Earlier this year I was working on a group of 12 inch square canvases using a palette of greens and some golds.

One of the things I particularly like about these pieces were the areas that appeared to glow … a golden light.

I find I am particularly drawn to that sense of ‘glow’ in the natural world … a beautiful sunrise or sunset for example and something that is very pleasing when I find it in my painting!

So what does colour theory have to say about ‘glow’ …

David Hornung in his excellent book “Colour: A workshop for Artists and Designers” talks about inherent light …. “ the sensation of light emanating from within a colour … the experience of inherent light seems to be a psychological response. It can best be described as an inner glow that a colour seems to have in relation to other colours.”

David Hornung goes on to explain that this ‘inner glow’ is related to a colours saturation ie a muted colour might glow when seen with duller colours and inherent light seems most pronounced when colours are close in value and disparate in temperature.

Having gained this knowledge the challenge is to put it into practice in my painting!

Over recent weeks I have been working on a series of 18ins square stretched canvases using a palette of blues and Australian sienna. I’m still contemplating these before I call them done ….

For me these works are intended to capture the energy of the morning …. going out into the garden with my ginger cat, to greet the morning and the promise of the new day!

Faced with a long lasting wet weather pattern here on the south coast of Australia, trying to find that glow in my paintings has taken on even more significance … I am craving some sunshine!

Thank you for reading and taking an interest in my art …. CC

Always