TONALIST PAINTING Lesson #1, Part 4 - Tonalist painting and how think like a Tonalist painter.

Tonalist Lesson # 1 Part 4 How to approach making a Tonalist painting and how think like a Tonalist painter.

Keep trying on new way of thinking about painting......Try on this Tonalist hat!

You have completed lesson 1 through 3, and have made your thumbnail sketch. We are going to talk about Tonalism and their color palette. Tonalist work in a limited palette. Often using analogous or neighboring colors and white. They work most often in earth tones, but not exclusively. The benefit of working in a limited palette for a beginning painter is the focus on value structure remains strong. Notan structure that is the light and dark pattern is very strong. Experienced artist have this simple structure in their head, but less experienced artists often do not. That is why I want my students to practice thinking in value structure by seeing and painting the Notan structure at the beginning of their painting.

 by artist Teri Canelle Eramo

4) Find a proportional canvas or panel ( this is important) then transparently paint in the dark pattern with a mid tone ( in this case of burnt umber checking it against the thumbnail and the source. That is the notan structure.

Let it dry

5) Paint in yellow ochre transparently in the light

6) Staying within the value range within the dark paint trees, ground, etc. Traditionally the early tonalists used a glazing technique applying layers of color with a medium ( oil painters used oil, while if you are going to try this in acrylic try using acrylic medium) You can used brushstrokes that go with the movement of the grass or shape of the tree forms.

7) Staying within the value range of the light begin painting sky and water.

Work with the four colors

Limit palette to...

• Paynes Grey( which is a blue black),
• raw umber( a greenish brown),
• yellow ochre
• and white. 4 colors only

8) At the very end we will add some green mixing it last from yellow ochre and paynes grey. And possibly adding a viridian or slight touch of thalo blue to the mixture. The Green must not be added until the end after the value structure is clarified. Do not do this until checking that you have recorded the values accurately.
The completed painting is worth 15 chances. (10)

MORE another day on ON DEVELOPING LAYERS WITH GLAZES

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