Welcome to
The Painting Lesson
by Linda Carson
big black pig studio
98 King St. N., Waterloo Ontario Canada
www.bigblackpig.com
Iridescent or Interference Colours
Shimmery materials that seem to change colours as you look at them from different angles are iridescent. Iridescent paints do the same quick-change act. They're also called interference colours (the iridescence is caused by interference of light waves), and they're created with glimmering particles of mica. They create iridescent effects best when applied as a thin sheer layer over a darker colour.
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For example: You'll have to use your imagination looking at this example, since you can't see the effect of a change of position or lighting. Take my word for it: it shimmers like a soap bubble. |
Keep in mind that iridescent paint makes the surface of the painting iridescent, not the image. The painting will react to the lighting conditions in the gallery, which may not be consistent with the lighting conditions in the image. So iridescent paints are lovely, but they're not an easy answer to painting a picture of iridescence. For that, you do what painters have always done: look hard and well at your subject, and paint what you see. (Hint: the answer usually involves scumbling.)
Back to the main lesson?Art & Text (C) Linda Carson 2002
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