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Adventure Series 2

Tonality - Gesture Idea

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Scott establishes the tonal range of a mountain scene in a small gesture painting.

7min 59sec

Tone is a neutral base influenced by the three primaries.

Tonal gesture studies are a good way to develop an initial understanding of the colors within a scene.

For the major light and shadow shapes on each plane, a tonal range establishes:

  • Value (light / dark).
  • Saturation (intensity or purity of color).
  • Temperature (warm / cool).

Most colors in nature are gray / neutral. Far from being a limitation, use this characteristic to build harmony and create subtle shifts that will bring beauty to your work.

Consider mixing temperature variations in the same pool of color in order to compare / maintain a value structure.

A gesture painting is not a finished painting and does not consider composition.

This gestural idea is trying to understand tonal relationships

Download the photograph provided. Using two different palettes (palette suggestions below), paint a couple different gestural paintings. Do at least one painting with each palette. For each photo, develop a gesture painting by:

  • Identifying the major light and shadow shapes on each plane.
  • Mix a range of colors for each shape to test various intensities and temperatures. Try to mix colors that are composed of compliments (all three primaries) in order to create a neutralized range.

Limited Palette Suggestions:

  • Palette 1 for Oil: Venetian Red, Yellow Ochre, Cobalt
  • Palette 2 for Oil: Cobalt, Permanent Bright Red, Cadmium Yellow Lemon
  • Palette 1 for Gouache: Chinese Orange, Naples Yellow, Cobalt
  • Palette 2 for Gouache: Cobalt, Flame Red, Cadmium Yellow Lemon


Drawing Journal.

Limited palette of oil or gouache paints:

  • Three primaries.
  • White.
  • One to three grays.
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