Monochrome Workshop 13 MARCH, Nerina 2pm.

Let’s get creative and think in tone: black - white, dark - light.

Whether you know it or not, tone is the building block of every successful picture - in whatever medium.

What is monochrome? 

From the Greek mono, meaning single, and chromos, meaning colour.

Monochrome - a single colour, be it red, black, blue or orange - painting requires the artist to interpret what he sees with just one colour. Sometimes a dab here and there of either white or a black can also just emphasise the clever use of a monochrome to produce a picture.

      

To create the illusion of a three-dimensional subject in two dimensions, we have to look at dark and light. With a clever use of darks, lights and all those shades in between we fool the observer into thinking he’s looking at a three-dimensional object - and without slaving at reproducing what’s in front of us like a photo - we make a picture.

      

 

If we want a true rendition of a subject, pull out a camera, iPad or cellphone. By the way, if you have a smartphone, camera or tablet, bring it along.

Preparation

So, for this workshop we invite you to bring one colour in one medium (plus, if you like, a black or white in the same medium), and some paper. 

Don’t scrimp and bring postcard sized paper, go for at least A4 size and a couple of sheets. You don't need fancy paper, almost any type will do.

If you plan on wetting your paper - for watersoluable pencils or watercolour - then bring a few sheets of decent watercolour paper.

So what options work? With a bit of consideration, make your own choice: here are some ideas.

   

         *    White crayon on red, dark blue or black paper 

      *    Sanguine or dark burnt umber colour on  
                     pale paper 

      *    Charcoal on pale paper 

      *    White water-based paint (liquid acrylics, 
            watercolours) on dark  (black, green, red…) paper 

      *    Red or blue or black felt-tip or Biro on white paper

      *    Pencil (any B, 2B, 4B or 6B - whatever you have)
           on a pale paper

You can work on what you like: just remember that in order to get a really good range of tones, your paper and drawing medium have to be opposite ends of the tonal scale.

See you on Tuesday!