Recently, when I was asked by a coaching client about painting a night scene, we went over some particulars of what goes into painting a night scene. It really comes down to paying attention to value and colour and what happens to both at this time of day.
Most of the values in a night scene are very dark or very light and the middle values tend to be quite light or hovering beside the darks. Colours tend to be dull and de-saturated especially in the dark value areas. They can also be washed out when close to and including the actual light source. Colour is revealed only where light falls on it which is why there tends to be less colour seen in a night scene (as there’s less light than in a daylit scene).
I decided it would be helpful to create a video about this topic of painting a night scene. So here it is!
In the video, I mentioned localized light sources (such as firelight, candlelight, or electric light). There is, of course, also the moon but that too doesn’t have the illuminating power of the sun being merely a reflection of the sun’s light.
Also, when speaking about painting a night scene, I’m referring here to the time of day (night!) when the sun no longer affects the sky. The sky is dark and the only illumination comes from the moon or stars.
“Night Laundry,” the painting done in the video, is based on a photograph taken last Fall in Venice. Cam and I were there for only a couple of days and wanted to explore as much as possible so we walked all around Venice including late into the night. I took this photo at about 10pm in the San Palo area. It was eerily quiet. Nothing moved. There was no one about in the streets. And very few indoor lights were on.
Since I love laundry and always hanker after painting it, I was delighted to round a corner and see this:
I looked forward to painting this and took the opportunity to do so during the last 31-pastels-in-31-days Challenge.
Here’s my initial thumbnail to figure out composition and value structure.
I then drew up the image on dark paper (Pastel Premier ‘Slate’). Using dark paper is unusual for me as I prefer a more neutral colour or at least a light colour that I can build up in an underpainting with light, middle, and dark values. Here though, with much of the scene dark, it made sense to start with a relatively dark paper. This meant I wouldn’t have to spend time trying to cover up and eradicate little light spots in the depth of darkness!
I hope I portrayed the eeriness of the scene!!
Here is a photo of the Unison Colour Starter Set of 36. You can see that the only darks I had to work with. They are ‘Grey 36’ (basically a version of black), ‘BV18’ (dark blue), ‘Green 1’(dark green), ‘Red 7’ (dark red), and ’RE 12’ (Red Earth brown).
I used 12 pastels for “Night Laundry” and here they are:
Painting A Night Scene – by others
Let’s have a look at a few examples of night scenes by some master artists.
First, there’s George de la Tour and his mysterious interior candle-lit paintings. You can see in this example how much of the painting is dark, with some light, and very little middle value.
Next is one of Goya’s famous paintings. You can see how he used light to put the focus where he wanted it! In this painting, the light source has illuminated quite a bit of the scene. You can see how the middle value areas tend to lean either to the light or the dark.
And then there’s Turner with an evocative moonlit scene. Look at the power of all that dark, balanced by a bit of light and the middle value of colour, particularly in the water.
And now to a painting by Frederic Remington. He uses firelight to illuminate the protagonists. Except for the red areas, see how little colour is seen?
Let’s go to the grittiness of factory life with this painting by Lionel Walden. Again, you can see how much of the middle value leans towards the dark value.
And finally, how can we not include Edward Hopper’s iconic “Nighthawks”?! This painting has two light sources – the one within, that spills outward, and the light from street lamps. You can clearly see the shape of the light value (the yellow interior wall). The light spilling out onto the pavement is a middle value but can you see how other middle values (the red wall for example) push towards the dark?
I also wanted to include a couple of pastellists. First, there’s Doug Dawson. It was from this artist and teacher that I really learnt about value and its importance. Here’s a night scene that incorporates quite a bit of colour – the warm colour of the paper is allowed to glow through. The exterior of the building and the road in front appear to be a middle value but you can see how it slides up beside dark value. Looking at the black and white version, it could even be classed as a dark value big shape.
And finally, there’s Chris Ivers, who is known for her night paintings. (And if you haven’t done so already, go and read her blog post about this very subject!). Have a look at the example of her’s below. It illustrates the ideas around values and colour perfectly. The darks are dense and uncolourful while the light areas are a bit washed out. The main colour is the middle value outside of the building that is struck by the light from a street lamp above the painting’s boundary.
That’s it for this time.
What’s your experience painting a night scene? Did you find it easy to make it convincing? And what did you think of the video? And the examples of painting a night scene by others?
Please leave me your comments and questions below!
Until next time,
~ Gail
26 thoughts on “Painting a Night Scene – How To Do It Convincingly”
Wow! A quiet alley that talks more about the neighbors’ lives than have a pretty face for the public. I love the mood, and, yes, the colors! I painted a night scene recently, too, only it was focused more in the evening. My predominant colors are a purplish blue, and mid to light yellow-oranges, with cream for the light source. I tried to keep the shadowed areas the purplish blue, because the deepening sky still reflected blue, and because it went well with the purple. The middle area was the wall where the light was reflected, and a white shutter that reflected the dimishing blue of the sky with a mid to lighter blue. And I used a piece of black MiTeintes Touch, because the black specks were simply the deepest shadows of an irregular wall. I might try to paint some more night scenes, I just have to take the pictures first!
