Thursday, January 21, 2010

Value & Temperature Studies


Thought I'd post a few recent studies I've been working on inspired by taking a four evening workshop with Clayton Beck at the Palette and Chisel.

Clayton challenges us to pick just one issue to tackle instead of going through our mental list of many art elements which we might personally feel necessary for a good painting. Also, finishing is not important or even on "the list" which is great since the workshop meets for only 3 hours and includes his excellent mini demos as well as lots and lots of information.

For this portrait study of a man I chose to sit on his lit side. The values here were compressed to basically one value. So in order to describe form, I needed to focus on temperature changes but keep the values the same, or very close. Clayton recommended that I find the middle temperature and work out from there. I found this thought processes really exciting and so fun. So of course the hours flew by much to quickly.


This young gal gave me more trouble than the man. I should have just dealt with just value and the temperature issues would have developed naturally. From now on I'll know just to pick one issue to deal with when in open studio. This should have been a value study and not, value and temperature study.
Both head studies are slightly smaller than life size.
If you're visiting Chicago, take the time to stop by the Palette and Chisel Academy of Fine Arts and Galleries. It is one of our nations oldest, (if not the oldest) not for profit art organizations. Besides have over 60 hours a week of live model open studio time, which is free to members, it also has a main floor gallery, low cost studios, sculpture house and studios, and workshops all housed in a three story Italianate mansion purchased by members in 1921.

6 comments:

Mary said...

Thank you for sharing a fascinating glimpse of your study process and the lovely results. I am in awe of portrait painters--something I hope to learn more about in the future.

Deborah Younglao, Silk Painter said...

Fascinating I agree! Interesting how temperature changes( like in the man's face) can give information just like the more commonly used value changes can.

Karen said...

I have a question: why did he suggest finding the middle temp first and working out to the extremes, rather than right at beginning finding your extremes and making note of them and then working back in?????
and ??????

Anonymous said...

there is something that pulls me to unfinished paintings, these two are wonderful. well done!

Brad said...

Thank you for posting both paintings. I'm not sure I know what value and temperature mean exactly. Does value = light/dark. And temperature = color (which could have the same kind of light and darkness)? Just making sure I understand. Thanks.

susan hong-sammons said...

Hello Mary, Deborah, and Rahina,
Thanks so much for taking the time to look and comment. I really really appreciate it.

Hey Karen, good question
And I don't have an answer yet because I can't remember. Will ask him the next time I see him. But I know it's not always the way he, Clayton, recommends.

Hi Brad,
Your question I do know the answer.
Value is the whitness or grayness of a color note. Temperature refers to,... temperature of a color-note, such as Alizarin is cooler than Cadmium Red light.
I was looking at your blog and you are really going to town. Have you ever read Gregg Kreutz book, "Problem Solving for Oil Painters." It's reasonably priced and full of great information. Happy Painting Everyone!