Painting colour ideas: Gray Bedroom & Living Room Paint Color Ideas

Paint trends 2023 – We reveal the key colours and effects to update your home this year

With the arrival of a new year, what better way to kick things off then updating your home with colour and we’ve got all the latest paint ideas you’ll need.

Whether you just want to refresh woodwork and skirtings, fancy changing up your ceiling shade or are after an entirely new look for your interior, knowing what the key paint trends for the year ahead are, will guide you to making the most up-to-date choice.

A simple paint shade can have an immense affect on our emotions, happiness and well-being. Getting the colour scheme right has never been more key for creating a contented happy home. Our homes are our own personal sanctuary, a space where we want to feel safe, comforted and – above all else – happy.

These are the trending colours to embrace for any DIY and decorating projects for the year ahead. As well as the latest colours, our colour and paint experts explore the latest trends in how to use paint within our living spaces too.

Decorating and paint trends for 2023 are looking like they are split into two camps – going bold and bright, or keeping things neutral.

When it comes to bold colour, it’s all about luxe greens, inky blues, berry reds and burnt oranges, giving rooms a touch of drama alongside warmth and cosiness. The art of using two or more contrasting tones, ‘Colour-blocking’, remains a popular choice to create eye-catching interiors.

And of course nature continues to be an inspiration when it comes to a more neutral palette. Colours found in the great outdoors, like mushroom, dried grass, cloud and seafoam – these hues will definitely be taking us through the next year of decorating.

Follow our guide below to get clued up on all the key paint trends for 2023.

1. Dramatic inky blues

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

The popularity for Navy doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, but this year we see dark blues tipping over into richer, more regal shades. Think deep oceanic tones and try using them in a tonally immersive way, by matching the colour on furniture and fabrics too.

Alternatively, blue hues sit particularly well together and can offer great scope for pattern mixing, so in a living room try combining plain Inky blue walls with indigo striped curtains and cobalt patterned cushions.

Blue is one of the most popular colors for living rooms – and really successful at creating a calm, elegant finish in an often busy space. Helen Shaw, UK Director for Benjamin Moore paint, points out that, ‘Starry Night Blue is our radiant blue that is akin to the deep indigo of dusk. The touch of violet in its undertone makes it feel sophisticated but there is also a playful side to this colour, particularly in a higher sheen such as this Satin finish. This has a similar effect when used on cabinetry as a fresh alternative to navy’.

2. Primary pairings

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

Take inspiration from colour-blocking, still found to be popular in the fashion world, and think about dressing your kitchen like you would pull an outfit together! One colour for the top and another for the bottom, with a little injection of colour for accessories – like this pop of yellow.

Joa Studholme, Colour Curator at Farrow & Ball explains how to achieve this, ‘The biggest overall paint trend in 2023 will be about how we use colour as much as the colour itself. The use of stronger, simpler colours is extremely popular. Eclectic mixes evoke the warmth and harmony of a more innocent age’.

She goes on to say, ‘this can be achieved by using two colours on one wall – easy if you have panelling or a dado rail, but if not then arm yourself with masking tape and just paint the bottom third of the wall in one colour and the top in another. The blue tones of Selvedge are made to feel all the more upbeat when combined with deeply saturated green Beverly and this look sums up this growing trend of using a friendly combination of block colours’.

3. Rich neutrals

(Image credit: Paint & Paper Library)

There’s nothing more inviting and cocooning than wrapping your hands around a mug of hot chocolate, or a caramel latte. So it’s no surprise that these colours are being seen more and more within the popular neutral palette. You certainly can’t scroll through Instagram without seeing hundreds of living rooms in these rich neutrals and now these tones are moving into kitchens and bathrooms too.

Andy Greenall, Creative Director at Paint & Paper Library says, ‘Moving away from impersonal and stark bright whites, kitchen design schemes are becoming more considered, with schemes reflecting the wider interior aesthetic of a home. Richer, mood-setting colours are being used to great effect in combination across woodwork, cabinetry and walls.’

