How to Backlight a Painting
When you backlight a painting -- that is, you place the light source that illuminates your subject behind the person or object you're painting -- you're adding dramatic spatial illusions to a two-dimensional artwork. Like backlit photographs, paintings of backlit subjects usually show the figure or object that is the main subject of the painting in silhouette. Since you place the lighting source behind the subject, you will often paint the background as a deep space, while objects in the foreground will appear as flattened, although recognizable, shapes. You can enhance your painting with lighting effects that draw the eye deep into the artwork's background and contrast the background with people, objects and even vegetation painted in silhouette in the foreground.
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Things You'll Need
- 2 clip-on workbench lights
- Artist's colors
- Stretched canvas or watercolor paper
- Brushes
- Sketchpad
- Pencils, charcoal or chalk
- Paper towels
- Rags
Instructions
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1
Set up a still life that you can paint. Place a vase of flowers, plants and other household objects with a range of interesting textures and colors on a table. Choose an old ceramic bowl, tarnished metal or perhaps pieces of fruit or vegetables. Arrange your still life objects in a manner that you find visually appealing. Place a table cloth down first, or drape some of your still life objects in colorful fabric.
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2
Clip your workbench lights to furniture or other stable anchors situated behind your still life. Turn on the workbench lights and adjust their positions. Aim the lights toward the background. This will illuminate the background and throw shadows across your still life objects.
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3
Arrange furniture and objects behind the still life -- you will be painting them, as well. Dim the room's overhead lights. Turn on a shaded lamp in your work area to illuminate your painting as you work on it.
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Set up your paints, painting surface, whether it be a stretched canvas or watercolor paper, and tools, brushes and sketchpad. Place a plastic tablecloth or drop cloth on the tabletop and floor where you are working to protect furnishings from stains. Keep a roll of paper towels and a damp rag on hand to wipe up spills.
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Draw a few sketches of your still life before you begin painting. Your drawings will help you decide how you will compose your painting. Use chalk, charcoal or pencil to work out where you will place your shadows. When you are satisfied with your composition, put your drawing aside where you can view it.
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6
Paint an outline of your still life on your canvas or paper. Begin by lightly painting the background tones, which will likely be brighter than most of those in the foreground. If you are using watercolor it is essential that you start by painting thin, transparent washes first that allow the white paper to show through the layers of paint.
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7
Add more opaque washes gradually to the darker areas in the foreground. Use the same technique if you paint in oils, acrylics or gouache, although each is more opaque than watercolor.
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Tips & Warnings
Use the same techniques if a model sits for you.
