Lesson One

Lesson One:  Studies in Sepia, Color, and Analogous Palette

Taught by Roxana Tuff, Artist

October 7, 2016, Friday
Cephas House, 217 MLK Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Note: Click on any photo and view a larger image.

Bring your small masonite boards, paint, brushes, painters tape, paper towel, paper, jar for water, a sheet of tracing paper, and pencil.  We will be painting in class during Lesson One.

Roxana Tuff explains the sepia composition.	Our first exercise for this class will be done in tones of Sepia. If you don't have that color in your supplies, then we will learn how to mix it.
Homework includes a full color painting of the same image as well as an analogous color version.	Students chose from among 20 images that Roxana provided.
	For your analogous color version, pick 3 colors which are next to each other on the color wheel. * See notes below photos for more details about making your analogous color painting.
A student works on her sepia version of a bluejay.	Working on her sepia-toned bird (at left) this student studies the black and white print at her right.
A classroom in Cephas House full of busy painters.	Roxana (standing under clock) encourages the students and makes suggestions on their work. The large windows provide plenty of natural light and the long tables make it easy for students to share supplies or comment on each other's efforts.
A sepia version of a butterfly on a flower.	A crested bird perches in both black and white and sepia-toned versions.

Homework: In addition to the Sepia painting done in class, also make one in full color and one in analogous color. Pick 3 colors which are next to each other on the color wheel. Use only those for your analogous piece.

* Important info in painting the ANALOGOUS painting.

Keep in mind that you CAN and will have to use blacker complements to tone down your colors where needed. This analogous color scheme doesn't mean that you can't darken those initial colors with their complements or black! You might HAVE to use black added to color to get the darkest values that you need!

Choosing the harmonious colors of an analogous color scheme is a good start in setting the mood of a painting. The key however, is in the way value and intensity are used, allowing the viewer's eye to move throughout the painting. In the analogous color scheme, each color's complement can be used to neutralize the intensity, and black and more water (to lighten) can be used to adjust the value.