Sunrise, Sunset...?
Before we dive into painting colorful skies - or anything — it’s useful to ask ourselves, What are we looking at here?
For instance, sunrises vs sunsets:
Do they look different?
Fundamentally, no! There’s nothing fundamentally different about the light effects at sunrise vs sunset.
The cause is the same. Any differences are qualitative and subjective.
Some artists like to depict dawn as more glamorous than dusk.
Other artists prefer the other way around.
For me, there’s a slight difference in that dawn often dissipates into the clear light of day, and the colors will often linger in the clouds, offset by blue skies. While sunset can often feel more dramatic, because the darkened night skies can offset the colors, and they can seem more abrupt, and transitions more dramatic. Silhouetted/backlit scenery can serve to heighten the dramatic contrast.
Here are some examples in watercolor; paintings are by me, unless otherwise noted.
Pro Tip #1: Layer analogous colors & tones of the same color atop a variegated underpainting. Make sure to let the underpainting dry completely.
Pro tip #2: Employ blossoms to create a “glow.” How to create blossoms? Just add water or a watery mix of paint and water on top of a damp wash. Wet will always try to flow into dry in watercolor, that’s the Holy Rule of Watercolor!
Pro tip #3: Wet in wet techniques can aid in the effect of morning mist.
Pro Tip #4: Use colors to create the glow: yellow, orange, red & pink .
Pro tip #5: Using bright watercolor dyes can really pop your painting! I use Viviva Colorsheets, they’re super-saturated vivid yet transparent watercolors.
Pro Tip #6: Know where your sun is in the sky. Even when you can’t see it, the glow comes from a certain point. Knowing where it is makes it makes sense to your viewer.
Some final thoughts:
Keep your palette soft, with pastel colors.
…Or don’t!
And don’t let reality hold you back!
