Tonal Values

'Nynehead Way' Acrylic Watercolour

Beginning artists are frequently confused by the term ‘tonal value’. What does this mean?

The tonal value ranges from white or the lightest light colour to black or the darkest dark colour. All colours have a tonal value as well as a colour and that tonal value will change, as the colour is diluted say with water in the case of transparent watercolour or acrylic.

The picture I chose as the illustration today has an almost complete range of tones. The lightest tone is in the sky area showing through the trees above the gateway. The darkest tone is in the hedge to the left of the picture. The intermediate tones or mid tones occur throughout the picture.

To make this idea of tones and tonal value clear I have converted the picture to a greyscale image.

If you place the lightest tone in your picture adjacent to the darkest tone you have a very eye catching situation where the extreme contrast in this area draws the eye and holds the attention of the viewer.

If you make the picture very contrasty i.e. with very few mid tones, then the picture might look very dramatic, which is fine if that is the effect you want to create.

A picture with mainly mid tones will probably appear flat and perhaps lifeless but the inclusion of a good dark and a sharp light can suddenly give the picture a lift that makes it work.

Before starting a painting spend some time looking at you subject, study it closely to find the lightest light, the darkest dark and the prominent mid tones. Once you have seen these make a small tonal sketch and keep this by your work as it progresses. Ask yourself if the tonal values are balanced. Do they need to be adjusted?

To add atmosphere to your painting it will probably be necessary to modify the tonal values to suit the mood you wish to create. Do it carefully and with thought and you will get the effect you want.

That’s it for today. Tomorrow we will take a look at edges and how they should be treated.

Till then, take care.

Tony