Week 3 - Value Grouping

Below are two images, the original is on the left and I have modified the image on the
right. The original image has an extremely high contrasting direct light on the wall (to
the right of the people hiding), this is the Chiaroscuro element and the rest of the image
is Notan. Besides the variations of design modes look at the moon or feeling that these
two images convey. Would you say one is more threatening, or dream like?

Tone​ is a word that has multiple meanings. It could be used to express the pitch in sound, the
prevailing feeling or mood of a scene of a movie, or the whole movie, as a stand alone visual
component we refer to ​Tone​ as any specific ​value​ from white to black. Plural it can refer to the
whole range of values. So in this class we will refer to ​Tone​ as a visual component, most often a
particular value or range of ​values​.

Value: The Mood Maker

Tone is the range measured by lightness to darkness of colors or achromatic values including
black, white and grey scale.
The manner in which we design or express our images will be based on relationship between
three conditions. One: the lighting condition, or effect of light and shadow. (Form or
Chiaroscuro) Two: the arrangement of local values unaffected by light and shadow (Mass or
Notan) Three: a subjective arrangement of contrasting gradients (Counter change) The range
of dominance to subordination we prescribe in rendering the tones in parts, groups, and in
relation to the total. Like our other components of design Tone can be measured through Keys,
in this case tonal keys.

Major Key: Over-all proportion (in the case of Value, lightness to darkness).
Minor Key: Range of contrast within the image.

The contrasts of relationships between major and minor keys are directly connected to the
mood. For instance a low major and high minor might be scary or threatening. Medium major
and medium minor will produce a dreamlike state, and a major and high minor might be uplifting
and happy. Out of the three aspects of color, (hue, value and saturation) value is the
predominant mood maker!

Without light we can see nothing. Too much light and we can’t determine anything. This would
imply that our ability to see the world around us is dependant on the amount of, and conditions
of light within the range between total darkness and total brightness. Within this range there are
infinite possibilities. The appearance of what we see at any given moment is totally dependant
on the relationships between light, objects, and our position as viewer to the situation. Almost all
objects have their own color, which we call local color. It is important to note that all objects are
potential light sources. That is most all objects will reflect their light into lesser lights. Large,
light valued, objects close to other objects will reflect most light. Smaller light valued objects will
reflect less light. Large and small dark objects can reflect their light/color as well but with less
influence than light valued objects. The range of influence that objects may have on one
another is huge and intricate their size, shape, local value, and position in space relative to
other light sources (objects) in relation to the viewer. An artist could go crazy trying to calculate
the absolute measure of all the influences that occur in any given situation. As artist we have to
understand and witness this logic of interrelationships before we can make our paintings sing, or
invent new believable worlds. Looking for deeper relationships of the moment will serve us well
in our effort to depict what we see. To build your skills beyond being a copyist and become
more expressive in your work you have to see the logic of the situation, and then build on it.
Creating a Tonal Key is a matter of establishing a context of values through our Major and Minor
Keys of Tone. And again the context refers a variation on a theme. This as you will soon realize is
key to building relationships between any of our visual components, key to creating context.

Consider this:
Variation​ on a ​Theme
(range of contrast) within an area of (proportional dominance)
Minor Key​ within a ​Major Key
From Two or Three Value Matrix to Full Value
It is important to initiate your designs or sketches in a two or three value Matrix even if your finished
image will be full value. The reason for this is to establish a clear tonal read or design. Once done
and you are happy with your Matrix you can address the set of values you with to complete the
image with. The key in this step is to not just paint paint more values but group your values. The
image below demonstrates this process. The image was broken down into four values in the Matrix.
Two values that would be applied to the white part of your Matrix and two to the dark side.
In the diagram to the right I have divided a tonal gradation into clearly separated zoned. These
areas of separation are critical. As you can see I have eliminated the values in-between these four
value ranges completely. Sure, soft edges between areas will occur depending on the style you are
painting, and at times when your painting is in very close value overall there will be more values
eliminated. There should always be gaps between value ranges to maintain clear readability of your
Matrix.
Below is a simple example of what I consider value grouping. First I defined the Matrix in the sketch.
I worked the black area first by by defining how many value groups are within the black area of the
Matrix, visible in the second image on the left. The second image on the right is just the value
groups that exist within the white area of the Matrix. Combined they look like the third image down
on the left, and in color on the lower right. You can see that maintains a distinct matrix by keeping a
clear gap between value groups.
Adding the full spectrum of values can produce a muddy images and losing your Matrix altogether.
This is well documented in imagery but not explained clearly in other approaches and practiced
successfully, due to two factors. One, If you don't separate your total pictorial design into a simplified
matrix you are not clearly understanding or implementing a tonal matrix. That is to say if you are
careful of designing a strong shadow pattern on a figure but thinking of contact shadows as different
design elements, you are missing the point. All dark shapes or shadow shapes belong to the black
zone. You may have a gray zone in your matrix and that should be clearly separated from the white
and black shapes. And Two, it is important to clearly separate local values and consider the effect of
light as it hits objects as a completely separate affair.

