Today is the darkest day of the year, made extra dark this year by the pandemic. The good news is that from this day on, the days get brighter. I’ll hold my breath on the other.
Today’s post has a collection of low light and nocturne paintings by Sangram Majumdar, one of my favorite painters.
Look for the compression
As light decreases, so does color perception. In low light, the range of values compress into the lower range. The colors compress as well. The colors in a low light situation aren’t just dark, they’re dim. Notice how sometimes Majumdar darkens the values and dims the color, then uses pops of color to represent moments of illumination. Whenever there’s a pop of color, look to see what’s around it to see why that color is so brilliant. Cover that color pop with your finger, and see how much value and color contrast is in the rest of the painting. What percentage of the painting is bright, and what percentage is dark or dim?
Majumdar’s suggestion to painters: try replacing white with color.
[image_with_animation image_url=”7052″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] What’s the difference between a monotype and a monoprint? Although these two terms are used interchangeably, there is a big difference between one and the other. A monotype is a single printed image which does not have any form of matrix. A monoprint has some form of basic matrix. When making monotypes, …
Read Claes Oldenburg’s Manifesto below. At the top of your paper write “I am for…” Choose something within his list, and draw/paint/collage/photograph it. Having trouble choosing something? Close your eyes, loudly say “I am for the art!” and point. Take a picture of your drawing and post it to our Facebook page. Tag: #salchallenge The January Creative Challenge: 15 …
[image_with_animation image_url=”6410″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] Vote for your favorite Seattle Artist League mascot! The winning entry could end up on a poster, or as a mural on our building. Please see entries below, and use the comments to cast your vote. Forward to your friends, this is open to all. Still want to submit an …
The following is text from my interview of Fran O’Neill, Oct 6, 2020. I asked Fran to share some of the historical artworks she regards as masterworks. She talked about what she sees as the magic of transcriptions. “There’s a whole mystery that is incredible about works from the past, and unlocking some of that …
Majumdar’s Nocturnes
Today is the darkest day of the year, made extra dark this year by the pandemic. The good news is that from this day on, the days get brighter. I’ll hold my breath on the other.
Today’s post has a collection of low light and nocturne paintings by Sangram Majumdar, one of my favorite painters.
Look for the compression
As light decreases, so does color perception. In low light, the range of values compress into the lower range. The colors compress as well. The colors in a low light situation aren’t just dark, they’re dim. Notice how sometimes Majumdar darkens the values and dims the color, then uses pops of color to represent moments of illumination. Whenever there’s a pop of color, look to see what’s around it to see why that color is so brilliant. Cover that color pop with your finger, and see how much value and color contrast is in the rest of the painting. What percentage of the painting is bright, and what percentage is dark or dim?
Majumdar’s suggestion to painters: try replacing white with color.
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Read Claes Oldenburg’s Manifesto below. At the top of your paper write “I am for…” Choose something within his list, and draw/paint/collage/photograph it. Having trouble choosing something? Close your eyes, loudly say “I am for the art!” and point. Take a picture of your drawing and post it to our Facebook page. Tag: #salchallenge The January Creative Challenge: 15 …
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