‘Mink’ is a wonderfully versatile, warm, pink-based neutral that adds depth and warmth to kitchen walls. Pair with the enigmatic, deep red-brown ‘Scarlet ‘n’ Rust’ for a sophisticated, timeless scheme.’

4. Hand painted murals

(Image credit: Fenwick & Tilbrook)

Individuality and creativity are key to making our homes feel personal to us and alongside our need for sustainability we will be seeing more upcycling and more make-do-and-mend than ever. And what better way to create an inexpensive focal point, than to paint your very own mural, that is sure to be a talking point for visitors.

Using pastel hues can help fill the room with uplifting energy and help boost and invigorate a space. To stop the scheme looking too saccharin, choose soft pinks, mustard yellows and dusky teals, in place of purer more white based shades. The beauty of pastels is that they are a great middle-ground between dark paint colors and subtle neutrals.

‘Creating simple free flowing shapes across a wall is a quick and effective way to really lift a space on a budget’, advises Anna Hill, Brand Director at Fenwick & Tilbrook, ‘Making a statement that can tie colours together in the room or add colour where the rest of the space is more neutral’.

5. Mixing matt and gloss

(Image credit: Paint & Paper Library)

A wonderful way to create depth and interest on a flat wall is to mix matt and gloss paints in the same colour. Try a checkerboard pattern, alternate stripes or like in this image, zoning an area. The change in paint finish means that light will bounce off them in varying amounts, creating interest to an otherwise plain wall.

Take this hallway idea as an example, Andy Greenall, Creative Director at Paint & Paper Library says, ‘Paint finishes, from high gloss to chalky matt, have a profound effect on colour. Our new versatile and self-priming formulations give designers permission to play with finish, to be creative in their choices and confident that the finishes are durable enough to withstand any situation.’

‘I love to see finishes used in surprising ways; the same colour set side by side in contrasting finishes will create a contemporary moment in a traditional space. Consider juxtaposing the chalky matt Architects’ Matt with our high sheen Architects’ Gloss.’

6. Stylish heights

(Image credit: Crown Paints)

The trend for painted ceilings has been made popular by interior designers such as Abigail Aherne and the trend seems to be continuing into 2023, this time with some serious pops of colour. So if your ceilings feel too low and cramped, or too high and lofty, then painting them can adjust the vibe.

To bring the ceiling height down, try continuing the paint from the ceiling down onto the walls (to where a picture rail would be), this will help blur the lines between the wall and the ceiling surfaces. It can also provide interest to a space without any architectural details.

There isn’t a colour more optimistic or feel-good than yellow. It brings in an instant dose of sunshine and works particularly well on a ceiling as it replicates bright, sunny light in rooms that may lack it.

Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown, advocates using yellow on ceilings, she says -‘Try something a little different by using a really bright colour such as Crown’s Mustard Jar on the ceiling so the colour visually spills onto plain white walls below. Alternatively, play with tones to suit your palette – a dark turquoise, for example, on the ceiling would partner suitably with mid and paler tones for the walls’.

7. Create a piece of art

(Image credit: Yes Colours)

Accentuating areas within a room with a strong colour can help create a painted masterpiece, and give a room a one-of-a kind look. For example, choosing to paint an alcove to create a bold statement, or to highlight a fireplace surround in a striking complementary colour, will give a room a truly personal touch.

‘Look out for areas which lend themselves to be ‘pulled out’ to give an instant punch of colour’, Emma Bestley, Co-founder & Creative Director of YesColours, explains. ‘Colours can be used to manipulate the way your architecture looks and feels. And for homes without these details; colour can also create the appearance of architectural features, even if all you have is a few blank walls and a flat ceiling.’

‘Painting using earthy colours like our warming Loving Orange, can completely transform a structural detail into an eye-catching feature. It grounds the scheme which then becomes a more inclusive and inviting space. The same goes for the use of olive green in the skylight reveal, it turns the emptiness of that space, drawing your eye towards the subtle but cheerful detail.’

