Did you know that your brain processes two billion pieces of visual data per second? Did you know we only “see” about 50 bits of this information?
The human brain is designed to quickly identify and interpret everything that enters the visual sphere. When people tell me they can only draw stick figures and symbols what they mean is their brain can only label an icon for the object and is not engaged with the unique peculiarities of the object itself. Their minds do not perceive the subtle changes in the color of a lemon in a dark blue shadow or the variations in a white piece of paper half in and half out of bright morning sunlight. Their mind receives the signal for “yellow lemon” or “white paper” but strips out the detailed relationships of color, line, shadow, shape, contour, and value of the object in its environment. By doing this the brain is doing us a huge favor. If it didn’t block out most of what was happening around us, we couldn’t focus.
According to a study by University of Oslo psychology professor Stine Vogt, Ph.D. in Perception (Vol. 36, No. 1). nine psychology students and nine art students were asked to view a series of 16 pictures while a camera and computer monitored where their gazes fell. She found that artists’ eyes tended to scan the whole picture, including apparently empty expanses of ocean or sky, while the nonartists focused on objects, especially people. Non Artists spent about 40 percent of the time looking at objects, while artists focused on them 20 percent of the time.
What does the artist see that most people do not? The first thing an artist observes is light. The appearance of what we see at any given moment is totally dependent on the relationships between light, objects, and our position as viewers of the situation. Without light, we can see nothing. Too much light and we can’t determine anything. Our ability to see the world around us is dependent on the amount of, and conditions of light within the range between total darkness and total brightness.
|
|
An overwhelming sea of color, detail and value. Ready to become a painting? |
|
When we are swimming in an overwhelming sea of a million colors representing hundreds of perceptibly different lightness values. color is often different, or even opposite to what we expect it to be, know it to be, or assume it to be. Strangely, the best way for me to understand the color in my photographs is to remove it altogether. That’s why I begin by breaking down my composition into simplified representations using only black and white.
The simplest way I know to truly understand the light in my picture is by creating a Notan. Notan is a Japanese word for an alternating black and white pattern.
I use Notan to separate light from shadow into a two-value abstract pattern which reveals how light falls in my artwork. The light family (white) consists of all areas that are touched directly by the light source. The shadow family (black) consists of everything that is hidden from the light source. This includes all shadows and reflected light areas. A clear separation of what is in light and what is in shadow will make everything that is not working in my image immediately apparent.
|
|
I start this process by tracing my source image over a lightbox and creating multiple photocopies of my tracing. I use Tombow double-ended markers, or a Sharpie, to separate the light from the shadow on my first photocopy. Alternatively, you can use your phone or computer to convert your source image into grayscale and then increase the contrast until you have a black and white representation of your image. If the image still reads as you want it to at this stage, then you are ready to move on to a more detailed tonal value study.
Value does not describe the price or amount paid for an artwork. Value is an art term used to measure the relative lightness or darkness of a color or color shape. Value dominates our visual experience. It is the strongest element of visual contrast and largely determines our perception of form as we explore a picture.
A value scale ranges in discrete steps called tones that start at one end and step towards the other from white to black or vice versa. I use this handy tool for matching any color to a tone on the scale. You can either buy one or make your own value scale by painting strips numbered from one to 10 or one to 100 that range from pure white to pitch black on a piece of white cardboard.
|
|
To keep my tonal value study simple I use only 4 values - white, light-mid value, dark-mid value, and black. I buy Tombow markers in three values to use on another photocopy of my tracing to ensure I stick to just these four values. The key in this step is grouping values. Squinting at your subject helps to link the values and shapes of individual objects into larger masses of connected shapes. Consider the negative space and join the values of these surrounding spaces into a single value in an interesting shape that supports and defines your object(s).
It sounds really easy, right?
The difficulty with our perception of tone is that it 100% depends on the light; when the light changes, the tone changes with it. That’s why to our brain, tonality is unreliable. Tonal value is such an impermanent property of an object, that it can not be determined without looking, it is only true at this moment. For instance, our lemon is perceived as yellow even if it may look white bathed in bright light, or may appear black against backlight. We need to compare our object to something else; see it in relation to other colors to see its tone. We can only notice our object’s tone through intentional looking and only by holding it in the same gaze with something else - like our value scale. That’s why the artists in the study above were seen to scan the whole picture and not focus on the individual objects. They were looking for tonal relationships. All artists eventually learn to perceive tonal relationships, but do you know that even very experienced artists need to be reminded to look at the tonal value of color?
|
|
The two pieces of paper are both white. It is our perception that makes them appear to be different. |
|
|
Because tonality is an optical phenomenon; and, as an optical illusion, our brain does not acknowledge it, it is easier for the amateur artist to begin working from photographs. Assessing the tonal value of the different parts of an image is much clearer in a black and white version of the same photo. Doing this makes a difficult subject easier to paint.
