Which is more important in your Painting: Colour or Value?? - Painting & Drawing Tips

I have often heard experienced artists say "Colour is not important as long as the VALUE is right"

How can that be?

Being a realist painter I felt that was blasphemy!!  

TINKA - Commission - Easier to see Value when working in Black & White

Being a Realistic Painter, it seemed to me, getting the colour right was very important.  Sometime it would take forever to find just the right colour to tell my story.  I would fret and stew over my photo references hoping they were just 'right' so I could match the colours to it.   

All that has changed for me. . .

I now know what they mean.  I have seen the light.  Really, I ask you "What is the true colour of anything?"  Is grass really green? Is the sky blue?  No, I don't mean to mince words to confuse.  The colour of things is very much about what is happening around it:

1.  Is the object in direct sunlight?

2.  Is it in shadow?

3.  What is next to it?

4.  What colour is the reflected light?

What colour is an ORANGE?  

What colour is an orange?

As you can see the orange has many colours depending on how the light hits it.  Its local colour moves from almost white to black. It journeys through yellow, reds, oranges, purples and finally black in the deep shadows.  Also in the mix is the reflected light off the surrounding area and its affect on the 'orange' colour.  

Reflected light also has a huge effect on local colour.  

Sketchbook Work: Lighthouse at Amphitrite Point, Ucluelet, BC 

This little sketch really opened my eyes to the whole Colour vs Value discussion.  I had challenged myself to paint the rocks with a different colour, one I would not have normally used. I went off in a world of pinks and purples.  I soon realized that I needed those colours in other places: the water, the sky, the trees and bushes.  Even the 'white' lighthouse would have to have a hint of pink/purple.  Suddenly, everything made sense.  This wasn't some kind of bizaar landscape with unreal colour.  This was a coastline bathed in the sunset reds and purples.  It was 'realistic'!!  

Lighthouse at Amphitrite Point, Ucluelet, BC in Black & White

When you switched my sketch to black and white and really looked at the values, more things became quite clear. The value pattern I had developed gave my sketch depth and mass. Even a touch of drama. The colours created the mood.  The sense of realism is not lost.  

Values can change everything.

They can emphasis an area or mute it. They can create mass or leave things feeling flat. Create eye catching movement or leave things in the doldrums. 

 

TINKA - WIP - Lights and darks are blocked in but need subtle taming. 

Note my picture of Tinka above.  She is not quite finished.  I have blocked in her value pattern and I can see she looks like a nice cat.  But subtle things need to change.  Compare her to the final picture at the top of this post.

- darken the fur on the sides of her face give it a rounder look.  Making her appear younger. 

- blending of the values on her head and brings them together, they are not as prominent.  This is a more natural look

- subtle darkening of the values on her face also makes the white around her mouth area stand out. Note the white lines around the eyes now read as white but not as white as the white around her mouth.  As they should.  

- Overall value change to the body keeps the folds in the fur but gives it a richer more supple look.  

The effects of value changes is often easier to see when dealing with black and white.  It is however, pretty dramatic in colour as well.  Being aware of the value of each of your colours helps you keep in  control. See post: Values and Colour in Action for more discussion on the value of each colour.  

Values and Colour - Do you find them a challenge?  

Further Reading:

Playing with Light, Shadows and Values - includes VIDEO Support Get Those Values Right and FREE Downloadable Mushroom Activity Sheet to work on Light, Shadow and Values.  

Values and Colours in Action - discussion on the Values that Colour have.  

A Full list of all my videos and links to their supporting PDF's is on my Website - Workshops - Videos by Wendy Mould.  

Happy Drawing!

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

  Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)

Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings.  I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals.  I am a sounding board, coach and teacher,  with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward.  More info here.   Looking forward to Zooming with you.  

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

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Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy

4 Ways to Tame Nature's Greens and put Joy back into your OUTDOOR SKETCHING - Painting & Drawing Tips

The sun came out today. But it's -5 Degrees, the Radio said.  