8. Tri-colour room

(Image credit: Little Greene)

There are three parts to consider when painting a room: the wall, the woodwork and the ceiling and this year we’re sure to be ditching the safe white skirtings and choosing to highlight them in bright contrasting colours instead. In 2021 Interior designer, Kelly Hoppen, described that painting your skirting boards white, is like wearing white socks below coloured trousers that are too short! So we are definitely going to see braver choices in using colour to highlight woodwork in 2023.

Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene agrees, ‘Highlighting stripes or colour blocking are wonderful ways to add personality, colour and design details to a space. For a bold and playful scheme opt for contrasting colours in broad stripes, take across doors, skirting and architectural features for a dynamic contemporary feel. ‘

‘For a more subtle finish, simply add a colour highlight to architectural detailing such as skirting or above a picture rail. The more contrasting the colour combination, the more it will draw the eye and deliver impact. Deep and timeless ‘Bronze Red’ will work fantastically combined with vibrant ‘ Deep Space Blue’ and a highlight of earthy ‘Yellow-Pink’.

9. Reds with pink undertones

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

In 2023 we will be seeing the usual deep reds staying a popular paint choice, but this time with strong pink undertones. ‘Raspberry Blush’ announced as Colour of the Year for Benjamin Moore Paint is a vivacious shade of coral tinged with pinks, and The Pantone Colour of the year named as ‘Viva Magenta’ is a transformative crimson red with hints of raspberry.

We are leaning into these warm colours and using them all over for statement-making rooms, or alternatively in smaller amounts – on a front door, a kitchen island, or even stairways, to create a bold look that conveys excitement and energy.

“Whilst deep Berry reds may feel like a nostalgic trip to the dining rooms of the 1980’s, used judiciously they can feel modern & vibrant and add a splash of exuberant warmth’, says Patrick O’Donnell, International Brand Ambassador at Farrow & Ball. He then adds, ‘This shade is even becoming a consideration for the smallest of spaces, such as a powder room.’

10. Dusky pink

(Image credit: Francesca’s Paints)

We have been drawn to earthy tones of pink to help bring comfort and warmth to our interiors during the past couple of years and it’s something that looks to continue into 2023.

This earthy tone of pink is moving away from baby pinks and soft white pinks and is more a blend of blush and beige mixed to create a grounding shade of pink.

‘A pale, soft pink, like Thrift, is a calming, gentle colour with a warming, nostalgic feel. It’s an important colour for 2023 as it’s incredibly versatile, working in bedrooms, drawing rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. It pairs beautifully with a number of shades, including ochre, blue, grey and green. Most importantly, it’s a colour which makes a house feel like a home’, says Francesca Wezel, Founder of Francesca’s Paints

11. Neutrals to create tranquility

(Image credit: Crown Paints)

This minimal approach builds on the cocooning concepts of 2021, creating places to retreat, relax and be cosy. These soft neutrals bring warmth and comfort to a room, with a hint of organic green and a contrasting unsaturated black-brown to complete the look.

Neville Knott, Crown Paints Colour Consultant, explains why neutrals remain popular for 2023, ‘This Colour Insight wants to wrap you up in a blanket of restorative comfort. Combining muted tones of green, stone and creams, they create an inviting balanced beauty within any space that acts as a sanctuary from the outside world. Curved walls, tactile furniture and three-dimensional forms blend effortlessly to create a balanced, high-end interior where tensions melt away. ‘

12. Go all out for gloss

(Image credit: Mylands)

We’re very used to seeing gloss finishes used in rooms with higher moisture levels, in bathrooms for example, but now we are seeing it being used to add a dramatic and eye-catching flair to different rooms around the house. It’s high sheen and reflective tone can make dark or smaller spaces feel much larger too. Here this bang on trend dark olive green is perfect for creating a reflective surface in a small office.

