Small Abstract Painting Process Overview
July 19, 2023
A few weeks ago, I made this lovely little painting:
I named it "River Walk." It's available in my shop if you want to grab it for yourself.
You can watch a short (one minute) process overview below:
One of the reasons that the painting works is because I was very careful about the paint colors I chose to use. My value structure was very clear before I even began the painting process.
Why does value matter? Value is like the artwork's undergarments. It does the heavy lifting and shaping. In art terms:
A well-defined value structure creates visual organization. A well-defined value structure helps establish a hierarchy of elements and guides the viewer's eye through the composition. Without a clear value structure, the painting may appear chaotic or lacking coherence.
A well-defined value structure creates depth and dimension. Value refers to the lightness or darkness of colors and helps create the illusion of depth and dimension on a two-dimensional canvas. By using a range of values, an abstract artist can give the painting a sense of depth and make certain elements appear closer or farther away.
A well-defined value structure creates contrast and therefore emphasis (aka focal point). Areas of high contrast tend to draw the viewer's attention, and you can use this technique to direct the viewer's gaze to specific areas or elements within the artwork.
A well-defined value structure feels balanced and therefore contributes to harmony. When values work together cohesively, the artwork feels unified.
If you want to learn more about value structure and other art fundamentals, I hope you'll check out Design Boot Camp. Registration for 2024 will open in August. You can join the mailing list now and be the first to know when registration opens.
Also:
- All members can watch the real time process of this painting from start-to-finish.
- Maker and Super Learner Members can watch the video tutorial all about how I mixed the paint colors for this piece -- considering value at every stop of the process.
Let me know what questions you have about value. I think it's probably the most important concept I've worked on in my own art over the past few years.
Thanks for stopping by!