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How to Paint Northern Lights with Watercolors
Today you will learn a more advanced way of how you can paint the northern lights with watercolors. But don’t worry, it will be super fun and relaxing and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!!
For today’s painting tutorial you need:
- watercolor paper
- tape (if you use a watercolor block, you won’t need the tape)
- 2 jars of water (one to rinse your brush, one for clean water)
- flat watercolor brushes
- watercolors (I used pthalogreen, cerulean blue and indigo blue in tubes)
- paper towel
The first thing we want to do is preparing the watercolor paper.
Let’s start by taping our watercolor paper to a canvas or board to prevent it from buckling. If you use a watercolor block there is obviously no need for this step!
Now you want to distribute clean water all over your paper. Use a flat brush to brush over the paper multiple times. This can take a while but it is important to give us additional time to paint! (You could even apply water to the backside of the paper! The hotter it is where you are the more water you should use. If you paint close to a radiator your paper might dry faster than you like!
Before I start applying the paint I tilted the board on the buttom side using my tape, so that the paint will flow downwards. This will help us paint the northern lights!
Are you all set up for painting and ready to go?
Good! Watch my video below to learn how to paint northern lights!
Do you want to get started with watercolors and need a little more support than my YouTube channel? Pre-order my new watercolor book “No-Fail Watercolor” right here. You’ll also find some additional fun painting ideas in it!
Not interested in my book? That’s okay too. You can just click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel to learn more about watercolors and get some inspiration, tips and tricks every week!
- « Top 5 Watercolor Myths – Why Watercolor Painting is so hard
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PATH TO NORTHERN LIGHTS
Introducing ‘Path to Northern Lights,’ a mesmerizing acrylic landscape painting created by urartstudio.com. This captivating artwork showcases the breathtaking beauty of the Northern Lights, transporting viewers into a world of vibrant colors and ethereal wonders. With masterful brushstrokes and a keen eye for detail, the artist seamlessly captures the magical essence of this natural wonder. From the sweeping streaks of neon green and electric blue to the ethereal glow illuminating the winter landscape, ‘Path to Northern Lights’ evokes a sense of awe and tranquility. This exquisite painting is an exquisite addition to any art collection, infusing any space with a touch of enchantment and captivating all who gaze upon it. Explore the world of urartstudio.com and immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of nature captured on canvas.
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Category: ART GALLERY and VIDEO TUTORIALS Tags: ACRYLIC PAINTING, ORIGINAL PAINTING
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Description
Introducing ‘Path to Northern Lights,’ a mesmerizing acrylic landscape painting created by urartstudio.com. This captivating artwork showcases the breathtaking beauty of the Northern Lights, transporting viewers into a world of vibrant colors and ethereal wonders.
With masterful brushstrokes and a keen eye for detail, the artist seamlessly captures the magical essence of this natural wonder. Every stroke is meticulously crafted, bringing to life the swirling dance of lights that grace the night sky. From the sweeping streaks of neon green and electric blue to the ethereal glow illuminating the winter landscape, ‘Path to Northern Lights’ evokes a sense of awe and tranquility.
This exquisite painting is more than just a stunning visual experience; it is a gateway to a realm of enchantment. As you gaze upon it, you can almost feel the crisp night air and hear the faint whispers of the wind. It invites you to embark on a journey, following a path of light that leads to a world of wonder and mystery.
Whether displayed in a modern gallery or a cozy living room, ‘Path to Northern Lights’ is a captivating addition to any art collection. Its vibrant colors and ethereal glow infuse any space with a touch of enchantment, creating a serene and inviting ambiance. This painting is sure to captivate all who lay their eyes upon it, sparking conversations and inspiring contemplation.
Step into the world of urartstudio.com, where art comes alive and takes you on an unforgettable journey. Immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of nature, and let ‘Path to Northern Lights’ be your guide. Discover the magic that lies within this exquisite artwork and let it transport you to a realm of wonder and awe.
Simple steps for painting northern lights
Chris Chalk – Art Studio
Tips & Advice From A Professional Artist
Chris Chalk – Art Studio
Tips & Advice From A Professional Artist
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In the northern hemisphere, northern light is said to be the best light in which to create art, and this is true, but why is that?
Initially, we might think light is light, right?! …so how can one direction of light be so much better than another?
Here are a few reasons:
Northern Light
- Northern light is effectively reflected light, and doesn’t come directly from the sun, but is in fact light bounced off everything else; building, trees, the ground, the atmosphere..e.t.c ..and generally has a constant cool value.
- Northern light, because it is effectively reflected light, does not change tone or warmth throughout the day as much as direct southern sun light does. When the sun first comes up in the morning it’s a lovely yellow/orange colour and quite warm, but as it raises in the sky throughout the day it becomes less so, and at the sun’s highest point in the sky the light is a bright yellow, almost white colour.
- Northern light doesn’t change direction throughout the day, not as much anyway.
- Southern light is a wonderfully direct sunlight, but it’s beaming down on you from something that is moving across the sky at a rate of knots
- Southern light changes tone and warmth as the sun rises and falls in the sky throughout the day – see point 2 above.
- Southern light changes direction throughout the day. That is to say the light ( the sun ) is in a noticeably different place every few minutes.
- Southern light casts strong shadows, which move as the sun moves through the sky.
The main problem with painting in a studio/room lit by southern light is the constant shifting light direction. As the suns rays move across the sky, shadows created by that moving light move around in your studio/room. You might even end up painting on one side of the studio in the morning, and having to move to the other side to paint in the afternoon to avoid these direct rays of sunlight or shadows.
Above is an example of north facing light; notice there are no strong shadows or patterning on the floor. The light is even and cool in tone. Compare this image with the image below. I also have a daylight lamp switched on in this photograph.
Above is an example of south facing light; notice the patterning on the carpet is a mixture of bright sunlight and strong shadows. Not ideal light in which to paint. This is my set-up for photographing painting, when conversely southern light is ideal.
The second problem when painting in southern light is that your painting will visibly change colour throughout the day, and what you thought was a nice warm orange in the morning, might reveal itself to be a red-hot orange by the end of the day, when much warmer evening sunlight is coming through your window.
Having said all that, few of us work in a purpose-built north facing art studio, and if you paint in a room/studio with southern light coming through the window there are a few things you can do to lessen the sunlight’s disruptive effects.
Solutions
- Avoid painting when the sun is very high in the sky, and do most of your painting in the mornings and late afternoon, when at least the light will be similar.
- Diffuse the light that comes through your window by fitting blinds to the windows. These come is a myriad of different strengths, from ‘sheer’ which will diffuse the light but still let plenty of light in. Semi-sheer, which diffuse more light but also blocks more light, right through to black-out blinds. Google ‘diffusing window blinds’ and see what you can find.
- A very cheap quick-fix is to buy some tracing paper, or possibly even grease-proof paper that is used for baking, and tape it onto your south facing widows. This works wonderfully to diffuse the light and is easily removable should you need.
- A well positioned day-light lamp – this of course gets over most light problems, the down side being they aren’t always suitable, eg; if your painting area is usually a different part of the house, like the dining room or bedroom. They can also be quite expensive.
I hope that helps explain why artist prefer northern light, if you have any questions let me know.
