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In my journey of seeking strategies to create more vibrant, interesting paintings, I discovered two powerful concepts: the Japanese principle of Notan, as well as value studies. Inspired by painters who use these plans of action to begin their work, I surmise these concepts will positively influence paintings I desire to create. Actually, I have been familiar with value studies over the years; the idea of Notan is relatively new to me.
The concept of Notan emphasizes the harmony between light and dark. It simplifies complex scenes into basic shapes and values, focusing on the balance of positive (light) and negative (dark) spaces. This technique creates striking contrasts and enhances composition by highlighting the interaction of light and dark. As I understand it, Notan compositions only use two values.
Notan studies; Marker on toned gray sketch paper.
I’ve located some blog articles, as well as some YouTube videos, to delve further into this concept, and get some tips about how to create my own Notans. One of the challenges to “seeing” basic shapes in my natural environments, is practicing squinting with my eyes, and assigning the shapes I see to a light or dark value. I’ve discovered an iOS app named Value Study Pro that aids with this, and it has been helpful.
Value studies delve into the range of light and dark within a composition. Unlike Notan, which uses just black and white, value studies employ a gradient of tones. In the case of the sketches shown below, I used the tone of the paper, and two colors of charcoal, to express three values. Inspired by Patti Mollica’s book, How To Paint Fast, Loose & Bold, she suggests that using a minimal number of values can help you make decisions about design to create a strong composition.
Value studies; Black and white charcoal on toned gray sketch paper.
Both techniques revolve around light and dark but serve different purposes. Notan focuses on the balance of shapes and spaces in a simplified manner, making it great for planning an overall design composition. Value studies, on the other hand, help in understanding light, shadow, and depth, essential for realistic rendering.
For my fellow artists: have you tried incorporating Notan or value studies into your creative process? If not, I hope this writing inspires you to consider them. Below are resources I have used to study these concepts:
