finishing material will be illuminated. How much natural light will there be, which side of the world the windows face.

In southern light, most colors appear more intense, but at the same time become slightly paler. Whitened, desaturated colors in a southern room will be almost white. In the northern indirect light, the colors lose their intensity, but at the same time look darker. To compensate for this effect, more saturated color tones should be chosen for northern rooms.

What kind artificial sources light will illuminate the object - incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps or other. The greatest change in the color of finishing materials is observed when illuminated with incandescent lamps, high pressure sodium lamps and sodium lamps. low pressure. The smallest change in the color of the object occurs when illuminated by high-pressure mercury lamps and high-pressure metal halide lamps. Other types of lamps have an average ability to influence color change. In addition, it must be borne in mind that, other things being equal, saturated colors are subject to the greatest changes.

Perfect option The solution to this problem is to bring the selected sample into the house and see how it will look before buying. But this, unfortunately, is not always possible. Firstly, during the repair, lighting sources are installed at the last stage, and therefore it is not possible to see in advance how the selected finishing material will look in the end. And secondly, stores very rarely provide such a service.

Therefore, you will have to solve the problem of metamerism on your own. To do this, stock up on different types of flashlights and feel free to shine all of them under different angles for the selected material. Be sure to bring the selected sample to the window and see how it looks when natural light, without forgetting about the cardinal directions. Rotate the sample and look at it from different angles, notice what happens to its color. Make a purchase decision only if you like the color when different types lighting.
If the material you choose will occupy a large area in the room, then try to "turn on" the volumetric imagination and imagine how this color will look on a large area. Sometimes colors and colors look expressive in a small area, but lose their charm in a large area.

If the material is selected for a room where several people will spend their time, be sure to bring family members with you. Everyone should like the chosen color, otherwise quarrels, disputes and other undesirable consequences are possible in the future. Agree, few people like to often be in an unpleasant color environment.

The next point to pay attention to when choosing a color finishing material, furniture and fabrics for the interior, these are color combinations. What other colors will be present in the room? How much area will each color occupy? If you already have samples of other materials that will be in the room, take them with you and attach them to the chosen material. See how the colors affect each other and make a purchase only if you are satisfied with everything.

If you still bought a material, fabric or furniture that has changed its color in your home in an unpleasant way for you, and it is impossible to return the goods, try softening the bad color with an analog one by placing it nearby. For example, a bright green sofa can be muted by throwing soft turquoise pillows on it. Or, for example, if the red and blue colors, which looked spectacular in the store, merged into a single one in your apartment. purple, then choose from the coloring the color that you like best and use it as a dominant in additional accessories.

Knowing all the pitfalls that await you on the way to choosing a color scheme for the interior of your apartment, you can easily avoid them. Well, if you still didn’t take something into account and got a not entirely satisfactory result, there is always the opportunity to fix everything by using other colors from color palette. To do this, you just need to study the influence of colors on each other or turn to the help of professionals.

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