Dominic Myland, CEO at Mylands, explains why this trend is going to be big news in 2023, ‘A gloss finish can be used to create a high-impact scheme, and its reflective quality will brighten up the room and make a smaller space feel bigger as the light bounces round. The lustre also intensifies richer colours; this classic Sorrel Green becomes more dramatic with the gloss finish. Combining gloss and matt finishes, such as using matt for the walls and gloss for the skirting and window frames, will create subtle contrast and bring dimension and interest to the space. ‘

Bright Paint Color Ideas To Consider – Forbes Home

All it takes is one coat of paint to drastically change the look and feel of a room. Due to the power of paint, if a room is feeling cramped or a little too dim, it’s the first course of action that will likely make the biggest difference. While you can change the light source, the room’s color palette can still sway the overall aesthetic. Regardless if the room is laden with windows or tucked away downstairs, color can still make a successful impact.

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary.

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How to Choose a Color That Will Brighten a Room

You’ll first want to consider what kind of room you’re painting. Though your main goal is making it feel brighter, you might not be as open to a bold orange in your living room, but a powder room or crafting space might be a different story. Think about how you want to feel when you’re in it and this can help narrow down the colors that are both brightening and fit for purpose.

Look beyond the four or so surrounding walls, too. Trimwork, cabinetry, flooring, and the ceiling are all places to scope out for a repainting session. Getting these right can also contribute to a bright and breezy room and they’re often forgotten.

It’s typically assumed that dark paint shades will make a room feel cramped and smaller. This isn’t quite the truth. Oftentimes a deep navy or stark black can make a space feel cozy. And, depending how it’s used, it can even create the illusion of more space.

That being said, dark colors definitely won’t brighten up a room (assumptions are right on this one). Logically speaking, they’re dark, therefore they’re not going to create any extra light, provide ultra reflective surfaces, or give the illusion of extra brightness. One way they can be incorporated without causing a dim look is by serving as accent colors. In a bright room, ultra saturated colors can highlight and punctuate white and other light colors when they’re painted on trim or swatched as an accent wall. For a room to fully look bright, we recommend painting these colors on every wall.

Paint Colors That Will Brighten a Room

There are some expected colors that are sure to make a room feel brighter (like white or generally bolder hues), but others may not be the first to pop in your mind. Here are 10 that can make a big difference visually.

1. Light Gray

mydreamhome_usplus6

Gray should be in every minimalist’s back pocket. This color is grounding and takes the edge off an all-white space. Lighter than related shades on the color wheel (like charcoal), it won’t completely darken a room. It’s a great cooler neutral that toes the line between cozy and airy. Darker decor items will also pop against the shade, making it seem brighter.

Shades to try: Clare Windy City, Sherwin-Williams Drift of Mist, Magnolia Loft

2. Taupe

thedesignershouseonthehill

Taupe acts similarly to light gray. It’s not as in-your-face as an icy white, but it’s not a dim color either. You can completely coat walls in the shade of your choice, or take a page out of this home’s book and create a half-and-half look with white. The proportions seen here not only make the space look bright, but taller, too.

Shades to try: Benjamin Moore Stone Hearth, Farrow & Ball Oxford Stone, Valspar Badlands Taupe

3. Mint Green

no5alnwick

Pastels and muted tones are always a good idea for brightening up a room in a colorful way. Sea foam and mint green are proof of this. They’re gentle tones that can contribute to a stylish and relaxed atmosphere but feel far more refreshing than a dark forest or olive green. Craft a faux headboard, paint the entirety of the wall, or create a patterned mural.

Shades to try: Magnolia Texas Summer, Kilz Budding Green, Behr Misty Meadow

4. Powder Blue

bergmann_hus

This pale hue of blue is joyful but also calming. It’s wonderful at opening up a room visually, too, whereas its darker counterparts may be better for a space where you want something more dramatic yet it won’t be impacted by the overwhelm of a navy or sapphire. Light blue is remarkably versatile as well, try it on the ceiling, floor, or window sill and trim.

Shades to try: Farrow & Ball Borrowed Light, Backdrop On Tour, PPG Dartmoor Mist

5. Light Pink

Unsplash

Pink has been put in a box for far too long. A powdery hue or a light, muted tone can lead to a room feeling more spacious. It has more personality than a plain white but it’s still just as elegant and nearly as easy to design around with furniture and decor. Play around with different swatches on the wall and see how lighting fixtures or natural light affect its look.

