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Narcissi and Willow Pattern

May 19, 2020 By: Paul7 Comments

Narcissi and Willow Pattern, Oil on Panel, 12 x 8 inches

Currently at Auction, click here to view

The more I paint, the more I realise the importance of chroma.

I know that, for many people, chroma isn’t really something they consider much as they paint.

Until I dscovered Munsell, I didn’t think about it much either.

But lately, I’ve been giving as much attention to chroma as I have to value. And the more I do that, it seems to me, the better my paintings become.

I’d like to draw your attention to two areas of this painting where the chroma was very carefully considered and where I think it’s very important.

Firstly, the background

I actually had a much lower chroma background originally. And indeed, for a long time I painted shadows in low chroma backgrounds very close to neutral.

But just lately, I’ve realised that adding chroma to those shadows gives an impression of depth and light that I can’t get any other way.

And the reason I can do that now is that I’ve changed my approach to value.
The two are inextricably linked.

You see, right down at the bottom of the value scale of paint, chroma is generally very low.

True, there are phthalos that have high chroma down there near black, but shadows are rarely phthalo blue or green!

In fact, the shadow areas in this subject were mostly a yellow-green.

The connection with the value there is that lately I’ve been painting with a more impressionist value balance – which means that the shadow areas, with the exception of the very bottom of the value scale, are lighter.

Which means I can have more chroma there, and that’s where the light is coming from.

Secondly, the radial petals

Now here, the chroma is low, very low. Almost neutral in places –
but not quite.

The more I dropped the chroma there, the more the petals seemed to take on a diaphanous, translucent feeling.

I did try painting patches of them actual neutral at first, but it didn’t quite work.

What did work, in the end, was very, very low chroma that still had just a hint of the hue of the petals – a green yellow.

That seemed to hit just the right note.

I don’t think I could mix them reliably without the Munsell book to guide me, it’s a great help with getting the hue right of very low chroma colours – they’re extremely difficult to judge.

So, as I become more aware of chroma, and of the link between chroma and value, I become more convinced that paintings work best when at least as much attention is given to one as to the other.

At least, that’s what I find with my paintings.

I’ve been aware of and considering chroma for a long time, but it’s only recently that I’ve been giving it as much importance as value.

Because I think that I get my best results when the two are working together, balanced in such a way as to give a stronger feeling of light and depth.

Best wishes and thanks for reading,

Paul

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About Paul

I'm a (mostly) self-taught artist. I paint realism in oils, mostly still life. I share my work, my evolving process and what knowledge I've gained on my own learning journey here, in the hope that it might help you along on
yours.

Comments

  1. 1

    Anita says

    May 19, 2020 at 8:42 pm

    Paul Foxton,
    You are awesome and you make me excited just hearing you explain this new to me thinking of chroma and values!
    I will read it again and check this out closely with your beautiful painting.
    I wish I could manage to get the BIG BOOK!!

    Reply
  2. 2

    Anne Shingleton says

    May 19, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    A very important lesson Paul. And you’ve explained it so well. Bravo!
    I always used to wear a black felt hat when painting inside and outside the studio, ( till it fell apart,) and this was most useful for judging the darkest darks in my painting. Nothing is as black as that bit of felt right near your eyes, so all shadows had some light in them, and it was just a question of mixing the right colour, compared to pure black – more chroma than what you’d judge without the black hat!

    Reply
  3. 3

    Cindy Nelson says

    May 19, 2020 at 8:57 pm

    Yes Chroma as you say and my instructor called it Saturation is as important as the value….Getting it right is tough, but challenging….. Having exercises for this important aspect of painting helps, but alas, I don’t do them often as I should.
    Thanks for reminding me this…..
    Cindy

    Reply
    • 4

      Paul says

      May 19, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      You’re welcome Cindy. Yes, saturation is what they call it in computer speak 🙂

      The Munsell studen book is a great way to practice it – the chips in there go down to chroma 2, and then it has neutrals too. Matching a string of chroma of all the same value and hue is a brilliant exercise I think, it taught me a lot! (and still does).

      Reply
  4. 5

    Michael W Zimmermann says

    May 20, 2020 at 4:47 am

    Looks like a beautiful painting, Paul, but I can barely see it—could you post your work so the piece is larger on the screen?

    Keep up the good work, and stay safe!

    Reply
    • 6

      Paul says

      May 20, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Sorry Michael, I’ve added a larger image at the top of the post too – I’ll try to remmber to include both in future!

      Reply
  5. 7

    Suzanne says

    May 20, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    Thank you for these insights! I’ve never heard anyone explain it or break it down like you! I appreciate it and look forward to applying it. I love this painting! It’s got such a gorgeous sense of color and depth! I’m so amazed at how consistently you have showed up to your easel. You are putting in the work and it’s inspiring me to put in the hours and pay the price of learning and improving. Thank you !

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Paul

I'm a (mostly) self-taught artist. I paint realism in oils, mostly still life. I share my work, my evolving process and what knowledge I've gained on my own learning journey here, in the hope that it might help you on yours.
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