Sunday, July 17, 2011

Outdoor Theory: Planes


Seeing the complex forms in nature as simple, basic planes is helpful in assigning relative values accurately to each item. This in turn helps give your landscape a natural look. The top of this page points out the relative difference between the basic planes. The ground becomes the top plane, receiving the most light. The slanted plane represents the hillside, and because of it's angle receives less light and consequently is one value darker than the top plane.  The trees represent the upright plane, receiving even less light and is therefore 2 values darker than the ground in the light. Translating this into painted values, the grass in sunlight is painted at 8th value, and in the shade at value 6. The upright plane (tree) becomes 6 in the light and 4 in the shade.


© John Ennis 2011
Next Topic: Outdoor Theory: Lighting

2 comments:

ewschott said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ewschott said...

John I wanted to post my emailed question and your reply regarding the outdoor studies, just in case there are others who may be curious.

me: "...but this is my ignorance, in the papers it goes from sunlight to gray days to evening all in grey value studies--since these students were with him for many weeks, it's my assumption that they would return to their subject matter in these different lighting situations (?) My problem is these kids are with me for three hours but it is only once a week, thus we will not be able to do such a study, do you know an adaption to something like this? For all I know it was a teaching example he used since the shapes were so basic and not "scenic". I can see many of my kids getting confused with the abstracts of the flat plane figures, so it would be easier for them to grasp outside."

John: "The gray studies should be done in the studio for the students to understand the value ranges, and this could be done in your indoor class anytime.

I will be publishing the landscape palette, which will instruct how to mix and tube a specific set of colors. I would encourage you as the teacher to mix and tube these colors.

You could then have the students repeat the value assignment indoors in color, where you could arrange the palettes for them for this exercise. At the end of this exercise they will be reasonably well prepared for outdoor excursions and can adapt to whatever type of day you encounter."


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