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“Mitchell’s new book is an absolute joy … He writes clearly, in a conversational tone that makes both the basic concepts like composition, and the more complex topics like color temperature, comprehensible and exciting.” – Margaret Davidson, artist, instructor, and author of Contemporary Drawing: Key Concepts and Techniques
In advance of the release of my new book, I’m starting a 3-part series highlighting some of the artists whose work demonstrates the various lessons in the book. First up, Barbara Jaenicke and Barbara Schilling, masters of color temperature.
Temperature, a Global Form of Color Contrast
Contrast of color—the many differences we see among the colors in a painting—is the driving force behind every color strategy. Whether strong or subtle, these contrasts add variation and interest to the color tapestry. In the chapter “The Power of Color Temperature,” I position temperature as one of four types of color contrast.
- Hue refers to the basic differences between color families; e.g., red, blue, or yellow, and so on.
- Value refers to differences between light and dark colors.
- Saturation describes differences between intense, chromatic colors and dull, neutral ones.
- Temperature describes the cool and warm attributes we assign to colors.
What is remarkable about temperature is that, of all the forms of color contrast, it is the most all-encompassing. It plays a role in every color interaction. Wherever there is color contrast of any type—be it value, saturation, or hue—temperature is there, adding dimension to the color interaction.
For instance, two colors that differ in value can also differ in temperature. Colors of differing saturation levels can also differ in temperature. Even the basic hues we find on the color wheel are shaped by temperature differences.
Barbara Jaenicke
Barbara Jaenicke, Winter Blast, pastel on panel, 14 x 11″
Jaenicke is a master of color temperature. At every turn, where one color meets another, we find a temperature difference. To be sure, differences in value and saturation levels do real work, but temperature differences are what give the color strategy its spark.
TEMPERATURE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR VALUE CONTRAST
Temperature does some of its most sensitive work when the value contrasts between cool and warm colors are close. In this detail from the lower-left corner of Winter Blast (above), the values of the light and shadow on the snow are nearly identical. in the black-and-white version, the contrast falls flat, since the values are very close. But in the color version, the distinct temperature differential compensates for what is lost when value contrast is low. “Temperature contrasts allow painters to define form when values are equal or nearly equal,” explains Jaenicke. “This also makes the subject appear more light-filled and reflective.”
Barbara Schilling
Schilling’s painting is a festival of alternating temperature shifts. One would be hard-pressed to find a single spot of color that doesn’t exhibit a temperature difference from its neighboring color. The constant alternating shifts in temperature adds excitement to the color tapestr. Her strokes of broken color make the temperature shifts easier to see. Below, a detailed analysis of the temperature shifts evident in Mountain Meadow. Notice how no two adjacent strokes share the exact same temperature.
Barbara Schilling, Mountain Meadow, oil on canvas, 16″ × 16″
The temperature chapter also includes three additional analyses: temperature differences between light and shadow, featuring the work of Kim English; temperature differences within a narrow value range, featuring Lori Putnam; and temperature differences in a neutral harmony, featuring Scott Christensen.
4 Comments
This is a fascinating concept. Alternating between cooks and warms in close proximity. Will have to try this.
Yes, it’s a very powerful concept. And in my humble opinion, the place where color temperature really sings.
Beautiful blog post! Very insightful.
Thanks Mitch! As always, a super informative lesson with fantastic analyses of your reference examples. Thank you!