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Digitally Painting Light and Color

Amateur to Master

4.8 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Based on 2,201 ratings
see reviews
Austin Batchelor

Join the course and begin digitally painting today.

Do you want to learn how to digitally paint beautiful, accurate, and interestingly lit paintings? Or maybe you’re wanting to brush up on what you already know? Perhaps you're a complete beginner and are looking for someplace to start. In any case you’ve come to the right place.

Read more

Join the course and begin digitally painting today.

Do you want to learn how to digitally paint beautiful, accurate, and interestingly lit paintings? Or maybe you’re wanting to brush up on what you already know? Perhaps you're a complete beginner and are looking for someplace to start. In any case you’ve come to the right place.

The 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' course will show you how to create beautiful and believable paintings that will stand up as professional work. The techniques taught in this course can be translated into any program from Photoshop to Procreate. This course will teach you how to understand and accurately paint light and keep you from getting muddy and dull color palettes. - or your money back.

This course is your track to building a solid portfolio of realistic digital paintings and concept art. Whether for your own portfolio or for client work.

This course will take you from having little knowledge in how to interpret light and apply it to your painting in as little as one week.

So what else is in it for you?

You’ll be taken from basic fundamentals to believable and beautifully lit paintings, from beginner to expert

You’ll gain instant access to all of the course and you'll be able to view it for life. You can follow along and view each lecture or use it as a guide book to refer too when you need to brush up on a specific topic.

The course is setup to quickly take you through step by step, the process of creating beautiful colors palettes and accurate lighting. It will equip you with the knowledge to create stunning images and concept art.

This all comes under one convenient easy to use platform. Plus you will get fast, friendly, responsive support on the Udemy Q&A section of the course or direct message. Plus there are over 5 hours of content with 20 downloadable files. You could say this course is pretty lit (pun intended).

I will be here for you every step of the way.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up now to start creating today.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Learn how to paint realistic lighting and color schemes.
  • Learn how to paint various lighting conditions.
  • Learn how to understand and interpret real life lighting situations

Syllabus

This section goes over the course objectives, and a quick demo to show how easy and it is to paint light well.

In this lecture students will learn some tips to help get the most out of this course.

Read more

In this lecture we will cover what this course is about and what we won't be covering to make sure students have an accurate understanding of what it will entail.

Students will Learn how to access the Q and A section.

In this lecture Students will learn that you don't have to be a prodigy to paint well, anyone can do it with practice. We do a quick assignment showing how to paint a sphere.

In this lecture Students will learn about the science behind light and color.

In this lecture Students will learn about the elements of light and shadow.

In this lecture Students will learn about the importance of value.

In this lecture Students will learn how to create a value scale.

In this lecture Students will learn how light defines the form of an object.

In this lecture Students will learn about cast shadows.

In this lecture Students will learn how to apply cast shadow.

In this lecture Students will learn about occlusion shadows.

In this lecture Students will learn about three quarter lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn about frontal lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn about edge lighting.

In this lecture I do a demo of the rim lighting assignment.

In this lecture Students will learn about contre jour lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn how to create a light bloom.

In this lecture Students will learn about lighting from below.

In this lecture Students will learn about reflected light

In this lecture Students will learn how to complete the lighting assignment.

In this lecture Students will learn about direct sunlight.

In this lecture Students will learn about overcast lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn about window lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn about candle and firelight.

In this lecture Students will learn about nighttime lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn about luminescent lighting.

In this lecture Students will learn about color terminology.

In this lecture Students will learn about monochromatic color schemes.

In this lecture Students will learn about local color.

In this lecture Students will learn about warm and cool relationships.

In this lecture Students will learn how to balance saturation.

In this lecture Students will learn about transmitted light.

In this lecture Students will learn about facial banding.

In this lecture Students will learn about subsurface scattering.

In this lecture Students will learn about caustics.

In this lecture Students will learn about rendering shinny surfaces.

In this lecture Students will learn about highlights.

In this lecture Students will learn about color coronas.

In this lecture students will learn some tips for creating a portfolio.

