Glow in the dark
Painting objects that radiate light
I’m not one to jump on seasonal trends with my paintings or exercises, but I couldn’t resist letting Halloween spark this week’s workout: painting glowing objects in the dark. And it’s trickier than it looks.
We’re used to painting from light to dark in watercolour, but to make something glow, we need to push our values even further. This is about contrast, and painting strong darks to create light.
Painting subjects illuminated by a single bright light has a long history. Artists like Rembrandt and Caravaggio mastered it centuries ago, using it to create drama, mystery, and emotional depth. And many master artists will try their hand at nocturnes at some point in their career.
Exercise
The two examples below, a Jack-o’-lantern and a regular lantern, use the same principle, but you can try anything that emits its own light: candles, street lamps, even neon signs.
Choose your subject. Pick something with a single light source.
Start with the glow. Paint the brightest colors first: yellows and oranges, gradually deepening into reds. Keep these washes clean and transparent.
Let it dry. This step matters. Rushing will dull your glow.
Build the darkness. Paint the surroundings with rich darks, varying the values slightly and softening edges near the light.
Refine the connection. Adjust the shadow edges so the light feels like it belongs in the scene.
Examples
Why this exercise
It gets us out of our comfort zone. We’re used to painting in daylight, where most objects are darker than their background. Here, we’re flipping it around.
It deepens our understanding of value design. To make something feel luminous, you have to design your darks with intention.
Shine brightly,
Patrick
Video Demos
With commentary, so turn the sound on 🎧
Master Artist Spotlight
Chien Chung Wei
Wei is a Taiwanese watercolour artist celebrated for his expressive brushwork and poetic realism. His paintings feel both spontaneous and deeply considered. His work bridges East and West, blending traditional Chinese aesthetics with modern Western styles.
Chien is a master of all subjects, including capturing light in darkness. In his nocturnes, often depicting busy streets, lanterns, or figures bathed in soft glow, he balances warm and cool tones and uses layers of transparency to suggest depth and atmosphere.
Notice how in the painting above he manages to make the lanterns glow, even though the surrounding values aren’t all that dark.
In the city scene he uses a bit of white opaque paint to strengthen some highlights, but the overall atmosphere is created by the many glowing street and car lights.
Further Practice
Paint a simple night scene with a limited palette of Ultramarine, Burnt Sienna and a warm yellow (e.g. Hansa Medium).
For example a street light at dusk, and a car with headlights on.
These are exquisite! The shading with the pumpkin, the city scene - Breathtaking!
These are stunning!