Scott discusses one of the most difficult subjects in painting: maintaining integrity in color choices by ensuring they fit both the plane and the light they are intended to represent.
"Too vague a color cast and too undetermined a value and your desired unity in a painting is threatened."
John F. Carlson, Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting
How far can you press your values and your color without major crashes?
If you are too vague with your values or too undetermined, it shows. Same with color.
Using one of the photographs that you've been working with and the value plane sketches for the same scene, begin to make some color choices that best describe the scene at hand. What color or set of colors best describes what you think you are seeing?
Make color marks and relationship notes in your painting journal to try to help you understand what you think you are seeing. Label and put words next to your marks (tree in shadow, etc.). How will you represent what you are seeing in terms of color?
You have to make a choice of colors; it is not handed to you. Painting is all about choices and photos are seldom something to be trusted (although you can get close).
Thank you for being a Continuing Education member! These additional supporting videos are available as part of your membership. Enjoy!