Shades to try: Behr Cupcake Pink, Sherwin-Williams Intimate White, Farrow & Ball Peignoir

Start By Getting The Right Paint Supplies For The Job

6. Orange

mushahome

Whether it’s a more rustic, burnt shade, or something that’s tangerine-tinged and playful, orange is a bold and bright hue that’ll instantly uplift a room, as this room done by @mushahome shows. It’s also a color that tends to give off a “glow,” which in essence feels like additional brightness in rooms that typically feel dark or aren’t equipped with windows.

Shades to try: Kilz Desert Vista, Clare Sriracha, Valspar Champagne Orange

7. Soft Yellow

Unsplash

Windows aren’t required for a little dose of sunshine. Soft yellow is the perfect color for gently brightening a room as it’s eternally cheerful and vibrant. Guest bedrooms and even basement areas are ideal spaces for trying it out. A hue like this also means any room can really be a sun room.

Shades to try: Backdrop Miami Parasol, Graham & Brown Wild Rye, Behr Vanilla Ice Cream

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8. Bright White

Getty

It would be wrong to not include this classic in the list. While it’s an obvious pick, there’s a reason why it’s such a popular color for rooms of every purpose. White is inherently bright and reflects light like no other. It might seem basic, but there are numerous hues with different undertones that’ll give you different results. A warmer white can feel welcoming, and something with blue or green undertones could appeal to your hope for something more refreshing.

Shades to try: Clare Fresh Kicks, Benjamin Moore White Diamond, Valspar Ultra White

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How to draw skin? The connection of color and light – Gamedev on DTF

How to choose colors when drawing skin? How does the color of an object change depending on the color of the light? We deal with these and other questions in the article.

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Article is a retelling of this video.

In the last tutorial, artist Marco Bucci showed how to give volume to a portrait and understand how lighting works. In this tutorial, he will show you how to draw skin realistically and how to match the color depending on the lighting.

Skin colors

Great news: there is no such thing as “correct skin tones”. You can dye your skin any color imaginable and it will still look like leather.

Leather does not have one color. Three main color zones can be distinguished:

more ocher, brown shades in the upper part of the face;
warm, reddish on cheeks and nose;
are colder in the lower part of the face.

Let’s look at this in a much simpler form than a human head – on an egg.

Let’s give it a base beige color – Marco for both examples uses the colors from the palettes above, taken from the paintings. Now for the upper part of the face, move the slider on our color wheel from the base colors towards the ocher shades. The color should not be saturated yellow, a light shade will be enough.

Note: If this and other images look blurry, open them at their original size.

The resulting color will be different between the two stages because they have different base colors. The effect we want to achieve will not be different from this. We use the same technique for the “red zones” – we move from the base towards red shades. The color should not be bright scarlet, it is enough that it will be “redder” than the previous colors used.

It’s time for a cooler lower zone – draw it using the same method. Most likely, if you choose other works for the stage, you will get a visually different result. But these are good starting points for reliable skin tones.

Color temperature

Before we go any further, we need to deal with lukewarmness. The words “warm” and “cold” in relation to shades do not describe specific colors, but the relationship between them. Each hue on the color wheel can be warm or cool depending on the context.

This whole idea is based on the statement that one part of the color wheel is warm colors: red, yellow, orange, in a word, those that look like a hot flame (ouch). The other part is blue, purple, etc. – cold, stereotypically represented by the colors of ice, snow, water and everything cold. The remaining shades are considered to be “transitional” from warm to cold and vice versa.

To some extent, these definitions are true, red often feels warmer than blue, but this approach misses the nuance. Artists often have to deal with colors that are closer to each other on the color wheel, and then it is not so easy to determine which one is warmer.

Compare these two colors:

This is an elementary example with bright red and blue colors. Here it is easy to determine which color is warmer and which is colder.

And now let’s look at this option:

Here the difference is not so obvious.

