I do a lot of harping on "color value" (which means, "all these beautiful pigments are light, dark and everything in-between, just as they comes out of the tube, so you really don't have to keep mixing them together trying to get lights and darks, until they're no longer beautiful colors") when I teach.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sunday Sketchbook: Bahamas
I do a lot of harping on "color value" (which means, "all these beautiful pigments are light, dark and everything in-between, just as they comes out of the tube, so you really don't have to keep mixing them together trying to get lights and darks, until they're no longer beautiful colors") when I teach.
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8 comments:
I love this, Susan, the scene and the colors ... and it comes just when I'm struggling with value (again!).
This is delightful--love the jewel-like colors here! So festive.
Susan,
So glad, you made this post. Also, I would add that most of the colors of the spectrum the darker colors are cool and the lighter colors are warm so you are not only playing light off of dark, you are contrasting warm against cool.
I really enjoy your watercolor paintings and they have gotten me interested in geting my paper and watercolors out again and resting the oils. ;0)
Thanks
I'm interested in anything you have to say about color. Your colors are always luscious. If I could, I would sit and look at your work for hours.
Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to write. As always, I really appreciate your comments.
You're correct about the warm and cool differences in many of these pure dark and light colors, William. Add complementary relationships to the pairings, and you really get some alchemy!
I found what you said interesting, especially using this as a guide to the comment. I've always been taught to fade out the edges of the painting (let them be quieter and more muted) so your eye turns to the center of interest/area of interest, which is kept pure and has the most contrast. This is contrary to that. I have to say, I love your work so maybe I should try not mixing the colors and using more pure pigments - something to think about :)
Rules in painting are useful to know, but not necessarily to be followed. Otherwise, painting would be dull and predictable--and we wouldn't be allowed to love Gauguin, Matisse, Seurat, or Giotto, Piero, or any Siennese painting (no "muted areas" there). So it's good to know "if A and B happens, C will follow", but you still may want to do A and B, in order to get to a D that may not have been in your teacher's alphabet.
Thanks, Susan, I was waiting for your response to this comment :) I think perhaps "rules" are something each artist should pick and choose - I certainly love your work so maybe less muted is something I'm striving for but not finding due to following "rules." Time to think about that for me :)
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