Sight the Light!

If color, form and proportions are the body of painting, light and shadow are its soul. A painting, if you have noticed traps your eye with its light more than anything. When light falls on any object it just gleams with joy! Light enhances the color. It brings out the true color and transparency of the object. In short it sparkles! 

Observe this yourself under a torch or direct sunlight keeping an object partially in light. You will be amazed to see the difference in color of the same object in light and darkness. In fact, this seemingly difference in color is owing to the difference in the values of the same color. In this example, the same blue looks different under light and darkness.

A leaf looks parrot green or even yellow under direct sunlight while it is darker green under shadow. Start looking at the object whenever you see them under light and shadow. You will be surprised to see whole new world opening up. To view an object brain does not see this difference in the color but when this needs to be reproduced on a canvas, the subtle changes in its values matter hugely. So it is important to paint as you see not as you view or infer. Classical works of Turner, Rembrandant and many others are well known for their spotlight effect.

Catching this light in painting is an ultimate bliss for both painter and the observer. It is however a lot easier said than done. Theory suggests keen eyes are the only prerequisites to understand the play of light both in nature and on the canvas! But to really see and translate, is a herculean task. I am still in its infancy, but nevertheless all eager to grow following this pursuit of sighting the Light. Here are some of my humble efforts to catch the divine light. Hope you enjoyed reading and watching these works.