In this lecture I congratulate students on completing the course and give my final farewell.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides a comprehensive overview of light and color principles, which are fundamental for creating realistic and visually appealing digital paintings
Covers a wide range of lighting conditions, from direct sunlight to luminescent lighting, which allows learners to adapt their skills to various artistic scenarios
Explores color terminology, monochromatic schemes, local color, and saturation balance, which are essential for creating harmonious and effective color palettes
Examines how light interacts with various surfaces, including shiny materials, and phenomena like subsurface scattering and caustics, which enhances realism in digital paintings
Teaches techniques applicable to different programs like Photoshop and Procreate, which allows learners to use their preferred tools
Includes tips for creating a portfolio, which helps learners showcase their skills and attract potential clients or employers

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
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Reviews summary

Mastering digital light and color fundamentals

According to learners, this course offers a solid foundation in the fundamentals of digitally painting light and color. Students frequently highlight the clear and understandable explanations provided by the instructor, which help demystify often complex topics like light science, value, and color relationships. Many reviewers report a noticeable improvement in their artwork after applying the techniques taught. The course is particularly praised for being accessible and beneficial for beginners or those looking to strengthen their foundational knowledge. While some more experienced artists might find certain sections basic, the overall consensus is that it provides practical knowledge that can be applied across various digital painting software.
Focuses on core fundamentals rather than advanced techniques.
"The course covers fundamental principles exceptionally well, which is exactly what I needed."
"It's a solid base for understanding light and color, but don't expect highly advanced rendering techniques."
"The focus is definitely on the 'amateur' side, building a strong base before moving to 'master'."
"I appreciated the deep dive into the basics, although some might find it repetitive if they have prior knowledge."
Teaches concepts applicable to various software.
"Loved that the techniques weren't tied to one software. I used Procreate and it worked perfectly."
"The principles taught are universal to digital painting, which is incredibly useful."
"I can apply everything I learned here to my work in Photoshop without issues."
"It's all about the 'why' behind light and color, making it applicable anywhere."
Excellent starting point for those new to digital painting light/color.
"As a beginner, this course was the perfect introduction to painting light and color digitally."
"Highly recommended for anyone just starting out who wants to understand core painting concepts."
"It really takes you from amateur to a much better understanding, just like the title says."
"If you're struggling with muddy colors or flat lighting, this course is a must-take for beginners."
Applying techniques leads to visible improvement in paintings.
"After taking this course, my paintings look significantly better. The light and color feel so much more real now."
"I've seen a huge improvement in my understanding and application of light, it directly impacted my art."
"The practical assignments really help solidify the concepts, and I could see the progress in my work."
"Applying these principles immediately elevated the quality of my digital paintings."
Complex concepts are explained in an easy-to-understand way.
"The instructor broke down the science behind light and color into really digestible chunks. I finally understand value!"
"Everything is explained very clearly and simply, which makes it easy to follow even if you're new."
"The course content is fantastic, the explanations are so clear on light and color theory."
"I struggled with color theory before, but the way it's taught here just clicked for me."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master with these activities:
Review Value Scales
Reinforce your understanding of value scales, a fundamental concept for accurately depicting light and shadow in digital painting.
Show steps
  • Find examples of value scales.
  • Create your own value scale.
  • Practice identifying values in images.
Review 'Color and Light' by James Gurney
Deepen your understanding of color and light principles with this highly recommended resource for realist painters.
View Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions) on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Color and Light'.
  • Read the chapters on color theory and light sources.
  • Apply the concepts to your digital paintings.
Value and Color Studies from Photos
Improve your ability to accurately observe and reproduce values and colors by practicing studies from real-world photographs.
Show steps
  • Select a photograph with interesting lighting.
  • Identify the key values and colors.
  • Paint a study focusing on accurate values and colors.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Review 'Light for Visual Artists' by Richard Yot
Expand your knowledge of light theory and application with this comprehensive guide for visual artists.
View Light for Visual Artists Second Edition:... on Amazon
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'Light for Visual Artists'.
  • Read the chapters on light sources and shadows.
  • Experiment with different lighting techniques.
Create a Lighting Study Compilation
Solidify your understanding of different lighting scenarios by creating a series of digital paintings showcasing various light sources and conditions.
Show steps
  • Choose several lighting scenarios (e.g., direct sunlight, overcast, candlelight).
  • Create a digital painting for each scenario.
  • Write a short description of each painting.
Explore Advanced Lighting Tutorials
Refine your skills by following advanced tutorials on specific lighting techniques, such as subsurface scattering or caustics.
Show steps
  • Search for tutorials on advanced lighting techniques.
  • Follow a tutorial step-by-step.
  • Apply the techniques to your own paintings.
Personal Lighting Challenge
Apply your knowledge of light and color to a personal project that challenges you to create a compelling and believable digital painting.
Show steps
  • Choose a subject and lighting scenario.
  • Create a detailed digital painting.
  • Refine your painting based on feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Concept Artist
A Concept Artist visualizes ideas for use in media such as video games, film, and animation. This role relies heavily on the practical application of light and color to create mood and believability. The 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' course emphasizes the understanding and accurate painting of light, which is crucial for concept artists to effectively communicate their designs. The course helps build a solid portfolio of realistic digital paintings and concept art. Furthermore, this course covers techniques applicable to various programs, ensuring versatility for concept artists who may use different software in their professional workflows.
See salaries and explore the career path for Concept Artist
Digital Painter
A Digital Painter creates artwork using digital tools, often mimicking the look and feel of traditional painting techniques. A strong understanding of light and color is essential for achieving realistic and visually appealing results. In this role, one paints for many different media including video games or advertising. The 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' course teaches how to accurately paint light and avoid muddy color palettes. Digital painters who want to expand their skillset and create professional-quality work would find this course helpful.