Hi Maria, many thanks!
Love your description of the piece you did. That time of nights is always a wonderful time to paint when you still have the blue of the sky which contrasts perfectly with the warm lights coming on. Hope you do some more night scenes!
I really appreciate this post now that the days are getting shorter. Morning comes later and later in the day and I feel kind of sad about the passing of summer. But this post about night time paintings makes me realize there’s opportunity here to learn something new! Thanks for once again helping me to see that beauty is not only everywhere but everywhen, too.
Oh Maria, I’m so happy to hear I’ve ‘brightened’ your day. I know what you mean about the shortening days. On the other hand, it is a time for going inside (literally and figuratively) and starting to deepen our knowledge. And yes to the beauty everywhere and everywhen 🙂
Thank you so much Gail for this wonderful article and video ~ it’s very inspiring and
I look forward to giving it a go!!! I’ve picked up pastels a few times and love them!!! I’m keen to improve and love the info you’ve provided- so, really big thanks ⭐️🌻
You are so welcome Carol! I LOVE hearing that what I do is helpful and inspiring!! I hope you will give a night scene a go. And keep going with those pastels!!
Hi Gail, love your haunting Night Laundry piece and enjoyed watching you paint it. I’ve only ever done one night scene. It was during one of the Friday challenges where we were given only 10 minutes (I think it was?) to paint a piece, and I did a 5×7. I am planning to do the same painting again in a larger size and with more time to paint. Thanks for your tips on how to do it! Also, I am a big fan of Chris Ivers’ night paintings. They are wonderful.
Thanks so much Ruth! Ah yes, the 10 min Challenge – that was a good one! I think I’ll be doing more of those during our upcoming 31-in-31 Challenge. Look forward to seeing your larger night scene 😀
So !……love it when your email arrives ! Thank you.
So love it Adrianne when I receive comments like yours! 😀
As usual, wonderful teaching! Thanks.
Ohhhh Marsha – thank you!!!!!
Excellent article. Wonderful examples. I feel too many artists just paint everything blue and call it a ‘nocturne’. As you show here, there’s so much more to creating a successful nighttime painting. I affectionately call Chris Evers “The Queen of Darkness”; she totally OWNS nocturnes. And she knows how to teach ’em, too.
Thanks Tom! I’m glad you appreciated the examples. I kinda had to hold back as I had many great examples. And I agree with you about Chris – I like the name ‘Queen of Darkness’ 😀
So glad you chose this painting for this blog, and for more reasons than one!!
I thought you’d appreciate it!!
Every now and then I come upon a painting that stuns me. Usually not “pretty,” but causes a reaction somewhere very deep. The first time I visited Venice, I got the sense that something was missing, not wrong, just not there, and it bothered me. On day 3, I realized it was the lack of background noise. Your painting captures that moment of realization, quiet, dark, yet there are things going on we don’t see. The light seeping under the black door, the laundry drying in the open air.
So much there that we don’t see – or hear. Wonderful painting. I need to go back to Venice. Thank you!
Ohhhh Mari thank you so much. And yes, it is as you describe it – no background noise – just eerily still and quiet. I have to say I was a bit spooked at that late hour with nothing to be heard or seen. LOVE how you describe the feeling you get from the painting! Thank you 🙂
And Venice….you and me both!
I’m so impressed that you did that with only 12 pastels. I need to practice more with choosing my palette first and sticking with it, as I always seem to be going back to my trays. Still learning! I’m new to your site (and now to the Facebook group), and I’m really enjoying it.
I hope the last comment was a reference to the Vashta Nerada. 🙂
I’m often quite surprised at the end that I use so few pastels. It really is about understanding value and also the power of layering. You can see in the video how much layering I did!
Happy to have you here and in the HTP Facebook group Andrea.
Which comment are you referring to? And ahhhhh a Doctor Who fan 😀
Lots of Layers and a super light touch – Bravo! Really liked the quick flash of fluorescent light and the. incandescent light showing the cool/warm effects. Enjoyed the additional historical and contemporary references too. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks Gailen! It was a sudden idea to change the light to show the difference and glad it was effective. And also happy you appreciated the historical references. I love getting those in when I can!
Thanks, Gail. This information is so, so useful because I’m doing a night series in pastel. I was so unsure about how to proceed, and you’ve really helped me see the light! I’m impressed that you did a value thumbnail before beginning your “night laundry” painting. I often wonder how necessary those are, and happy to see an accomplished artist who is doing that kind of prep work.
That’s wonderful to know this will help you on your way with night scenes Celeste. And oh my gosh yes! I certainly did a thumbnail. I rarely skip this step as it helps me become familiar with the subject, simplify into values, and figure out the composition and format. It’s the thumbnail that helps me create a stronger painting than it might otherwise be.
Thank you for the helpful information! I’m not a pastel artist but this is so transferable to other mediums!
Rebecca, thank you so much for commenting. I’m happy you found this information on painting a night scene and saw that, yes, can be used across media!