Washing day

5 March 2026

Video - Level ◆◆◆

Scenes of washing hanging in doorways and across alleyways have been painted for centuries. There’s something timeless about them — humble, ordinary moments that quietly tell stories about everyday life.

I’ve always been drawn to these kinds of subjects. A simple glimpse down a back street somewhere in Europe, a flash of colour in the laundry, the feeling that you’re peeking into a real, lived-in moment.

I chose this particular scene for that reason… but also because it’s a wonderful playground for exploring colour.

In this lesson, I show you how I mix a whole range of different shadow colours using complementary colour theory — not in a rigid, technical way, but in a practical, intuitive way that’s easy to apply to your own paintings.

It’s a fun way to put theory into practice, and the result is a painting that feels vibrant, rich, and full of life.

If you’ve ever wanted your shadows to feel more colourful and your paintings to glow a little more, then you're going to love this one.

Happy painting!