For the past few paintings, I’ve found myself drawn to a darker palette, exploring deeper tones and shadows. While those explorations have been rewarding, I felt a pull towards something different. With my latest piece, “Hunter 52”, later titled “Lambent” I’m consciously shifting gears: I’m lightening things up.
But is a simple change of value range enough to define a painting? I believe it can be, if it’s deliberate and specific.
The Power of Specificity in Painting
It’s not enough to just say “lighter.” I’ve set a clear goal: to work within a value range that spans just four steps, staying primarily in the lighter zones while consciously avoiding pure white. This defined limitation provides a surprising amount of creative freedom.
Finding Focus with Value Grouping
I’ve been captivated by the way Photoshop’s cutout filter simplifies colors and values, revealing unexpected groupings. It’s incredible how this process highlights the underlying structure of a painting.
In Lambent this effect is particularly evident in the lower half of the painting, where the legs and body are unified into a single, large value chunk. This deliberate simplification creates an incredibly powerful effect: it draws the eye directly to the head and shoulders.
It’s almost as if the head is rising above a sea of color, both literally and figuratively. It’s the focal point, the most prominent element, and the darkest area in an otherwise lighter composition. This contrast isn’t accidental; it’s a design choice.
If you would like to see a tutorial on how to use the Photoshop cutout filter to get many different levels of value grouping in an image you can see my YouTube Video here.
Abstracting the Figure, Focusing the Narrative
My intention isn’t to depict a perfectly realistic figure. Instead, I’m embracing a more abstract approach. I want to group similar values and colors in a way that suggests form, limbs, a body, without requiring precise detail.
The viewer doesn’t need to decipher every nuance; they simply need to feel the presence of a figure. The story is about the head and shoulders, and everything else serves to emphasize that narrative.
The Approach: A Three-Point Plan
Here’s how I’m approaching this painting:
- Value Grouping: Continue to group similar values and colors, intentionally simplifying form.
- High Value Range: Maintain a primarily lighter value range for the overall composition.
- Strategic Contrast: Use the darkest value, the hair, to create a pivotal moment and draw even more attention to the head and shoulders.
Specifically I group the values between 9 and 6. Value 10 being white. I wanted to not hit white right out of the tube so I kept it at 9 and the darkest I would go would be 6. Except for the hair. For the hair I took it darker. Value 4.
Ultimately, “Lambent” is an exploration of focus, both in terms of visual composition and artistic intention. It’s about simplifying, prioritizing, and letting the most important elements rise to the surface.
