I have had this image stored for a while from PMP (am afraid I can't find the photographer to credit so have asked on the site if anyone knows who it is). I saw a graphite drawing of it and thought it would translate really well to watercolour... this is the original reference. Black and white images are so good for seeing tonal value and if you have trouble in this area I would advise you all to get into the habit of transposing images to black and white...it also helps you choose your own palette without influences from a colour image.
So, here is another example of not having to be a slave to the reference, what we need is to look at is tones.... the colours can be whatever we want so we need to choose something which will give us a really good dark and the rest depends on how colourful we want it to be.
Two of my favourite colours mixed together on the paper are Burnt Sienna and Prussian Blue so a I decided on those for the coat and a mix of Cobalt Blue and Indigo for the jeans. I used a touch of Alizarin Crimson for the bag but apart from that used only the blues and brown. I could have used any colours at all, I was only looking at lights and darks not colour and maybe on a different day I would have chosen an entirely different palette.
With an image like this it is a good idea to keep the lightest lights white even though we can see there are no real white areas. Keeping a few whites really enhances a painting and lifts it so you will see there are a few whites left on his hat and jeans and odd little sparkles around the painting.
GREAT blog again!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Val.... I aim to please lol!!
DeleteGreat job Judith... I am sure that a lot of people will ask how you get to keep your white "sparkles". Bx
ReplyDeleteHi Bix.... well, no-one asked yet but will share anyway!!, I just leave random white bits as I apply the paint so a matter of painting a bit untidily in a way, just not colouring in the whole thing... once I discovered that little gem, things started to look better!!
DeleteInteresting to hear your thought process. Tone, tone, tone is so important. So working from a black and white is a good idea. The colours you chose make a harmonious painting. (big word for me!).
ReplyDeleteTone and shape are all you need... if I paint a "pink" banana, you will know it's a banana even thought the colour doesn't tell you. The shape and where you apply the tones to create that shape are what is needed to tell you what it is!!
DeleteI really enjoyed working from a black & white image this week. I recently watched a really good yuoutubre video that said the dsame thing, tone, tone, tone. I think I am starting to understand.
ReplyDeleteReally love what you did with this one, his hands in particular.
See my reply to Polly above Carmen, shape and tone are what makes something recognisable, not realistic colour.... try painting the same thing in different colours, you will see what I mean. Colour creates mood and atmosphere and is the icing on the cake, but you do need the cake to apply the icing in the first place!!
DeleteS'cuse the typo's. Am on my tablet, it's making up words ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Judith. I've been thinking focusing on tone far more recently and it makes a huge difference. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Vandy... I find people are afraid of really dark darks... in my classes, I am always saying to add some good darks here and there and the fear is that they will ruin by ... when you add and mix the colour on the paper that doesn't happen as long as the under layer is dry.
Deleteruin by overworking was what I meant to say!!
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