Intro
This week we are beginning to look closely at light and how it falls across surfaces, reflects of objects and forms shadows in its absence. The first steps toward rendering tonal values involve learning to evaluate tonal values. Tonal values are the perceived gradations between the lightest surface or highest value which is equivalent to pure white and the darkest shadow or lowest tonal value which is equivalent to black.
When translating the quality of light we observe on surfaces we naturally start to describe volumetirc form and texture.
The marks we make when drawing drwaing can convey not only lightnes and darkness but also form and texture. When we are first coming to terms with conveying tonality it can be helpful not to think about the texture and just concentrate on the shape and form and achieving the appropriate gradations of tonal value. First of all we will use a technique where a grey ground is prepared to which we add shadows and erase light areas. Then we will use a tecnique called hatching and cross-hatching.
In this weeks exercises we concentrate on:
- studying the way that light behaves
- observing highlights and shadows and how they describe forms
- drawing what you see, not what you think you know or remember
- try to discern the differences between:
- tonal highlights - formed by 'ambient' light;
- light reflected from a surface or a specular source;
- crest shadows - where the tonal value falls gradually; and,
- cast shadows - where the progression of a light from its source is interrupted
- experimenting with techniques for portraying tonal values .
The week 11 tutorial is deidicated to exercises using coloured pencil techniques including making a colour wheel by layering only the three primary colours. Feel free to jump ahead to experiment with colour if you wish.