Chiaroscuro

We will be learning how to ‘shade’ our drawings to help create the

illusion of depth!

Chiaroscuro

• A word borrowed from Italian which translates as, "light and shade" or “dark.”

• It refers to the modeling of volume by depicting light and shade through contrast.

CHIAROSCURO STILL LIFE by Michelle White, BFA, Painting, 1991

Chiaroscuro (what we call ‘shading’)

• This is one means of strengthening an illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface.

• Chiaroscuro was an important topic among artists of the Renaissance.

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt, ca. 1512–15Gerard David The Jules Bache Collection, 1949 (49.7.21)

Here is a list of ways to create depth!

• Let’s try the following in our sketchbooks…. Label each of your drawings

• Overlapping

• Cross-contour lines

• Foreshortening

• Perspective

• Chiaroscuro!

Interesting fact…

• On May 28, 1998, Jody-Anne Maxwell (Jamaican, 1986-) won the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word "chiaroscurist" -- an artist who uses chiaroscuro.

• You are on the way to becoming “chiaroscurists” yourselves! ;)

Here comes the VOCABULARY!!!

• You will be introduced to quite a few terms.

• Don’t get overwhelmed…

• You will learn it and practice it!

• And you will master it!!!

Value

• The lightness or darkness of tones or colors.

• White is the lightest value; black is the darkest. The value halfway between these extremes is called middle gray.

Value Scale

• An organized linear scale of color swatches ranging from the lightest of values to the darkest of values.

• A value scale is a tool that artists use to help interpret the appropriate values.

Gradation

• A smooth transition between black and white

• We want to make our gradations as smooth as possible.

• If values are not blended smoothly, your drawing will have a ‘striped’ look!

Highlight

• The highlight represents where the light directly hits the object.

• We use the white of the paper to show the highlight.

Light tone

• The light tone is the second lightest value on an object.

• They are shown as light gray and usually border the HIGHLIGHTED area.

Half (mid) tone

• The half tone is medium gray.

• The half tones would be next to the light tones.

• Lets review…– Highlight– Light tone– Half tone

Shadow Edge

• The shadow edge is dark gray.

• The shadow edge is where the object begins to get darker due to a shadow!

• Shadows are not solid…they have gradations too!

Core Shadow

• The core of the shadow is the darkest part of the shadow -- the place where the least light hits the object.

• These dark values are what really makes your drawing come to life!!

Reflected Light

• Reflected light is what makes the core of the shadow appear to be away from the edge of the object. It is where light is reflected from a nearby area onto the object.

• Careful observation of reflected light will help you make objects more convincingly round looking.

Cast Shadow

• The cast shadow is the shadow the object casts onto another surface.

• This kind of shadow usually has a hard edge, which can help you distinguish it from a modeling shadow.

• A cast shadow will be darkest closest to the object casting it.

http://www.as.miami.edu/art/bc_bk_illus1.html

Drawing Pencils

• We will be using drawing pencils for our value studies.

• Drawing pencils come in a range of values.

• Artists use the value of the pencil to do the work…not pressure.

Coversheet

• How many of you have ended up with ‘pencil-hands’ after drawing??

• We do not want our hands to smear our hard work.

• Use a coversheet when you draw! (a paper-towel)

Tips

• Apply light even pressure. Use the value of the pencil…not pressure.

• Shade evenly in ONE direction (diagonal, horizontal, or vertical) choose one and stick with it.

• Shade in each area more that once to eliminate any shading gaps.

• Keep your paper surface clean, use a cover sheet and NO SMUDGING WITH YOUR FINGERS!