The term aerial perspective describes the way objects in the distance appear lighter, bluer and hazier than those closer to us. It is the presence of water vapour and dust in the atmosphere that filters red light from distant objects giving them a bluish taint. There are many ways to help create the effect of this depth in a painting: using dark to light tonal values, warm to cool colours, and big contrasts to small contrasts.
In this painting I have used warm to cool colours in combination with high to low saturation to portray the feeling of receding space. The view really lends itself to aerial perspective: an open space with close, rich greens and far away pale blue hills and sea on the horizon line. Although the painting is mainly about colour, it was also important to get the tonal values right as they help to create the feeling of space. The tonal contrasts appear strongest in the foreground with the full range of light to dark – the trees and bushes are the darkest tone. As it recedes back into the distance the tonal contrasts become weaker and close together.
Working process