Taking Pictures of your work in progress.
I encourage my students to take pictures of their work in progress and checking them on their computer or iPad.
I think it's easier to see where the painting still 'worked' or just 'looked right' .
I also motivate them to hold their painting in the mirror frequently to catch areas where the color values are out of balance.
It's amazing what you see in this reflection, which you wouldn't have seen on your easel.
Turn it all around, since there has to be harmony in the painting, even upside down!

Colors:
Choice of colors is very personal. In art, colors are used to create moods, provoke emotional responses, guide the eye through a painting, and define depth and form.
Colors have 3 characteristics: hue, intensity and tone (or value). Value means the relative darkness and lightness of the color.
I teach my students the importance of identifying and differentiating these 3 qualities to become keen on colors!

Shadows:
Shadows give the objects in your design a sense of weight and show the direction and intensity of the light.
TIP: Never paint shadows too dark!

How to paint light:
In this painting, my light is coming from the left.
See how both warm and cool colors are used in different places.
To tone down the hot red of the background I mixed some cool whites by adding some blue to the white.
I also tinted the white color on the shade side (right) with a touch of cool red, such as alizarin crimson.

Picture 2:
The end result!

Acrylic mixed media 16x20 inches (41x51 cm)

Copyright Olga van Dijk 2©11
This is another OLGartsProduction©2 011

PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT
ARE PROPERTY OF OLGA VAN DIJK/OLGarts STUDIO
With thanks to explore-drawing-and-painting.com