Elements of Art - Light/Color

1. Light

2. Chiaroscuro
One of the chief tools employed by artists
to render the effects of light
Italian: chiaro means “light”, scuro means “dark”

3. Chiaroscuro

4. Modeling
The use of chiaroscuro to represent light falling
across a curved or rounded surface

5. A sphere represented by means of modeling.

6. Paul Colin. Figure of a Woman. c. 1930.
24 x 18 1/2 in.

7. Other techniques used to model figures/objects
Hatching
Cross-Hatching
Cross-Contour

8. Mary Cassatt. The Coiffure. c. 1891.
approx. 5 7/8 x 4 3/8 in.

9. Rembrandt van Rijn. The Three Crosses. 1653.
15 1/4 x 17 3/4 in.

10. Rembrandt van Rijn. The Three Crosses. 1653.
15 1/4 x 17 3/4 in.

11. Michelangelo. Head of a Satyr. c. 1620–30.
10 5/8 x 7 7/8 in.

12. Tenebrism
As opposed to chiaroscuro, a tenebrist style is not
necessarily connected to modeling, but makes use of
large areas of dark contrasting sharply with
smaller brightly illuminated areas

13. Artemisia Gentileschi. Judith and Maidservant with the Head of
Holofernes. c. 1625.
72 1/2 x 55 3/4 in.

17. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The Incredulity of Saint Thomas: 1601-02.

18. The Entombment:
1602-03

19. The gradual shift from light to dark
that characterizes both chiaroscuro and
atmospheric perpective is illustrated by
the grey scale
The relative level of lightness and darkness
of an area or object is traditionally called its
relative value

20. The gray scale.

21. Blue in a range of values.

22. Leonardo da Vinci. Madonna of the Rocks. c. 1495–1508.
75 x 47 in.

23. J. M. W. Turner. Rain, Steam, and Speed—The Great Western Railway.
1844.
33 3/4 x 48 in.

24. James Turrell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihHd97Z8XfY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGbkweX7ndM&feature=related

25. The Dan Flavin Art Institute, Bridgehampton, New York. 1963–83.

26. Dan Flavin. untitled (in honor of Harold Joachim) 3. 1977.
8 ft. square across a corner.

27. Color

28. Basic Color Vocabulary
Hue
Tint
Shade
Color Wheel
Primary Colors
Secondary Colors
Intermediate (tertiary) Colors
Intensity/Saturation
Complementary Color
Analogous Color
Color Temperature

29. Hue = color
Tint: Add white to the basic hue
Shade: Add black to the basic hue

30. Pat Steir. Pink Chrysanthemum. 1984.
3 panels, 60 x 60 inches each.

31. Pat Steir. Night Chrysanthemum. 1984.
3 panels, 60 x 60 inches each.

32. Colors separated by a prism.

33. Conventional color wheel.

34. Cara Grande feather mask. c. 1960.
Height 31 in.

35. Color mixtures of reflected pigment.

36. Color mixtures of refracted light.

38. Georges Seurat. La Chahut (The Can-Can). 1889–90.
66 1/8 x 55 1/2 in.

39. Georges Seurat. Detail of La Chahut (The Can-Can). 1889–90.

40. Pierre Bonnard. The Terrace at Vernon. c. 1920–39.
57 11/16 x 76 1/2 in.

41. Chuck Close. Detail of Stanley (large version). 1980–81.
108 x 84 in.

42. Chuck Close. Stanley (large version). 1980–81.
104 x 84 in.

43. Gerhard Richter. 256 Farben (256 Colors). 1974–84.
7 ft. 3 in. x 14 ft. 5 in.

44. Tony Cragg. Detail of Newton’s Tones/New Stones. 1982.
197 x 72 in.

45. Tony Cragg. Newton’s Tones/New Stones. 1982.
197 x 72 in.

46. Wassily Kandinsky. Black Lines (Schwarze Linien). December 1913.
51 x 51 5/8 in.

47. Michelangelo. The Creation of Adam (unrestored). 1508–12.
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

48. Michelangelo. The Creation of Adam (restored). 1508–12.
ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

49. Jane Hammond. Fallen. 2004–ongoing.
11 x 154 x 89 in.

50. Romare Bearden. She-ba. 1970.
48 x 35 7/8 in.

51. Robert Delaunay. Premier Disque. 1912.
53 in. diameter.

52. Sonia Delaunay. Prismes Electriques. 1914.
98 3/8 x 98 3/8 in.

53. Charles Searles. Filàs for Sale (from the Nigerian Impressions series).
1972.
72 x 50 in.

54. Vincent van Gogh. The Night Café. 1888.
28 1/2 x 36 1/4 in.