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Contrast       Part 1        Tone contrast                                                                     Back to articles list       

This two part article has been written for beginner artists to introduce them to tone and colour contrast and their role in composition. I hope that by demonstration and suggestion to impart some practical knowledge to the aspiring artist.

It is well known fact that when we look first time on any object, like painting or drawing, our eyes are moving from the bottom left corner to the top right corner. That top right corner is the place of “maximum impact”. Here our eyes are brieflystopt and will move to the right bottom corner according to the contrast lines of the painting. This movement of eyes around the painting, which created by the artist, is needed to generate the composition. We need composition in a painting to pulls all parts of the painting together and create rhythm and mood specific for this painting and according to concept of author. Composition is included tone and colour contrast. It could include many other components, but today we will talk about contrasts and it is place in painting and drawing.

One of the best examples of great tone contrast we can find in paintings of Rubens – grand master of composition, light, texture and colour. Take a good look at “Allegory on the blessing of peace” 1629-30 Pic. N1. You will see immediately the Allegory of Peace in the middle of painting, because it is the most light and biggest spot, surrounding of very dark background.

Rubens “Allegory on the blessing of peace” 1629-30 Pic. N1

All other figures are nearby looks like in chaos. However, as your eye start follow the lines between light and dark, you can see the harmony, rhythm and movement, which lead your eye from one part of the painting to an other one, shows you more and more details of the painting, gives you chance to discover the beauty, amaze you and return again to the main subject.

Rubens used light dramatically to reveal and focus on objects and to show colour and texture and to enhance objects.  

Rubens “Allegory on the blessing of peace” 1629-30 Pic. N2

From the closes to the left site of the painting figure, which energetically moves toward Allegory of Peace, our eye goes to Peace, through the arm of warrior behind here to the group of siting ladies and angels and then beck to Peace. From Peace to Pan, from Pan to a panther and again back to Peace.

Rubens “Allegory on the blessing of peace” 1629-30 Pic. N3

Rubens “Allegory on the blessing of peace” Pic. N2 shows the main lines of the eye movement. Rubens “Allegory on the blessing of peace” Pic. N3 shows the additional tone contrast movent, which totally supported the main one. Our eyes constantly return to the figure of Peace as it has the strongest contrast between light (body) and bark (background figure). Also because the lines of sharp contrast surrounding the figure lead our eye to the centre again and again, keeping our attention, do not leave us a smallest chance to get bored and move out of the painting.

Tone contrast means sharp difference between light and dark colours. You can see tone contrasts in life and on canvas all the time. Without tone contrast created by light it would be impossible to see or draw.

Tone contrast crates some illusions, which we need to know about. See the Pic. N 4. The light grey bar on the middle of the picture has equal tone on top and bottom. However, it is looks much lighter on the black background, then on white one. We never see colour or tone in its isolation from other colours and tones. We always take it together with all surrounding. It is that surrounding changes our perception of what we see. The bigger contrast between dark and light of two spots of colour, then more darker will looks dark one and more lighter will looks the light one.

Pic. N4

Abilities of tone contrast are know for many centuries and gives artists chance to achieve the maximum expression of artistic image.

Expression, the impact power of composition depends mostly on ability of an artist to use the tone contrast of light on dark and dark on light. Consequently, more contrast and contradiction is more bright will be the impression of the painting.

Portraits for many centuries were created in most contrast, dramatic manner of silhouette: enlightened face on a dark background. See Rubens “Self-portrait” Pic.N5.

Rubens "Self-portrait" Pic. N5

Also artist use the opposite contrast a dark figure on light background. In addition some artist paint a combination of bough. Enlightened part of the head is on the dark background and shaded part on light background. See P.Picasso “Harlequin” 1923 Pic.N6.

P. Picasso “Harlequin” 1923 Pic. N6

What gives us the use of tone contrast? Well, if we take for example the Rembrandt, who very often applies in his paintings principal of portion lightening, we will see how huge could be effect of tone contrast. Have look at one of the most know his paintings ”Holly Family ” 1645 Pic. N7. The light flowing from left top corner; high lightened the most important parts – angels, the woman head, Bible and cradle with the baby. The cloth of the women highlighted much less then her head, shoulders and her hands. It was a conscious decision of the author, as he wants to tell us through the light, what are the most important things in the painting. He also takes away a man behind by making a very little tone contrast in his figure.

Through the light Rembrandt lead our viewing from the top left corner with flying angels to the women (this movement is supported by figure of the man on the background), from head of the women to her Bible and from the Bible to the baby in the cradle.

Rembrandt "Holly Family" 1645 Pic. N7

One more important trick of contrast: have looked at Pic.8. First see it closely and after moves out of the picture, up to 2 meters. See how top square still keep its sharp contrast, but bottom one lose it. The combination of small contrast spots loose it contrast with the increase of space between the object and the viewer and if distance is big enough, it is become one grey spot. Pointillists and impressionists had used that effect in 19 century.

Pic. N8

In practical work it is very important to keep these laws in mind. For example, if you paint a landscape and draw many exceedingly small flowers on the front stage, they could be lost in eyes of the viewer and become as a mess of grey colour if the viewer stay 2 meters away from the painting.

Also keep in mind the character of dividing colour spots borders. The sharp border is increases the power of impact and wash of one decrease it. The sharp one makes the objects looks closer to the viewer and wash of one increase the distance between the viewer and the subject on the painting.

Keep in mind that border contrast reviled it self in difference of perception of same colour spot on the middle of that spot and on the border with contrast colour spot.

As a result, the light spot of colour or tone will look lighter on the border with dark spot of colour, compare with same light spot of colour on the middle of that particular spot. Same you can say about a dark spot of colour. It will look darker on the border with the light spot of colour, compare with the middle of same dark spot. Consequently, one of main aims of a painting is to find a harmonious agreement of contrast tones and colours.

See the Part 2 for the colours contrast.

by Margarita Iakovleva 23.02.08

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