See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Painter
Visual Development Artist
A Visual Development Artist works in animation and film to explore the visual style and design of a project. This role involves creating concept art, color keys, and lighting studies to establish the overall look and feel. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' teaches how to paint realistic lighting and color schemes. The course helps visual development artists to effectively communicate their vision and create visually stunning projects. One who wants to pursue a career as a visual development artist may find this course worthwhile.
See salaries and explore the career path for Visual Development Artist
Illustrator
An Illustrator creates images for books, magazines, and other media, bringing stories and ideas to life visually. Mastering light and color is paramount for illustrators to create compelling and emotionally resonant artwork. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' will show you how to create believable paintings. You'll learn how to paint various lighting conditions. This course may be useful to anyone pursuing a professional career as an illustrator. This may be especially useful to an illustrator who creates works for science-fiction or fantasy publications.
See salaries and explore the career path for Illustrator
Matte Painter
A Matte Painter creates realistic landscape and environment extensions for film and television. Matte painting requires a high degree of skill in rendering light and atmosphere to seamlessly integrate digital environments with live-action footage. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' teaches how to understand and accurately paint light, a critical skill for matte painters striving for photorealism. Moreover, the course emphasizes creating believable paintings, essential for effective matte work. For matte painters the digital painting skills taught in the course may be essential.
See salaries and explore the career path for Matte Painter
Texture Artist
A Texture Artist creates the surface details and materials for 3D models in video games, film, and animation. To convincingly portray a range of materials, texture artists need a strong understanding of how light interacts with different surfaces. The 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' course includes instruction on how different surfaces interact with and transmit light. This course may be useful to a texture artist who builds a strong foundation for creating realistic and visually compelling textures.
See salaries and explore the career path for Texture Artist
Freelance Artist
A Freelance Artist works independently, taking on various art-related projects for different clients. These projects can range from illustration to design to digital painting, requiring a versatile skill set. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' is a broad course that teaches techniques applicable to any program. It provides a solid foundation in realistic digital painting, which may be useful for freelance artists looking to expand their services and attract more clients.
See salaries and explore the career path for Freelance Artist
Character Designer
A Character Designer creates the visual appearance of characters for animation, video games, and other media. This includes their clothing, features, and overall style. Understanding how light and color interact with these elements is crucial for creating memorable and believable characters. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' teaches the elements of lighting and the science behind it. Character designers with work that is grounded in digital media may find this course helpful.
See salaries and explore the career path for Character Designer
Comic Book Artist
A Comic Book Artist creates the illustrations and artwork for comic books and graphic novels. Mastering light and color is essential for creating visually engaging and dynamic panels. In this role, one makes decisions pertaining to panel layout and what scenes to depict. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' teaches how to understand and accurately paint light and keep from getting muddy and dull color palettes. This course may be useful to comic book artists who want to enhance their skills.
See salaries and explore the career path for Comic Book Artist
Story Board Artist
A Story Board Artist visualizes a script or narrative through a series of illustrations that outline the key scenes and action. While the focus is on conveying the story, understanding light and color can enhance the mood and impact of the storyboards. The 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' course provides a foundation in painting various lighting conditions that can be applied to create more dynamic and effective storyboards. Those who want to create art for film and television may be interested in this role.
See salaries and explore the career path for Story Board Artist
Animator
An Animator brings characters and objects to life through a series of drawings or digital models. Understanding light and color is important for animators to create visually appealing and believable scenes. The 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' course may be helpful for those animators who want to enhance their skills in lighting and color to create more visually stunning animations. The course goes over color schemes and pleasing palettes.
See salaries and explore the career path for Animator
Art Director
An Art Director is responsible for the overall visual style and image of a project or brand. This role involves guiding artists and designers to create artwork that aligns with the project's vision. While art directors may not be directly involved in painting, a strong understanding of light and color is essential for making informed decisions. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' helps build a foundation for making informed aesthetic choices. It may be useful for any art director who is looking to sharpen their eye for color.
See salaries and explore the career path for Art Director
Fine Artist
A Fine Artist creates artwork primarily for aesthetic purposes, exploring personal expression and artistic concepts. While the specific style and medium vary widely, understanding light and color is fundamental to visual art. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' provides a set of skills that may be useful for fine artists looking to expand their knowledge. Fine artists who work exclusively on physical media may not find digital painting to be directly relevant.
See salaries and explore the career path for Fine Artist
Exhibition Designer
An Exhibition Designer creates the layout and visual design of museum exhibitions and trade shows. While this role involves spatial planning and presentation, understanding how light and color affect the visitor experience is important. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' teaches how to paint various lighting conditions. This, in turn, will help an exhibition designer understand how different lighting conditions will affect materials in exhibition's layout. The course may prove to be useful.
See salaries and explore the career path for Exhibition Designer
Fashion Designer
A Fashion Designer creates clothing and accessories, considering both aesthetic appeal and functionality. While the primary focus is on design and construction, understanding color theory and light interaction with fabrics can enhance the visual impact of their designs. 'Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master' teaches about color interactions and pleasing color schemes. The course might be useful when a fashion designer creates concept art for their designs, digitally.
See salaries and explore the career path for Fashion Designer

