Values in Plein Air Painting
January 27, 2010
The Warrior by Robert J. Simone
This is a pencil sketch of a tug I’d like to paint. Although her scars are not evident in the sketch she is aptly named The Warrior and is docked at Bayboro Harbor in St. Petersburg, Fl. I post it because I received a question about values in the comments section of the previous post. Values, of course, refers to how light or dark masses are relative to a gray scale. Specifically the question was, “How does Scott Christensen determine values when he paints outside?”. Because I wrote a blog about my experiences studying with Scott in Idaho (the article appears on his workshop site) I have become somewhat of an unofficial spokesperson for him; periodically answering questions emailed to me about is process. If I screw this up hopefully Scott will chime in to clarify.
Like most, if not all, artists who work from life Scott judges values by observation. The proper way for an artist to judge values is by squinting at his/her subject. Squinting reduces detail and subtle variation. This helps us “see” an average value for each large masses. The general value of any one major mass exists relative to the other major masses. It is our job to determine how they relate. For instance, in the sketch, I had to determine if the reflection of the hull near the bow (that’s the pointy end) was lighter or darker than the hull itself. I also had to determine by how much. I estimated it to be lighter by about a half step and was aided by noting that not only was the reflection lighter than the hull it was darker than the cabin. This recognition gave me a slot to fit it into. Remember the old greater than or less than equations from elementary school (A<B<C)? That’s how it works.
Practically speaking one of the best ways to accomplish this on your canvas is by placing the darkest dark first, then the second darkest and so on, working towards the lightest. This is the way I saw Scott approach things time and again. The artist can also start by putting the darkest dark and lightest light first. This way he/she begins with both extremes between which all other values must fit. According to convention the landscape has four basic value planes. John F. Carlson wrote about this in his Guide to Landscape Painting. Here is my blog on that topic.
The artist who has gained confidence and facility painting value masses can change the “key” of his/her painting. Changing “key” is when the artist arbitrarily decides to paint all of the value masses a step or more lighter (or darker) than he or she observes them to be . The darkest dark is painted lighter than it is seen and so is the second darkest and so on. For example: If I adjust the grayscale in my sketch to make the hull of the tug lighter I will also make it’s reflection lighter. When I make the reflection lighter I will also make the cabin lighter. The drawing still holds together but has a lighter overall “key” and a different feel.
High Key Sketch
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3 Responses to “Values in Plein Air Painting”
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Robert, as one of your fellow Scott Christensen Workshop students, I want your blog readers know that you were one of the most impressive artists to work alongside in the Fall 2007 class. Your questions in the studio classroom sessions added so much to my personal learning experience. Thank you for continuing to help the rest of us with your terrific blog!
This was a great basic and easy to understand instructional “blog” that applies to anyone picking up a paint brush!
It will join my file on your instructions.
Thanks so much for your informative blog. I enjoy your art history information and will never forget your blog regarding the red spot in the middle of a painting. I believe that particularly helped in one painting that was bid on and sold at a juried show put on by the Columbus Museum of Art (an invitational to the Ohio Plein Air Society.) My work in plein air has improved my work 100% and your blog information continually reinforces what I need to know. Thanks again.