Tonalism Lesson #1, Part 5 - Tonalist painting and how to think like a Tonalist painter.

 Now to try on a new way of thinking and painting for you...... Try this experiment....

Now that I have showed you the process for thinking about composition, finding some  structural elements, making a thumbnail, and starting a painting with a limited palette.



I would like you to try out the process with with the images below. If you demonstrate that you followed the process you can earn a sizable number of points to gain more chances to win.

Try some of these images...... which may utilize slightly different palettes. I suggest starting with strong contrast paintings first. As the subtle transitions in the close value paintings are more challenging.




30 pts when you hand in a tonalist painting.

California Tonalism.....

Dark Skies Cuillin Skye by Zarina Stewart Clark ......Landscape Artist
naples yellow, umber, white, prussian blue, black

Green Praire Rain Storm over Canola Field by I.M. Ruzz, Canadian Artist

black, white, yellow, sienna

Pink, Purple, Blue Sunset Oil Painting,
Abstract Contemporary Tonalist Landscape by Jake Trujillo
magenta, cad yellow, ultramarine blue black white

The Hourglass of Spring by Jan Benclowe acrylic

sienna, cad orange, white, black, ultramarine blue and alizarin

Lovell Birge Harrison (American, 1854– 1929), Silence, ca. 1890

yellow ochre, thalo, black cad orange or sienna

Reflections In A Golden Pond by artist Maurice Sapiro
take a look at more of Maurice Sapiro's work
sienna, umber, cad yellow, white and black

 by artist Leon Dabo

Thalo, cad orange, white with a touch of  ochre, magenta or diaozine purple and maybe black

Approaching Storm by Dennis Sheehan
burnt umber, yellow ochre, Paynes grey, veridian, white
Look at the work of Sheehan

Study after Paul Troulillebert - landscape by M Francis McCarthy
burnt sienna, yellow ochre thalo blue, alizarin, white 

The Home of the Heron by George Inness
burnt umber, yellow ochre, Paynes grey, white

Sunset by George Inness

yellow ochre, white, Quinacridone Red, ultramarine blue and Paynes Grey

by Jane Blebmcowe
burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, yellow ochre, white, maybe Paynes grey

by Dennis Sheehan
burnt umber, yellow ochre, Paynes grey, veridian, white

by Maurice Sapiro
burnt sienna, yellow ochre, Paynes grey, veridian, white

tonalist landscape abstract from Matthew of Timber Trail Arts

burnt sienna, yellow ochre, Paynes grey, veridian, white

Long Island Sunset by Charles Melville Dewy

burnt umber, yellow ochre, Paynes grey, veridian, white

Oxbow of the Connecticut River by Wolf Kahn burnt sienna, yellow ochre, ultramarine and white

The Snow Field by Charles Warren Eaton

watercolor but could be done in other media

burnt seinna, prussian blue, yellow ochre, white

Gloaming Pines in Watercolor by Charles Warren Eaton
burnt seinna, paynes grey, white

other Tonalist work to look at is at this link. Enjoy!

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

Next lesson

TONALIST PAINTING Lesson #1 Part 3 -How to approach making a Tonalist painting and how think like a Tonalist painter.

Lesson # 3

How to approach making a Tonalist painting and how think like a Tonalist painter.

Try on this hat!

1) Look for the notan structure( light and dark pattern) in the painting or if in nature from life.

 by artist Teri Canelle Eramo

2) Make a SIMPLIFIED thumb nail sketch of the pattern in two values (9)

3)Look at the thumbnail sketch not for the "objects" in the scene but for the strong dark and light design.

• Ask these compositional questions: Each answer is worth chances
• a)How is the design the same or different than the source?(2)
• b)Do the variations alter the impact of the source? (2)
• c)In what way?(2)
• d) Are the compositional elements similar or dissimilar? (2)
• e)Compare the movement of the eye as you gaze at the source and the thumbnail.(2)
• f)Do I like my thumbnail better?(2)
• g)Why?(2)
• h)What gives the source its appeal and power? (4)
• I)If I don't like my thumbnail better what can I do to alter the dark and light structure so it has the same power as the source? (5)

Fill in the form below and email or text me an image of your thumbnail. (9)

TONALIST PAINTING Lesson #1, Part 2 - Let's look at a Tonalist Painting in Terms of Composition

In Lesson 1 Part 1 Let's look at a Tonalist Painting in Terms of Composition 

We began examining composition in a Tonalist Painting.  In this lesson we continue looking at other design ideas.  

My goal is to get you to see the structure of the painting in terms of forms and shapes  and their patterns.  I am trying to get you away from thinking about the "objects" in the painting alone.

Great paintings begin with strongly designed structural compositions.

You see all the squiggles and lines I drew over the image to help you focus on the structural elements.  As a student my professors often had us look at paintings and then later real life scenes to identify structural elements that could shape a strong composition.  Through a great  painting we were instructed to identify the structural elements that the artist selected to build the composition.  That is why I want you to spend a lot of time looking at WELL COMPOSED paintings and NOT junk.

The next step is selecting elements when composing your own painting from life.  Which is more a story about editing out elements that confuse the structure and focus of the painting.   It is not about copying what you see. 

Composition is not just about  pretty elements  but rather about structural elements that lead the viewer EXCLUSIVELY  to the artists focal idea. What is the painting about?

 What is the viewer suppose to see and feel? 

 An unstructured picture well not have power to hold the viewer's focus.





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TONALIST PAINTING Lesson #1 Part 3 -How to approach making a Tonalist painting and how think like a Tonalist painter.