I don't always get the tonal value correct when I work in color. Therefore, to spot the mistakes, I sometimes scan or photograph my own paintings and then convert them to black and white and view them on my computer and phone as a way to spot what is and is not working.
In general, what was white in my Notan sketch will be white and light-mid value in my tonal value sketch and what was black in the Notan will be separated into dark-mid value and black in the tonal value sketch.
|
|
Edward Hopper "To The Lighthouse" |
|
Here is the same painting with all of the colors removed. It is now a tonal value study. The statement is strong and clear. |
|
This is the painting with all of the tonal values removed. As you can clearly see the color is beautiful, but it is not enough for the painting to stand on its own. |
|
The goal for my tonal value sketch is to use 4 tones to create:
- a contrast of light and dark.
- the illusion of form.
- a dramatic or tranquil atmosphere.
- a sense of depth and distance.
- a rhythm or pattern within a composition.
Once I have a basic tonal value sketch based on a photograph it’s time to use my magical artistic powers to transform or "re-vision" the image into art. As an artist, I have the power to make my paintings sing or create a believable new world enclosed within its four edges. To build your skills beyond being a copyist and become more expressive in your work you have to see beyond the photograph and then build on it.
|
|
This is a painting I am developing. Here is the Notan where I am working out the light and how it falls. |
|
Here is the 4 tonal value sketch for the same artwork. I now have a much clearer idea of what's going to happen in the final artwork. There is much more dimensionality in this one. I will probably make some additional adjustments in the final artwork. But I like how I captured the feeling of a sunny mid-summer day. |
|
I always start with my focal point. This is the first place I want the viewer's eye to land. An important rule of composition is that the eye is attracted to the greatest point of value contrast before any other contrast. The human eye is drawn to something light set against something darker or vice versa. By carefully using tone you can create, or strengthen, the focal point in your paintings.
Next, I examine my three-dimensional forms: A careful transition of light and dark tones on a subject gives the illusion of three-dimensional form. It is not the color that makes an apple look like an apple. It is the contour and the form shadow that describe its shape and texture. You could color it blue or yellow, and it will still look like an apple if the tones are right.
|
|
Using tone correctly also creates an illusion of depth; the farther away an object is from the viewer the more it takes on the value of the background.
Repetition of particular shapes also adds rhythm and meaning. Rounded forms are more sensual and comforting, angular shapes more threatening, and geometric shapes more conventional. I look for areas where I can adjust my shapes to add emotion at this stage.
Capturing emotion is an art in and of itself, and it’s not automatic. Allowing one value tone to dominate your painting can play a significant role in developing mood and visual impact. Out of the three aspects of color, (hue, value, and saturation) value is the predominant mood maker!
Whether you work in realism or abstraction, planning and revising your work to strengthen the tonal values will produce stronger, more meaningful artwork.
|
|
The artist above has used only three values - white, midtone, and black to create a clear mood and value plan in each of these tonal sketches. |
|
Restricting the range of values is another way you can direct the mood of your artwork. This is called the “Major Key”. A limited tonal range at the light end of the value scale is called “High Major Key” and a limited tonal range at the dark end of the value scale is called “Low Major Key”.
Low-key paintings dominated by darks have a dramatic mood conveying things we sense about darkness, such as mystery, intrigue, fear, danger or sanctuary.
High key paintings dominated by pale colors give the sense of being bathed in light, setting a more ethereal mood. They can suggest optimism, clarity, and life, but there is also the danger of appearing weak, vague, and washed out.
“Minor Key” is manipulating the contrast (difference) between the darkest dark and the lightest light in your value range. The greater the contrast (difference) between the dark and the light tones, the more the visual intensity or dynamic increases. The greater the affinity (closeness in tones) the more the visual intensity or dynamic decreases.
You might want to experiment by transforming your value sketch using several different Major/Minor Key combinations to evaluate their impact on the mood of your piece. If you are skilled with ProCreate or Adobe Photoshop this is a very simple process.
