I'm in a period of change with my art. I'm searching for something new. Trying to make myself a little uncomfortable. A little better.
As a result, I've been marching myself through a series of artistic exercises. First, there was Notan. All that black and white design made me really think about my painting. Was I using color as a crutch? And/or was it blinding me to design problems in my work?
To answer this question, I started with the work that was sitting on my table.
A poured painting:
I used the black and white filter on my phone to take a photo of it:
In black and white I can see that the image has less contrast than I might have imagined looking at in color. And the design is pretty blah. No wonder I don't love it.
On the other hand, I love this piece:
Once again I used the black and white filter in my camera to take a photo of it:
I can see why this piece works — the contrast and the design are great — both in color and in black and white.
I struggled a lot when I was creating this piece:
It didn't come together until I added those blue stars. In black and white, I can see why:
Without the stars there's virtually no contrast! All that color is the same.
I'm taking away two things from this:
- An easy way to find problems with your art is to use your phone to check it in black and white.
- I need to paint in just black and white and see what happens.
Do you have other lessons you're taking away from this exercise? I'd love to know!
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
It’s a great exercise in tonal quality, once it’s black and white you can see how all those tones are needed to creat interest.
Not just black and white but all those tones in between. Re look at Seurat and turn his pictures to grey scale and it can show how important the tonal range is. I am very excited about this at the mo and it’s making a big difference to my own work.
Always enjoy your inspiring posts.
X
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
I will use this trick, well really technique, to look at my work through a new lens. Thanks for reminding me to lokk in new ways.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
It isn’t exactly the question that you are asking answers for but I find using the phone camera with my work is immensely helpful. I use it whenI am stuck as well as the end. Somehow the photo of the work looks so different from the actual work in helping to see solutions. Of course the rotate button is fun as well.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
When choosing fabrics for my quilts I lay swatches on my copier and make a copy in black and white. When I teach my The Value of Value color class for quilters I use this technique and pass around the sheet of paper with the fabric swatches and the photo copy…..it really gets the point across.
I love this lesson!
I love this lesson!
I love this lesson!
I love this lesson!
I love this lesson!
I love this lesson!
I love this lesson!
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
You know, Julie, this is why I keep coming back to your daily posts because they are so refreshingly honest and open to discovery. I agree with Ruthie above, and Jo, and Sylvia….you’ve just given us another way to look at our art that actually gives us information about what the underlying problem is besides that “gut” feeling that something isn’t right. This is such a useful idea.
Great idea
Great idea
Great idea
Great idea
Great idea
Great idea
Great idea
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.
Thank you Julie that is such a good idea. I’ll be trying that with some of my art pieces that haven’t quite worked.