Temperature contrast refers to the use of colors that evoke hot or cold associations in a painting or other work of art. Artists can use colors to create a sense of warmth or coolness that goes beyond the actual depiction of a warm or cool environment or subject matter. The skillful manipulation of color temperature is an important element in the emotional impact and unity of many great works of art.
Warm and Cool Colors
In color theory, certain hues are generally considered “warm” colors and others are considered “cool.” Warm colors include reds, oranges, and yellows that are associated with fire, the sun, heat, and energy. Cool colors include greens, blues, and purples that are associated with water, ice, snow, and tranquility. Warm colors tend to visually advance in space and hold the viewer’s attention. Cool colors visually recede in space and can create a calming effect.
| Warm Colors | Cool Colors |
|---|---|
| Red | Blue |
| Orange | Green |
| Yellow | Purple |
Of course, the perception of color is highly subjective. Factors like hue, saturation, and brightness influence whether a color is perceived as warm or cool. For example, a pale yellow may read as a cool color, while a bright violet can strike the eye as warm.
Using Temperature Contrast
Artists make use of temperature contrast to direct the viewer’s attention, build drama, and evoke different moods. Areas of warm color tend to visually advance, pulling the viewer’s eye first. Cool colors recede into the distance, providing feelings of tranquility or melancholy. Skillful blending of warm and cool colors creates a sense of balance and harmony.
Dramatic temperature contrast draws the eye to the area of warm color. Painters use this technique to highlight the focus of interest in a composition. Cool surroundings make the warm colors seem to visually “pop” with energy. Baroque painters like Rembrandt and Vermeer were masters of using strong light and shade with temperature contrast to spotlight their main subjects. The warm glow draws the viewer’s gaze to illuminate the most significant element in the scene.
More subtle temperature contrast can evoke very different moods. Warm hues give a feeling of comfort and cheerfulness. Their energy brings a sense of joy and optimism. Cooler colors create a more thoughtful, tranquil atmosphere. Great landscape painters manipulate colors to convey different qualities of light and air for an emotive impact. A painting dominated by warm colors feels very different than a cooler, more subdued palette, even if the actual scene depicted is the same.
Examples in Painting
Here are some examples of masterful uses of color temperature in famous works of art:
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer (1665)
Vermeer highlights the girl’s face and pearl earring with warm illuminated skin tones against a cooler deep black background. The sharp temperature contrast draws the viewer’s eye and creates a dramatic, spotlight effect.
The Harvesters by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1565)
Most of this painting is executed in cool greens and blues of the landscape. But the bursts of warm light and activity focused on the harvesters creates movement and interest, leading the eye through the scene.
Terrace at Sainte-Adresse by Claude Monet (1867)
Instead of high contrast, Monet uses subtle temperature differences to capture the atmosphere and ephemeral effects of light. Warm golden sunlight suffuses the terrace, while the sea and sky retain a misty coolness in the distance.
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee by Rembrandt (1633)
Rembrandt’s dramatic use of chiaroscuro heightens the temperature contrast. The figures are illuminated by warm light contrasting with the ominous dark blues and greens of the churning sea and clouds.
Temperature Contrast in Other Media
The principles of color temperature are applied across many visual media, not only painting. Photographers adjust white balance and lighting to manipulate warmer and cooler hues. Cinematographers use color gels and filters to set the mood of scenes through temperature contrast. Graphic designers select color schemes to evoke heat or coolness in logos, ads, posters, and more. Examples include:
- Black and white photography relying on tonal contrast of lights and darks for dramatic effect.
- Movie scenes set at night illuminated by the warm glow of lamps and fire contrasted against cool moonlight and shadows.
- Warm colored backgrounds of websites to feel inviting contrasted with cool grays and blues in foreground text and buttons.
- Cool blue tones used in medical or technological logos to convey calmness and professionalism.
The thoughtful use of color temperature permeates visual media to unconsciously influence the viewer’s perceptions and reactions.
Using Contrasting Temperatures in Your Art
Some tips for effectively applying temperature contrast in your own artwork include:
- Identify your light source(s) and areas of warmth that will draw focus.
- Surround your main subjects with cooler, more subdued colors to make them stand out.
- Use warm colors for elements meant to advance and cool colors to recede into space.
- Select a dominant mood you want to portray, warm (exciting, cheerful) or cool (serene, melancholy).
- Strike a balance without extremes of contrast unless you desire a very dramatic effect.
- Study the master painters and how they expertly navigated temperature contrasts.
With some practice and experimentation, you can harness the power of color temperature contrasts to take your art to the next level. A purposeful balance of warm and cool not only guides the viewer’s eye but also adds mood, emotion, and meaning to your composition.
Conclusion
Color temperature is an essential, yet often subtle tool for artists in any visual medium. While the casual viewer may not consciously notice, the balance of warm and cool colors profoundly impacts their experience of an artwork. Master painters delicately manipulated the energy and emotion of their paintings through expert temperature contrast. Warm colors draw the eye, heighten drama, and convey energy or comfort. Cooler colors recede in space and evoke tranquility or melancholy. Thoughtfully controlling color temperature gives focus and vitality to compositions and allows artists to direct the audience’s attention and mood.