Below is a chart with a variety of Major/Minor Key settings for you to contemplate.
|
|
Now that you know that you are probably missing visual information about the world around you, see if you can awaken your perception to notice whether or not an apple is truly red when it looks violet at twilight.
Can you actually see the violet apple, but still know it is red? Does your brain effortlessly subtract the blueish veil from the red apple and “restore” the “true color”.
What happens when you try to see what is actually there, not what you think you see?
It is fun to play this mind game with color and tone, real and not real, seeing and perceiving, truth and invention. Can you see how much easier it will be to apply your color and have fun with color contrast once you have your tonal value sketch ready? I will dig deeper into the application of color in another newsletter.
Training yourself to “see like an artist” opens up a whole world of perception that has been waiting for you to awaken to it. Suddenly you will begin to see things in your daily life in a way you never noticed before.
Jonathan Swift says “Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.”
For this we have to be a little courageous, we have to experiment and try, we have to make mistakes and trust that our perceptions will expand through experimentation. Once you can open yourself to this way of seeing you can paint pictures that jar regular people out of their well-worn habits of seeing.
|
|
If you are interested in understanding more about tonal values and still only have a blurry idea about how artists see, reach out to me and let’s talk. I welcome the conversation and I am available for private classes or workshops.
I hope you will use these thoughts to strengthen your perceptions and your paintings. Regardless of your art form, understanding how to play with tonal values can significantly improve your creations.
With Light and Delight,
|
|
P.S. If you didn't get the chance to download your free gift from me: Here is my "Inner Artist Inspiration Package" - a series of illustrated quotes in watercolor based on flower photos taken by family and friends.
|
|
|
Quote:
“Color is nothing, tone is everything; when I run out of red, I paint it blue.”
-Pablo Picasso
|
|
NSU Art Museum
April 2 - October 23, 2022
The exhibition Lux et Veritas explores a transformative period in contemporary art by focusing on a generation of artists of color who attended Yale School of Art for graduate studies between 2000 and 2010. The exhibition’s title alludes to Yale University’s motto, Lux et Veritas, which translates from Latin to “Light and Truth.” In the context of this exhibition, the title references how these artists thought with critical complexity about their work and their movement through institutional structures.
As with similar programs, Yale School of Art, in New Haven, Connecticut, had not been historically diverse, which spurred these art students to form affiliations across the departments of painting, graphic design, sculpture, photography, and art history. They filled gaps in the school’s curriculum and counteracted the lack of diversity among the faculty by inviting artists, curators, and writers of color as advisors and guest speakers, developing an interdisciplinary forum, publishing art journals, organizing exhibitions, and documenting their experiences in video and photography.
Featured artists: Mike Cloud, william cordova, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, Abigail DeVille, Torkwase Dyson, John Espinosa, Luis Gispert, Rashawn Griffin, Leslie Hewitt, Loren Holland, Titus Kaphar, Jamerry Kim, Eric N. Mack, Wardell Milan, Wangechi Mutu, Mamiko Otsubo, Ronny Qevedo, Mickalene Thomas, Anna Tsouhlarakis, Shoshanna Weinberger, and Kehinde Wiley.
|
|
In May I will be exploring Portugal looking for potential sites for a 2023 Artist retreat. My studio classes, art adventure, and other programs are all postponed until June. I am excited to share with you my inspirations from Portugal as well as all I see, hear and learn.
|
|
Thursday Adult Group Classes: |
|
This is not a drawing class!
Art is a divine expression of the human creative force.
Every month we will "play" with a canvas or paper to create a work of art using different combinations of tools, materials, and techniques. Every class we will make something new. Come prepared to make exuberant art.
No experience necessary, just a willingness to be bold, free, and open-minded.
Here is a place to problem-solve, be bold, take chances and make mistakes with limited consequences. At the end of the night, you will have spent a few hours in the company of friends known and new, you will have a beautiful (or not so beautiful..yet) decorated piece of paper or a canvas and a sense of well-being that comes from engaging your creativity.
Sign up by the Tuesday before class so I can be sure to have enough materials for everyone.
$80 per person includes all materials, a light snack, and a non-alcoholic drink.
|
|
|
|
Private Lessons and Events |
|
|
|
Master Classes for High School Students |
Private, highly personalized classes in mastery for artistically-minded US & international students virtually on Zoom or in person at my home.