And now let’s compare these colors:

This and similar examples show that any color can be colder, it all depends on what color we compare it with.

This approach is based on the model that color “moves” around the color wheel depending on the lighting. Let’s talk about this in more detail.

How does light affect color?

Local, they are also basic colors – this is not what our eye sees. The human eye sees the base color + light combination.

Let’s see how it works on the color wheel. Let’s start with the base color. This red will suit us:

For ease of perception, let’s draw a ball of this color. Now it looks like a flat circle painted with a single base color.

Let the light source be an ordinary yellow incandescent lamp.

First we divide the ball into light and shadow zones. So far we are not using other colors, but only changing the light and shade tone of our base red.

The actual color change will happen next. Since we are talking about light, let’s start with the color of the illuminated side. We remember that light is the strongest factor influencing color, so the yellow-orange tint of light will “pull” our base red.

We don’t touch saturation. Both of these colors are quite saturated and are clearly located in the “warm” sector of the color wheel, so you should not expect big changes in temperature. The degree of color shift from base red to yellow depends on the strength of the light directed at the object.

If the light source is sufficiently intense, then its color can completely replace the base color of the object, as in the example below. This is not the most common case, so be careful when choosing such a scenario.

An idealized example where the tint of the light source crowds out the base.

Now back to the original red color of our balloon. If we chose a cooler shade of red as our base color, then the light would make the ball “warmer”. But not as rich and warm as our original red ball turned out.

Let’s take the color of the afternoon sun, which is much less saturated, and go back to our original red base color. At first glance, it may seem that the color of such lighting will make our red less saturated. But no. As long as the light source is in the “warm” part of the color wheel, the colors of the warm spectrum will not lose their saturation.

The result of this interaction will be a slight change in hue, not as strong as in the case of a saturated tone of the light source.

Cold light

What happens if the base color remains the same and the light source is cold?

On the way from the base color to the hue of the light source, we must pass through the “grey zone” in the middle of the color wheel.

“Grey zone” is a universal section, because in theory it is it that unites all the colors of the circle. When passing from one section to the opposite, the colors must pass through this zone. And our base red color in the case of cold lighting will stretch towards it, closer to this “grey zone”.

The richer the “‎starting” color, the more it struggles with the color of the light and can stop before it reaches the “grey zone”. In this example, the light source has cooled down the original warm hue by pulling it closer to the cool side of the color wheel. But the color stopped before it got into the bluish range.

If our base color were closer to a gray tint, then its chances of being colored in the colors of a cool blue light source would be much higher. Cold light will stretch such a starting color through the “grey zone”.

The same logic applies when the light source is warm and the base color is cold. Now you understand that in order to determine the warmness of a particular color, we need a second color for comparison.

Let’s go back to the egg: add light

Without thinking about color characteristics for now, let’s select the light and shadow sides of the egg, and make the latter darker.

Having decided on the most illuminated area, we will apply a shade of our light source. In this case, it is a warm color. Keep in mind the variety of skin tones and bring closer to warm all of our base colors applied to the egg.

It’s time to go to the “dark side”. The color in this zone undergoes great changes and is more influenced by the environment. Marco colored the background blue to showcase the interplay of light, shadow and environment.

The environment works like a set of small light sources that have their own power: the light bounces off the environment and hits the shadow side. This is called a “reflex”.

The reflected light in the shadow is weaker than the main light source. Therefore, it will affect the color of the object less than the main source. In this example, the blue background will drag the base colors in the opposite direction from the light color. Those parts of the egg that are facing upwards are more influenced by the blue color here. You don’t have to make these colors literally cyan/blue, just move them a little on the “path” of the color wheel in that direction. Here you can choose from many possible shades, cooler than the base colors.

The parts of the egg that are not facing upwards are less influenced by blue light. The colors in this part of the shadow will be cooler than what we used in the light, but not as cold as the colors heavily influenced by blue.

Be free to choose your color! As long as the colors in the shadow move in roughly the same direction on the color wheel, the puzzle will continue to fit.