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Digitally Painting Light and Color: Amateur to Master.
Cover image
Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara
Save
Comprehensive guide to understanding color and light in painting. It covers a wide range of topics, from color theory to lighting techniques, and is filled with practical advice and examples. It is commonly used by both students and professional artists. This book will add significant depth to the course material.
Dinotopia: Journey To Chandara (Calla Editions)
Hardcover
$$
Cover image
Light for Visual Artists Second Edition
Save
Explores the physics and perception of light, offering practical guidance on how to use light effectively in visual art. It covers topics such as light sources, shadows, reflections, and color. It valuable resource for artists seeking a deeper understanding of light. This book will add significant breadth to the course material.
Light for Visual Artists Second Edition:...
Kindle Edition
$

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Rating
4.8 Filled star Filled star Filled star Filled star Half star
Effort
5.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Austin Batchelor
Language
English
Traffic lights
Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides a comprehensive overview of light and color principles, which are fundamental for creating realistic and visually appealing digital paintings
Covers a wide range of lighting conditions, from direct sunlight to luminescent lighting, which allows learners to adapt their skills to various artistic scenarios
Explores color terminology, monochromatic schemes, local color, and saturation balance, which are essential for creating harmonious and effective color palettes
Examines how light interacts with various surfaces, including shiny materials, and phenomena like subsurface scattering and caustics, which enhances realism in digital paintings
Teaches techniques applicable to different programs like Photoshop and Procreate, which allows learners to use their preferred tools
Includes tips for creating a portfolio, which helps learners showcase their skills and attract potential clients or employers
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