Intermediate Watercolor homework 4/20/11

It was exciting to see the work we did after pushing the boundaries yesterday. It is clear that holding onto a roughly accurate range of values makes it possible to be more adventurous with color and drawing.
Let's try it again.

Look for an image, or set up a still life that presents a clear feeling of space and light, even in monochrome.

Make a monochrome study of your subject. Each of the major shapes can be assigned a value by looking for something in the scene that is lighter and something that is darker. If nothing is darker than the shape you are trying to place, then you know it must be the darkest shape in the picture.

Now choose one of the following exercises:

1) Using your value study as a guide, replace the colors you see with more intense versions, making sure the value is in an acceptable range. For example, if the highlight on your apple appears slightly bluish, why not make it pure cerulean? As long as it is light enough to read as reflected light, the color can be greatly exaggerated.

2) Hold on to the values, but let go of the colors altogether. Let instinct guide your choices, inventing according to a logic that even you don't quite understand. If the trees are orange and blue, then the sky must be lavender, right? Unless it's minty green.

Susan Lynn         Fence Brush, Flint Hills

Have fun.