One of the most common clichés in painting that warm light produces cooler shadows is misleading. This is not an axiom. By itself, warm light does not create cold shadows. The fact is that a warm light source “moves” the base colors closer to this warmth, but does not touch the shadows, because it does not touch the shaded parts. And that’s why only the context/environment can make the shadow cooler.

Head painting: applying color

Adding color to the portrait is no more difficult than what we did with the egg. It is drawing that causes difficulties – to correctly position and take into account the planes. Marco’s last lesson was completely devoted to this, we advise you to look.

Let’s apply base colors to the portrait and conditionally divide them into two large groups: “light” and “dark”.

A little technical clarification: Marco’s line is on a separate layer, and the color is on another layer below it – a total of two layers. Then he turns off the line and works on one layer.

Note that the base colors used for the illuminated side are very close to the final colors for that zone. By choosing base colors, you can immediately assume how the light will behave.

We discussed three color zones at the very beginning – ocher on top, reddish in the middle and cool on the bottom.

We try to stick to this structure. It is normal if reddish hues appear in the upper or lower zone, and ocher suddenly appears on the jaw. It can even make your colors stand out more.

Most of the time the work is done with the illuminated side. This is because it attracts more attention, our eyes react to light and look at it for more information. You can leave the shadows flat and not add any tint to them and they will still work as they should.

In this work, the blue background is muted, but its tone is still colder than that of the light source. Therefore, the shadow is still drawn a little into cooler shades.

When adding cool colors to the highlights, don’t forget to cool the shadows as well. This is the main relationship between warm light and cold shadow.

You can choose to end at this stage or continue to work – it’s up to you.

Who is the author of the lesson?

Marco Bucci is a well-known illustrator and art teacher from Canada. Over 15 years of professional activity, Marco has worked with Walt Disney Publishing Worldwide, toy manufacturers LEGO, Hasbro, Mattel Toys and Fisher-Price, game developer LucasArts, as well as animation studios Nelvana, GURU Studio, C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures and Yowza! Animation.

As a teacher, Marco has worked with the San Francisco Academy of the Arts, Toronto Centennial College, and other institutions.

Translations of Marco Bucci’s previous lessons:

Translation made by Alexandra Suprun especially for Smirnov School. We train concept artists, level artists and 3D modelers for games and animation. If you come to our course, don’t forget to ask about the discount for DTF readers.

Drawing ideas 2.

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15. 02.2022 17:43

Hi, this is Artur Kryukov. Today we will look at different drawing ideas. Beginning artists, if they are actively involved in the drawing process, may run out of ideas.

Therefore, we will generate some ideas in this article. For the article, drawings from the sketchbook of Ekaterina Kryukova were used.

1. Ideas for drawing in a sketchbook.

Take a sketchbook with thick watercolor paper, 200-280 grams/square meter, and draw beautiful pots, preferably atypical color, for your area. In order to surprise your friends and subscribers. It seems to me that for this sketch, Catherine took the image of either Greek or Turkish pots. Watercolor is recommended to take imported.

Ekaterina took Korean, English and Dutch watercolors.

In general, the foreign Internet is full of various outlandish photos, Pinterest will help you with this. And also Google, but the request must be written in English or another language, not in Russian. Therefore, use an online translator – Yandex, Google, or Promt.

2. Ideas for watercolor painting.

You can draw your city, just take a walk with a smartphone or camera and look for interesting places. Look for an interesting composition, try not to divide the photo format in half by the horizon line, make the horizon line consciously above or below the middle.

By the way, you may come across an interesting shot quite unexpectedly. Therefore, be ready at any time to grab your smartphone and take a picture. Plus, another interesting observation, when you photograph for a drawing, try to take 2-3 frames instead of one – vertical, horizontal and preparing for a square drawing (or painting).

