Mood

[Wendilee]

How to create different moods in paintings has been what I pursued this winter. What creates mood? Is it just color? Is it edges? Is is contrast? Composition? Cool/ Warmth contrast? All of the above?
Dark does not automatically mean creepy or depressing. Dark can be so beautiful also mysterious and inviting. To achieve this I thought it important to practice and explore how to paint lights in darks.
The attached picture is my second attempt at engendering mood in dark which is moving beyond just emotional catharsis.