If you have a student who is a visual thinker, willing to push the boundaries of their own work, and serious about improving their options for college, I want to hear from you! Schedule a time to discuss how I can collaborate with you to build a portfolio that will give your student the greatest chance for success.
|
|
|
|
Art Workshops, Critiques & Presentations |
Invite me to present or lead a workshop for your school, club, or guild.
I can customize a program for your event or present my skills programs on composition, color theory, drawing faces, coordinating light/shadow or understanding the cues for depth. I am available for judging, confidence-building critiques and recorded tutorials.
|
|
|
|
Improve Your Artist Statement |
If you would like to delve more deeply into your own inner questions and clarify your thoughts as you create an artist statement for your website, a gallery show, a sponsor, or another project, please reach out, and let’s talk. I have helped many students write compelling statements for AP Art, college applications, and competitions.
|
|
Sketchbook Prompt:
Take a book with your favorite paintings. Scan or photograph the color images and convert them to grayscale. Compare the gray with the original to help you see how painters plan their value patterns. Based on one of those paintings, design or copy a simple 4 value image and then change it to High Major Key and Low Major Key. Notice how this alters the mood of the artwork.
|
|
Our trip was on Tuesday, April 5th
This show is on display from March 26 to July 24, 2022
What a wonderful day we had to appreciate the transcendent art on display at the Baker Museum. The day was highlighted by a lecture and presentation given by Michael Duncan curator of this exhibit and a corresponding editor for Art in America. The lecture presented many artworks not included in the exhibit itself as well as a film and music from one of the TPG members. The lecture added to our understanding of the themes in the art and the unique stories that brought these artists together in Taos, New Mexico for the brief flowering of their movement. It was apparent that this group was ahead of its time and had an impact on Georgia O’Keeffe as well as other artists. We enjoyed understanding more about the artists’ processes and learning how spirituality, spiritualism, Theosophy, and Jungian psychology all fed their imagery. The day was punctuated by great meals, a walk down 5th Avenue and the long car ride there and back was a great occasion for new friendships and conversation.
Initiated in New Mexico in 1938, the Transcendental Painting Group set out to explore spiritually heightened abstraction, employing free-wheeling symbols and imagery drawn from the collective unconscious. Under the guidance of Raymond Jonson and Emil Bisttram, artists Agnes Pelton, Lawren Harris, Florence Miller Pierce, Horace Pierce, Robert Gribbroek, William Lumpkins, Dane Rudhyar, Stuart Walker, and Ed Garman sought, per their manifesto, “to carry painting beyond the appearance of the physical world, through new concepts of space, color, light, and design to imaginative realms that are idealistic and spiritual.”
|
|
Experimental and Experiential Painting Class - April |
|
This month we worked with acrylic paint to layer, create tape resists, and pattern with a variety of stamping and marking tools.
One of the highlights of the night was Nicole's rose and cardamom-scented chocolate chip cookies with rose tea! (Guess what I had for breakfast the next day?)
It was great fun and look at the great results!!
|
|
|
Please contact me if you are interested in adding any of these paintings to your collection.
I will deliver if you live within a 2-hour drive and if you live further away, I will give you a price for shipping.
Venmo, CashApp, PayPal and Zelle are welcomed.
|
|
Title: Bubbaloo
Media: Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 11" x 14" Unframed
Price: $300.00
Frame: Painted Gallery wrap canvas
|
|
|
Title: Bluefish
Media: Mixed Media
Size: 20" x 20" unframed, 29"x 29" framed
Price:$600
Frame: Gold frame with 3" Mat
|
|
|
Title: Heaven Scent
Media: Mixed Media
Size: 22" x 15" unframed, 29" x 22" framed
Price:$450
Frame: Gold frame with 3" mat
|
|
|
Title: Jellyfish
Media: Mixed Media
Size: 30" x 22" unframed, 37" x 29" framed
Price: $750
Frame: Gold frame with 3" white mat
|
|
|
Want to see past issues of my newsletters? Visit this link on my website. |
|
Subscription Information: You are receiving this email because you subscribed to my mailing list, downloaded a resource, purchased one of my products/programs, or opt-ed in some other way.
Thank you for being part of the Cr8V Soul Arts Tribe!
NOTE: Unsubscribing means you won't receive any more emails from me including information about your paid products and programs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