I’ll tell you one little secret how to make this watercolor sketch. Catherine began to draw him from the registration of the sky, and only then everything else. After she glued the sheet to the tablet with masking tape, and applied the drawing with a simple pencil, she turned the sheet over and moistened the sky with a brush, everything that is now drawn in blue. So, she took it and under a slight slope, holding the tablet to which the sheet was glued, began to apply color. The color of this ultramarine is mixed with either black or “gray payne” (such a color), and starting from the houses, she went from light to fill with color down, and in the middle of the distance she connected darker shades of ultramarine (blue).

The work was then allowed to dry. I don’t remember if she used a hair dryer or not to dry it faster. But I’ll say right away. On a hair dryer, if you use it, do not turn on warm and hot air – the colors fade from it and become dull. Dry with a simple wind, or a fan. can bring you money. And the multi-storey buildings in this work are made of gray paint – this is such a very interesting color, read the legend of the discovery of this color on the Internet, you will like it.

3. Drawing (Pencil drawing).

Let’s come up with an idea for drawing with simple pencils together. So, many people have pets at home, for example, cats or dogs. Again, we take a smartphone or camera and try to catch the pet in an interesting pose or angle. Of course, I could tell you: “take a photo from the Internet”, but I will not do this. This is an extreme case. In general, get in the habit of taking a lot of pictures and collecting material for drawing yourself.

Because it is your content, photos, videos, drawings, texts that are unique, and they can bring you not only views and likes in social networks. Your unique content, and there are a lot of ways to monetize copyrighted content. Maybe I’ll write an article or a series of articles about it sometime.

So, the idea when drawing with a simple pencil is to convey the strokes of the animal’s hair, using different pencil pressure, and using pencils of different softness; from 2H (Hard-hard) to 7B (Blackness-black). The average and universal pencil is HB – they usually do 80% of the entire drawing.

I’ll give you another idea when you draw, try to pay attention to volume and chiaroscuro. By the way, we study this in detail on the course “Drawing from scratch to a portrait” in Yekaterinburg, and online.

4. What to draw when bored.

For those who are bored and need to keep themselves busy, there is an idea to draw animals. In the photo, our student Oksana draws a deer in the forest with simple pencils of different hardness.

You can get inspired either by a photo from the Internet or by buying a calendar for a year with animals in a bookstore. Don’t limit yourself to northern animals. You can also consider the animals of the equatorial zone of the earth, or the animals of Africa. Or animals of their region.

5. What can be drawn easily.

You can easily draw citrus fruits: orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime. They are often found in the fruit section of grocery stores. It is necessary to wash and cut the fruit in half, but not along, but across. So that the sectors are clearly visible, as in Catherine’s drawing. You do not try to do similar, you can have your own version (variation) of this idea.

Here I recommend paying special attention to color overflows, color harmonies. Take a close-up. Just in case, take a picture of the production, because if you don’t manage to finish painting at a time, and you put them in the refrigerator, you may not collect everything in the form it was. And a photo will help you finish drawing.

Since this will be a picture resembling macro photography, I recommend paying great attention to minimal details, these are fruit seeds, peel and fibers of the pulp itself. If you are a beginner, take what is simpler to buy – this is a lemon. Because lemon is sold all year round in the grocery store.

When you draw him, you will look at him in a new way. This will be the view of the artist. You seem to be learning from nature.

6. How to start drawing.

You can start drawing from the simplest, these are trees in your yard, in your city. Well, or in the country. To help you collect material, as usual, a smartphone or camera.

This tree, Ekaterina drew with simple pencils and lead in varnish. Yes, by the way, if you have never painted with them, then be sure to try it. And take different softness, for example, HB and 6B. Well, or if not, then about 4B, 5B, 7B, 8B are very soft leads. You can easily swing them and draw a sketch (sketch) very quickly.

But in this case, Ekaterina’s idea was different, she painted the tree and the background in a light tone. Behind the tree was a building that Catherine deliberately did not draw, so as not to distract the viewer from the very idea of \u200b\u200bthe apple tree, penetrated by sunlight.

7. Draw for beginners.

And the last idea for you today is small and light flowers with only five petals and without pistils and stamens, although there are several of them. But they are quite simple to draw using color stretches from color to color.