Value and Temperature

Light fades into shadows and therefore is relevant!

by Alana Knuff  |  May 29, 2017

Light is that energy that shapes the forms and its absence creates the shadows.   It is what draws us into a painting.   The contrast of the adjacent darkest and lightest values, known as chiaroscuro, is easy to paint for most artists.  More difficult is the middle range – those values that transition the light into the shadows crossing a wide range of cool and warm hues.  There appear to be infinite possibilities, yet as artists we choose to minimize the visual transition for the viewer.  Mastering the art of this transition may take a lifetime.  It is the most important aspect of painting.  It is the ‘holy grail’ of artistic endeavors.

Color Temperature

by Alana Knuff  |  Jun 15, 2016

Here are some useful bits of information about cool and warm hues.  Cool colors recede and warm colors advance.  In landscapes as the atmosphere plays with distant views, soft edges and coolness prevail.  Putting cool next to cool or warm next to warm flattens the appearance, while contrasting cool next to warm adds depth and dimension.  For harmony, pick one temperature as dominate.  And remember, that a color is warm or cool only in reference to an adjacent color.

Seeing Values

by Alana Knuff  |  Dec 13, 2015

Often stated, if the values are right, the hue is unimportant. This is so true. Squint, squint, squint to see the values. A grey scale of ten values is my trusty companion. Ten oil colors from dark to light values might be ivory black, dioxazine violet, burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, viridian, cadmium red, yellow ochre, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow, titanium white. Of note, colors will vary by manufacturer. To test your ability to see values log onto this website http://www.xrite.com/online-color-test-challenge.