Art Journal: sketchbook

sketchbook

June 25, 2008

Poppies in Italy Value Study

art journal logo Another value study done on a plein aire excursion in the Lake Maggiore area of Italy. God, I so love those poppy fields! Will post a photo of the scene tomorrow or the next day - or whenever.
The painting did not come out well (I may rework it), so I won't be posting it, except for maybe as an example of bad painting, lol.

It's amazing how much info can be imparted in a simple value study. Years later, I still remember the scene in vivid detail.

nicole

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June 24, 2008

The Value Study

A friend emailed me yesterday, after he noticed the drawing of my son. One of the categories for that post is "value.studies".
So anyway, he asked me "what the hell is a value study?". Er......well, I guess that's a fair and relevant question, Jason, so I am answering it here. Just for you.
In brief, a value study is a study of the lights and darks in a scene/painting/photo/image. Value studies are usually not in color, although some artists, myself included, do a color and value study prior to beginning an actual painting.
These studies are not meant to be anything more than rough sketches of the values in a particular scene. I am big on value studies. The great masters of art all did value studies. Why? Because if your values are not right, the colors will not matter. The painting will be wrong/bad/off/amateurish. Gotta get those values right.
A page from my sketchbook. Three value studies, 2 using art markers and prismacolor pencils. I should mention that value studies are usually small. Click on the image to enlarge.

ps...I'll delve further in to value studies at some point.

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June 23, 2008

Teenage Attitude

My son at sixteen years old, that teenage thing shining through so clearly!

A value study. Pencil on vellum, scanned in, values enhanced in Photoshop.