Value Collage Portrait
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This project explores the subtle distinctions in value (tone) to help understand that forms are created by changes from dark to light.
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Materials: Watercolor paper paper, Tracing Paper, gouache (black and white), brushes, palette, scissors/knife, artists' tapecutting mat, adhesive
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There are several phases.
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1. Research: take a photo of yourself or someone else with dramatic lighting so you can clearly see the shapes of darks and lights on the face, neck, hair, clothing, etc.. Use the filter to change to a B & W photo.
2. Create gouache swatches in of a range of grays plus black and white on WC paper. Make at least three sheets of swatches.
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3. Print the photo on 11 x 14 paper​
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4. Adhere the printed photo to the back of the Tracing paper with artists' tape
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5. Cut your painted values into small pieces using either or both x-acto knife and scissors
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6. Build your collage, including the background, adhering directly to the Tracing paper with adhesive (I will supply)
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*Use care with cutting and pasting
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Here are some things you may want to explore:
How can you create a sense of space and dimension?
How can you achieve a sense of movement across the picture plane?
How can you generate pictorial tension in the distribution of value?
How will you use different values and shapes to achieve depth and space?
What makes for a dynamic composition that keeps the viewer’s eye moving?