Thursday, May 31, 2012

Value does the work, and color gets all the credit.


Another limbering-up Yuba River  painting exercise for my Donner Lake, weekend paint out workshop this June 9 in the high Sierras. No matter the medium, painting is all about value control. Without value control, all the pretty colors in the light spectrum will not help you paint a compelling image. The foundation for that is value control. The dramatic value range I used for the Yuba River is the same that I used for this portrait study. If you can't get your values down, you can't bring the quality of your paintings up.

13 comments:

Linda Roth said...

This limbering up painting caught my eye as did the values do all the work and color gets the credit. Isn't that the truth! I slave over finding the right values--and sometimes it's only one that pulls all those bright spot together and makes things work.

I don't know whether I follow you or not, I will check and right the wrong, if it's wrong. I like your philosophy and your work. I call my paintings like this the "getting acquainted" sketch but limbering up might be more a more accurate description of the process?

David Lobenberg said...

L.W. I think you have visited my blog before. I like your alternative to my "limbering up" - "getting acquainted".

Anonymous said...

Agree completely and your grey color portraits prove the point beyond any doubt.

Arti said...

lovely works..love the gray portrait.

Barbara Muir said...

I hear you. I see you. But I do think that in your case colour does half the work, and value is getting all the credit. You are awesome at both.

Ciao,

Barbara

David Lobenberg said...

Hi Arti!

David Lobenberg said...

Yes, Barbara, but don't forget, color IS value.

David Lobenberg said...

Hi Arti!

Barbara Muir said...

Aye Aye David. Colour is value. I'll remember that today as I try and add value (colour) to some work I'm taking to a gallery.

Thank the acrylic Gods for speedy drying.

Ciao,

Barbara
P.S. Hate this new blogger human proof thing. I turned it off.

Liana Yarckin said...

I agree, but, I am unfortunately a master of one value! When I try to add darks, I just end up taking the whole painting to that new value. Controlling values is something I struggle with continuously.

David Lobenberg said...

Yes, Toronto denizen, thank god for fast-drying acrylic!
What do you do with a drunken sailor? Answer - put him in a long boat till he's sober!

David Lobenberg said...

Thanks Arti! Gray paintings keep me up to snuff with my value balance.

David Lobenberg said...

Glad you agree that I made a point, Anon.