Monochrome painting isn't something used only for an underpainting to establish areas of light and dark. It can make for very moody paintings. It also clearly demonstrates that tone is as important as color in creating a satisfying painting. The French painter Yves Klein is famous for his blue monochrome paintings; he even developed his own deep blue (patented in the 1950s as International Klein Blue, IKB).
The challenge of this project is to paint using only one color. It doesn't matter what the subject is nor what color you select, though you'll find that dark colors work best in a monochrome painting. Do some experimentation to see for yourself what mood different colors conveys (for instance, blue suggests sadness and cold; red anger and heat; orange/yellow happiness and sunshine).
Add white to help create tone if you wish, or vary the thickness of the paint to allow for the white of the paper or canvas to show through. If you have difficulty seeing tones or values, try using a monochrome filter and read the Painting Color Class: Tone or Value. Or, if you're painting from a photo, use a photo-editing program to change it to black-and-white photo.
The painting shown here was done using Prussian blue, which is apt for the subject because we talk about being blue when we're feeling depressed or despondent. If it had been in red, it would have quite a different, angry feel to it.
Remember that, unless you're dedicated to realism, you're free to create tonal contrast where it doesn't exist if it makes for a better painting. To quote Whistler, "Nature contains the elements, in colour and form, of all pictures, as the keyboard contains the notes of all music. But the artist is born to pick, to choose, and group ... these elements, that the result may be beautiful."
Please note that new submissions for this project gallery are currently not being accepted. Check the list of monthly painting projects to see what this month's project is.
The challenge of this project is to paint using only one color. It doesn't matter what the subject is nor what color you select, though you'll find that dark colors work best in a monochrome painting. Do some experimentation to see for yourself what mood different colors conveys (for instance, blue suggests sadness and cold; red anger and heat; orange/yellow happiness and sunshine).
Add white to help create tone if you wish, or vary the thickness of the paint to allow for the white of the paper or canvas to show through. If you have difficulty seeing tones or values, try using a monochrome filter and read the Painting Color Class: Tone or Value. Or, if you're painting from a photo, use a photo-editing program to change it to black-and-white photo.
The painting shown here was done using Prussian blue, which is apt for the subject because we talk about being blue when we're feeling depressed or despondent. If it had been in red, it would have quite a different, angry feel to it.
Remember that, unless you're dedicated to realism, you're free to create tonal contrast where it doesn't exist if it makes for a better painting. To quote Whistler, "Nature contains the elements, in colour and form, of all pictures, as the keyboard contains the notes of all music. But the artist is born to pick, to choose, and group ... these elements, that the result may be beautiful."
Please note that new submissions for this project gallery are currently not being accepted. Check the list of monthly painting projects to see what this month's project is.