My value study looked a bit bland to me today, so I decided to compare it to the photo I took of the set-up. I immediately noticed that there were more dramatic darks in the photo. I think that I composed the set-up and photographed it on a cloudy day, but painted the study on a sunny day. Being me, when painting the study, I had to paint all of the light that I saw in the set-up. At the time, I suspected that the darks weren’t dark enough. However, it’s much easier for me to begin with what I see. It’s not too hard to adjust later when all of the values are in.
Above, I’ve darkened most of the shadows. I’m much happier with the composition now. I’ll have to remember to work on the shadows on cloudy days or closer to evening. One of these days, I’ll have to replace the window coverings in my studio, so that I can control the light better!
Linda Mann Artist 