Page 22 - DP1_Spring2019

certification corner
THREE ATTRIBUTES OF COLOR
by Jean Archer mda
VALUE
In my early years of painting, I thought three values (light,
medium and dark) were plenty to paint with. When I learned to use five values, my painting grew better. I no longer limit myself to five values although I usually start out with five on my palette. There are an infinite number of values for each hue. It is very important to study and understand the proper placement of values on basic shapes.
• Light Source: The proper placement of values on a form will depend primarily on the light source; light source must be established before you place any paint on the surface. It is easiest to paint with one single light source, even though in real life objects may have multiple light sources. The light source must be consistent throughout the painting. Stroke designs do not necessarily have a light source, but in a still life or floral it is essential.
• Background value: This value was decided when
you decided the key for your painting during the planning stage. A high-key painting has a light background. A mid-key painting will have a medium value background and a low-key painting has a dark background.
• Center of Interest: This area contains the widest contrast or full range of values (the darkest value of darks and the lightest light value). As the eye moves out or away from the center of interest, the range of value contrast becomes less and less.
INTENSITY [CHROMA]
The ability to control intensity, the brightness or dullness of a hue, is an important skill. In order for the background to remain as background in your painting, the color should be dulled slightly. Since it is desirable to have the center of interest area come forward, some of the relatively brighter or more intense color may be used there. Intensity should lessen as the eye moves away from the center of interest
Color or hue has three attributes: value, intensity, and temperature. These attributes are as important to consider when painting as the color itself.
and into the supporting areas. Intense color can cause the eye to jump from one object to another if used improperly. A color appears more intense when it is a large area or when it is placed next to its complement.
Ways to control or neutralize the intensity of a color:
• Add the color’s complement • Add an earth tone
• Add white
• Add gray
• Add black
• Add a neighboring color from the color wheel • Glaze over dry color
• A combination of any of the previous
TEMPERATURE
In Basic Color 101, we learned that the colors on one half of the color wheel are warm and the other half cool. Simple? Not really as simple as it sounds. Each color has a warm version and a cool version. (Yes, even blue can be warm.)
Temperature is relevant to its surroundings. How we perceive the temperature of a color depends on the temperature of the colors around it. Look at the area of the design you are painting in order to decide if the color you are placing needs to be warmer or cooler in temperature. We often hear that warm colors advance and cool colors recede. This is generally true but has an exception. Cool colors recede only on a cool background. On a warm background they tend to advance because of the contrast.
When making a color plan, the temperature of your background color is as important as the value. Choose a background color that will best show off the elements in your center of interest area but keep in mind that the temperature of the colors in that center of interest will be dependent on the temperature of the background color and surrounding objects.
Study the attributes of color and use the concepts in every painting you do. As with building any skill, perseverance and practice is the key.
20 TheDecorativePainter • SPRING 2019