LITTLE HUMMINGBIRD ON A BRANCH - Sketchbook Fun

However, it doesn't mean I can't crack open my sketchbook and pretend I am Outdoor Sketching!!

Outdoor Sketching is one of my favourite ways to feed my creative passion; Head out with Max along a trail, find an interesting spot, set up and paint.  With Max sleeping beside me, nature in front of me, I am good. 

When the weather is cold or gray and wet you can often find me swiping on my phone.  I have tons of photos from summer treks to sketch from.  I enjoy painting nature: mossy rocks, cascading ferns, scraggy old trees, rocky creek beds and picturesque waterfalls. Its fun but also challenging.  I find the biggest challenge is. . .

Everything is GREEN. . .

Summer here on the coast is a Sea of Green

See what I mean!  A sea of green.  When I first started outdoor sketching I often became overwhelmed by the sea of greens.  It was frustrating.  

I persevered. . .

It wasn't easy.  But each summer I felt more and more in control.  Here are things I do to Tame Nature's Green's and put JOY into my OUTDOOR SKETCHING. 

You can also watch my video discussion with examples for further study on Youtube "Playing with Nature's Greens".

Reference Picture for LITTLE HUMMINGBIRD ON A BRANCH - Available as a Printable Download Here.  

1. Keep a simple palette.  I like to stick to a few colours, mostly transparent colours that will mix easily and not turn to mud.  I do use a premixed green (Hooker Green or Sap Green) and premixed orange (Cadmium Orange)  Both premixed colours are great to add one other colour to.  Also much faster than starting from scratch to get the colour I want.  

Using this palette to mix my greens means that every colour will coordinate with the other colours in the picture.  Thus if I use a more pure form of the colour it will still blend with the others.  It wont appear out of place.  It also reminds me to use all these colours and not just stick to green.  

My Palette: Just a few colours but enough to make lots of interesting combos

 2. Mix my colours on the paper: This speeds up the process but also allows me to make interesting combos that suggest green but are really infused with other colours.  This is a wet into wet process.  Put one colour down then add another colour beside it.  They will run into each other but also have areas where they don't mix.  Resulting in blue/green areas, yellow/green, orange/green, red/green. . .  and many more mixtures and colours.  They will suggest green with something more.  

Mixing Ultramarine Blue with my Hooker Green on the paper.  (Get more info from the Video " Playing with Nature's Greens". )

3. Glazing over colours: This is again one of my favourite things to do.  Sometimes I glaze over with a strong yellow, or modify a green with a light glaze of Quin Red.  My favourite is to glaze over some of my greens with a layer of Cobalt Teal Blue.  It really adds a sparkle.  

4.  Add a pure colour that is not green:  This is really my own way of moving outside of the box.  I can be too realistic.  I challenge myself to add the pure form of a colour I would not normally use.  ie. really can't see it.  I like to add it in 3 or 5 places.  Different amounts.  Different values.  This has been an interesting learning tool for me.  I find it usually works out well and introduces me to a new way of suggesting green.  

While the snow flies and the wind blows, grab your sketchbook and paint Nature's Greens.  Spring will be here before you know it and you will be ready.  

Video Support: Playing with Nature's Greens

Free Printable Download: Little Hummingbird on the Branch

A Full list of all my videos and links to their supporting PDF's is on my Website - Workshops - Videos by Wendy Mould.  

Happy Drawing!

Looking to Move your work to NEW LEVELS?  

  Online Coaching/Teaching  (3 sessions 30 minutes each $75)

Are You and Your Inner Critic looking to expand your discussions.  Here's how it works: Send me a few pictures of your paintings.  I will prepare material to facilitate a discussion based on your goals.  I am a sounding board, coach and teacher,  with suggestions, techniques and tips to help you meet your goals and move your art forward.  More info here.   Looking forward to Zooming with you.  

  
Many find this post helpful: Turn your Inner Critic into your BFF

Be sure to like and share my posts.  You won't miss a single post if you Follow by Email 

Have a great Artful Day,

Wendy