About

Light, Depth & Mood

Light, Depth and Mood are the trifecta a good painting captures. I aim to represent at least two of these three in all of my work.

Light

Light is best shown by contrast. The relationship between light and darkness is most noticed at points of high contrast. A light yellow set against a deep blue hue. The human eye is drawn to these areas and commonly in a painting there will be a point which hosts a height of contrast. This point will represent the focal point of a painting and will be followed by secondary and tertiary points of decreasing contrast. If arranged in the correct order on the canvas these points of high contrast will create a "good composition." This is why an abstract piece can have just as good of a composition as a hyper realistic painting or a photograph.

Depth

Depth is most easily seen in landscapes. This illusion comes from the gradient of shade from the center of a picture to the edges. Cascading mountains or hills are the primary example of this. The foreground typically has the deepest tones and values which are then muted as the foreground transitions to the background. This same principal can be seen often times in the blue or purple hue of painted sky. Notice that the blue is most saturated and vibrant near the edge of the painting (or above the viewer) and as it approaches the horizon line the blue mutes to a subtler tone and sometimes reaches a pure white. This depth is something I aim to capture in my work.

Mood

Mood is something that is often times interpreted by the viewer. However there are times when concurrences between viewers as to the mood of a piece occur. "Its so bright and happy" or "there is a melancholy feel to the subject" and so on and so forth. This mood can be captured in something as simple as the color pallet chosen to paint a painting or even the facial expression of a model's face. Mood is something less concrete and therefore something that remains in flux depending on the setting a piece is hung, what it is hung next to and how it is lit when hung on a wall or set on a easel. This mood can change slightly and keeps me on my toes during my creative process.

My Story

The body of work I have created is made possible by my upbringing — I am the son of a full time artist, Andrew H. Sewell. He has challenged me and continually pushed me to be intentional about my work. I have used his influences and the influences of his and now my peers to produce artwork that uplifts man's soul by attempting to capture the beauty of the world that very few choose to recognize.

Thank you for your interest and support. I hope to bring you closer to the joy I experience when creating. Here's to the art we have yet to experience!

Cheers,
Joshua D. Sewell