The chart below is a page from ​Creative Illustration by Andrew Loomis. He has simplified the
contrast to a numbered scale where all shadow values are 1, 2, 3, -6 value steps that create
different moods. But this is not how light works. Keep in mind this breakdown is contrived as a
general rule to illustrate the importance of keeping a clear separation of values between what is
in light and what is in shadow. It does not consider local values. When different values are lit
with the same light, local values could react differently than the chart below expresses.
Mid-value colors usually reveal more contrast than lighter and darker local colors under the
same light. Also different surfaces have different specular or reflective qualities, that can make
a difference your
Minor Key, or range of contrast in any area.
 In the demonstration below greater contrast is perceived within the mid-values and less in the darks
and lights. This explains the more true effect of light on local values.
 In the image below I started with a three value Matrix and moved to value groups within each of
these areas. On closer inspection you can notice that I even numbered the groups. I was
impressed with the variety of color temperature in the shadow area of the white of the building. The
other areas have some temperature difference within their zones but the house is the most extreme
in the shadow area. There is a fair amount of color temperature difference in the plants as well but
that is between the areas in light and the areas in shadow.
Look at the images below and note the mood that you feel they each express, then assess them
through their Major and Minor tonal keys and see if you don't begin to see the relationships that most
clearly express these moods. You may also be swayed by the shapes in some and subject in others
but try to assess only the value structures. Shape is another distinctive visual component that can
add to or compete with the mood conveyed, and symbols or your affinity to any subject can also play
into your personal bias.
Below are three oil sketches that have different proportions of particular values. Light, Dark and
medium. These are our Major Keys. The minor Keys are adjusted as well to deliver the proper
Mood.
Below are some paint overs that I did for a short film called Tick Tock Tale. I use this process to
influence the lighting of the shots in production. Knowing what type of mood is created by what
combination of Major and Minor tonal Keys allows me go directly the the appropriate values and
contrast to deliver the mood of the image message.
These paintings were done as an exploration of the difference time of day through value and color.
 Lets look at how different artists have created a moods through Major and Minor Keys.

Vermeer is mostly Notan because the artists has dressed the model in high contrast clothing and
the light coming in the window is indirect so it is not very strong. He paints more form contrast in
areas where he wants to create some focus.
The image above has a more somber mood because the Minor Key or range of contrast is less than
the image below. In the image below there is not only greater contrast but the amount of light area
is greater as well. This lightens the mood a bit, even though it is a fairly low Major Key.

What mood does the value arrangement in this painting by Sorolla evoke?
Below is an illustration by Howard Pyle that I have altered the values in attempt to alter the mood.

Original image
 Darkening the top of the frame

Darkening overall, increasing contrast

Below, I have grouped these images in order from dark to light Major Key. As we discussed the
Major Key is based on proportion. In these images below the first image has the largest area of
dark. The bottom right has the largest proportion of white. The Minor Key is the range of contrast
within the image. Whether the Major Key is light medium or dark it makes no difference to the minor
key. Again the Minor Key is the range of contrast within an image. High contrast would be high
Minor Key and low contrast would be low Minor Key. So if an image is mostly dark with low contrast
it would be low Major and low Minor keys. If it were mostly dark with great contrast it would be low
Major and high Minor key.
 The key to maintain a clear Tonal reading image is in having a clear matrix determined by Notan,
Chiaroscuro, or the combination of the two. And clear the value grouping.

Compare the two images below. The first is handled through overlapping light over dark and dark
over light which gives clarity and the sense of light but it is not real light or space. Notice that there
is the same amount of contrast in the distance as there is in the foreground. This creates an effect
the we may call graphic, or plastic look.
Compare the image above to the image of the street scene below. This image clearly has a
diminishing amount of contrast in pictorial space. This effect we know as Ariel perspective.
Here are some images who's design is dominated by either Notan or Chiaroscuro. Even your design
mode can be measured through Major and Minor Keys. Review these images and determine their
dominant primary of design, then what is the second most used. Each of your primaries could be
used in different areas or merged in interesting ways.
 HOMEWORK
Design or copy a simple limited value image and change its Major and Minor Keys.
In this example below the three rows across are light, medium, and dark Major Keys.
The columns down are low, medium, and high contrast. Keep the values to 7 to 12 different values.
that is all that is necessary to create a successful comparison.