My primary teacher, Bill Schultz, would often say, “When you hang your painting on a wall indoors, you want to be able to step back and feel the outdoor light that first moved you.” I truly became aware of this phenomenon of outdoor light being viewed indoors when, on the Wharf in San Francisco, I entered a very large railroad car. The car was entirely empty and the quality of its light was that of a warm dark enveloping velvet. When I reached the center of the car I saw that a large door on the right had been rolled opened and I could see, far off in the distance, the waterfronts of Oakland and Berkeley. It was amazing. The warm velvety walls of the railroad cars that framed the distant waterfronts made them seem so high key and atmospheric. And the energy of the atmospheric light was palpable. The difference of seeing the far away cities from outside as compared to inside the railroad car was just amazing. I wished I could always see outside subject matter like that!

The Great Puzzle

Recently, one of my students from my online course wrote about the painting she had submitted: I “was” very happy with my painting. It was singing and so was I! But the moment I brought it home and looked at it, it was DULL!  I have had this happen on several paintings lately. They seem great, until I am done with them and bring them home.”

She said she was perplexed. Why did her painting look rich and vibrant outside when she painted it, but dull and “bleached” when she got it home? I told her that she ought to go back to where she had painted it to see if it then looked vibrant once again. So she did and, yup, it was vibrant once more.

So I remembered my experience with the railroad car and below is my effort to recreate the situation where the subject is far away and surrounded by a lush, dark velvety frame or indoor light. Below is her painting framed by dark indoor light, as it were.

And here is her painting simply posted on a white page.

Mystery solved. In the first image the painting does what it is supposed to do. One gets the feeling of outdoor light indoors. The painting is magical. On the white background, the painting still looks great but without it being related to anything, I can see where someone might say that it looks dull. Moral of the story? This kind of dullness is a difficult and important quality – something we should strive to achieve.

Monet’s Example

At the turn of the last century, plein-air painters understood this principle. The best example is Monet who said, in effect, “some painters paint the tree, the house, the boat, I paint what is between me, the house and the boat” – which is appropriate because that is how we see during every moment of our lives, always and forever – through atmosphere. So if we want our paintings to have that sense of transcending the facts of “a picture,” of conveying the energy of outdoor light, we really need to learn to see and feel atmospheric color.

First example, notice how Monet treats a sunny day. Often on sunny days, there is little obvious atmosphere. Yet, do you see the harmony that Monet’s atmosphere lends the painting? It is as though everything sits behind a screen or a veil because everything does sit behind huge chunks of atmosphere. Our task, if we wish for the light to propel us – and the viewer – into another realm of perception, is to become aware of this screen or veil.

Below is another sunny day. Same thing. Total harmony and nothing is dark.

In the landscape below, notice how the distant mountains are covered by a veil and the closer mass of trees on the right are covered by this same veil as well.

The haystack is seen here as against the light but the dark side of the haystack and the cast shadow is enveloped with atmospheric color.

Women on a boat – mostly dark and middle values, but still behind a veil.

And the same is true looking down into a dark patch of waterlilies. Do you think if he had made the warm greens a degree or two darker, the painting would be as mysterious and seductive?

And here is a one-minute video of Sotheby’s presenting a glorious Monet haystack that sold recently at auction. (Click image to see video.)

Finally, here is a 4-minute video of me painting the Bellagio waterfront with an explanation of how I paint atmosphere. (Click image to see video.)

Bottom Line

Expressive painting is all about each of us becoming more of who we are. The method I teach is intended to give you the language and tools to help you do just that. So if atmospheric harmony isn’t your thing or if you want your colors to “pop” instead of sitting behind a veil, then go for it. Throw all this out the window and discover who you are most.

However, if you are moved by the mystery and harmony that atmospheric colors give a painting, then never work from photos. And become more aware of the “ishes” (bluish, greenish, pinkish, purplish, etc) that vibrate in front of you, between you and the subject matter.