Lesson 4: Overview

This week we are adding color and value to our drawings.

Concepts:

1. Mapping light and dark
2. Refining the dark side and adjusting the light side
3. Try different methods and workflows.

We learned a three step process for doing value studies.

1. Map all the dark areas in a mid-tone grey.
2. Refine the dark side by adding a darker grey to all the areas of cast shadow.
3. Look at the local color and then apply this over the sketch as needed.

Indoor Exercises:

Part 1: Value Study. I did three drawings mapping light and dark from supplied photo references. The first was done with pencil. The second and third were done with markers.

Part 2: Color Study. I did two watercolor and ink drawings from the same photo reference. In the first one I added local color first and then added the shadows. For the second one I did the shadow areas first and then added local color.

Outdoor Exercise:

Our assignment was to sketch a simple building, to first do a value study to map the light and dark and then sketch the building in color. It was our choice whether to start with shadows or local color.

Jim