Learning about White Balance

As I'm learning about my camera, I feel like I'm only skimming the surface and not understanding why to do that, or when to do whatever I'm learning.

So I'm on week 3. The Color of Light. You know lights aren't white, they look blue, yellow, all sorts of colors. Some make you look good, some make you look terrible. Well I've been playing with changing the white balance on my settings. Okay done. But why...and I only took pictures of white stuff...that wasn't the point was it?

When to change the white balance? This article sucks and a quick google search didn't get me anything decent. Thank heavens just found someone smart! Pioneer woman has a host of posts on custom white balance!

I am so use to seeing the yellow tinted photos, I almost like them...must move on! I hope I'm doing this lesson correctly. I didn't use a flash as suggested.

Hard to see, shot in AWB auto white balance (green tint)

Incandescent (yellow tinted)
Custom White Balance! WOW it's white just like the mug!