Copenhagen on fire 1807 by CW Eckersberg

Observing Fire Before Painting

Painting fire can seem complicated at first. The way in which fire flickers and moves can make it seem intimidating to the novice artist. However, just like with anything else in art, understanding fire, the way it moves and the various gradations of warm color within it, can make it a lot easier.

Start with simple observation. If you have a fireplace at home, turn it on and observe the various colors within the flames. Observe how the flames flicker and dance around each other. Look at the basic shapes of the flames. Observe them and register them in your minds eye. If a fire place seems too intimidating, simply light a candle and observe the shapes in the candle. Start off by practicing drawing the shapes and observe how the shapes change when a little bit of air causes the flame to move slightly.

One tip for your practice which helps is to photograph a flame against a black background. Use the photo as a reference to practice from. The black background highlights the intensity of the fire and makes it easier to paint. When you start off with a dark background, this adds stark contrast which will ensure that you keep the painting focused on the fire and nothing else.

Common shapes in fire include teardrop shapes and tendrils as well as an elliptical or oval shape for the space that the whole fire takes up. This article will focus on a few tips for painting fire which will get you started in the right direction. After that, the best thing you can do is to practice and practice a lot.