Colors in artificial lighting

[Allan Rahbek]

Inspired by the very technical information on artificial lighting, I would like to contribute with a, hopefully, very simple question on how artificial lighting affects our perception of color.

The setup is: A photo in color to be painted in a warm (orange) light.
All the colors will be more or less orange, but you paint it as you see it. The following day you take it out into the cold (blue) daylight. Would the colors, on the canvas, not have the same relative values as on the photo? I think so.

I normally paint my portraits in the daytime, from live or photo, so I have never really paid attention to the problem before.

But after thinking about it most of the day, I have come to this conclusion:
If painting a LIVE portrait then there vil be a problem about how the colored light "colors" the skin. You will see the exposed side as orange and the shadows as brown.

The following day, in the daylight, you will still see the colors as orange and brown although they are colder.

Besides the fact that it is tiring to work in bad light, you don

[Garth Herrick]

Allan,

I do have trouble jumping between artficial light and daylight, when painting from a photo reference. This is because I am using photographic prints from the best inkjet printing technology available to me (Epson Stylus Photo 2200), and just like all other inkjet prints, they have a visual phenomenon of colors shifting in hue, depending on the source of light. This is known as Metamerism.

In general, prints will appear greener in daylight and redder in artficial light. I use a RIP by ImagePrint (raster image processor) with my 2200, and it greatly improves the printer output. This RIP software gives me the option of optimising the print for viewing in either daylight, tungsten light , or two choices of fluorescent light (cool white fluorescent, or high-color-rendering flourescent).

So if I want to paint from a photo reference in daylight, the RIP will adjust the colors in the print for daylight, and if I want to work in artificial light, the RIP will adjust the print for viewing in that light. There is a big difference to me, and I may paint wrong colors if I am using the reference photo print in the wrong light.

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi Garth

I see what you mean, it

[Allan Rahbek]

I love this machine. I just went inn to correct my terrible spelling - but it was already done, thanks.

Allan

[Adriano Maggi]

"Inspired by the very technical information on artificial lighting, I would like to contribute with a, hopefully, very simple question on how artificial lighting affects our perception of color."
Hi Allan
When I use pastels, I'm very carefull to avoid yellows,becouse artificial light have a yellow component. Otherwise the next day in a daylight the painting would be full of yellow tones,unbearable to see.
Ciao
Adriano

[Alexandra Tyng]

I don't know, Allan! I tend to avoid painting at all in artificial light because I can't really see the colors well enough. I know exactly what you're saying/asking, and I've often pondered it myself, and it short-circuits my brain every time

[Terri Ficenec]

I try to keep painting to daylight hours too. . . especially for skin tones!

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Alexandra Tyng

I don't know, Allan! I tend to avoid painting at all in artificial light because I can't really see the colors well enough. I know exactly what you're saying/asking, and I've often pondered it myself, and it short-circuits my brain every time

Alex,
Daylight is so much stronger than artificial light and playful and inspiring

Allan

[Sharon Knettell]

Originally Posted by Allan Rahbek

Alex,
Daylight is so much stronger than artificial light and playful and inspiring

Allan

You have said it so well Allan.

That is why I prefer daylight and working as much as possible from life. Artificial light is just that, artificial and unmoving.

Though I know for many people in portraiture it is difficult to totally ditch the photograph, there is nothing like working totally from life in daylight. Since I work in south east light, there are constant surprises, gleams of light and color that sometimes take my breath away.The painting, unlike working from a photograph, is in constant flux, it is thank heavens, quite different than I imagined it would be.

I can only able make mud in artificial light, which is too bad because I was rather a night-owl and had to reform.

Allan, I hope your studio and home is fixed soon so you can get back to painting. As a victim of two fires in her life, I know just how disrupting that can be.

[Allan Rahbek]

Thanks Sharon,
my house is recovering fast now and we moved in just before the weekend, the only things remaining indoor are two rooms upstairs where I have