art magazines, books, or use the internet for resource materials
sketch pad or paper
Prismacolor artist markers in cool gray 20%, 50% ,80% (the white of the paper will be your lighest value).
pencil
Being by looking for paintings in magazines and books that have an easily identifible value structure. In other words strong darks and lights. Squint to help you see this.
Mark off a quick square or rectanlge depending on the proportions of the painting you're copying from.
Squint to see the big masses of value. Your goal is to simplify the number of value masses by grouping elements into a few value groups.
You will have to push things and by that I mean you will need to make choices as to whether something in a middle value can or should be pushed into the light mass or the dark mass. If you're not sure try it different ways.
DO NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THESE!! (10 min max.) You will need a little time to think and make decisions but don't labor over these go with your gut intuition, that's part of what these sketches will be developing your innate ability to read values and construct an aesthetically pleasing and sensible value plan in a painting.
CAUTION: notan sketching can be addicting once you get the hang of it. Feed this healthy obsession by doing 3 or 4 notan sketches everyday (for the rest of your life!)
Here are 4 notan sketches I did as I browsed through some at magazines.
Posts
Hi Jan,
ReplyDeleteI am going to try this outdoors because it looks to be an excellent way to design a painting . I was curious as to why you suggest the cool grey markers instead of the warmer greys? I am looking for where I can sign up
to subscribe to Landscape Fundamnetals but I cannot find the box to list my info. I appreciate your taking the time to post all of this information
Hey Jan! I am glad you are doing this. I am following along! I was wondering, do the prismacolor markers you are using have a specific type of point or nib? Also, about what size are your sketches (a full sketch pad page, smaller, etc?) I love that I am able to "take" a class with you here!
ReplyDeleteHi Denise so glad you're "joining" us! the sketches should be small 4x6 or smaller. The Prismacolor markers have a tip on each end, fine point and on the other end broad chisle point. They're really great to use.
ReplyDeleteNJart73,
ReplyDeleteThere's a subscripton box upper left side of the blog.
Doing otan sketches outside is an excellent idea! Have fun.
Ooops! I prefer the cool grey becasue to my eye it reads as a "true" gray made from black and white. The warm grays have a pink/brown hue to them. But either will work to make sketches.
ReplyDelete