The question is Color Study or Study Color?

The more I do these color studies, I realize their unlimited potential when they teach me the the limitless refinement of color relationship. Every day is a new day, every study is a new way of seeing the differences as well as the relations of the colors! The basis of my outdoor color block studies is the visual color principles applied to perceptual development.

The question is, why small box studies when I paint complex floral?

The answer is A musician! Yes, how the musician warms up to keep the instruments in tune? These studies are my warm ups to tune up my color vision.

When a painting is started there are several variables to take care of such as composition, color. How do you simplify the complexity of beginning a painting? That’s where these studies of simple objects disentangle the process. How? Simple objects such as box empower to make straightforward decision of 2 to 3 color choices

1.     First color for the top plane
2.    Second color for the side plane in the light
3.    Third color is shadow plane

Similarly, for the round object such a bowl or cup, the decisions are color of the inside vs the color of the outside (sometimes color of the rim) And of course, a few more facile decisions these studies demand are the color of the space surrounding the object. (AKA the negative shape)

When I make these color decisions, my task is to ask and choose the color based on

• What hue? (Yellow, Orange, Red, Violet, Blue, Green)

• Light or Dark? (Value)

• Warm or Cool? (Temperature)

• Saturated or Muted? (Intensity)

QUESTION - what Drawing is?
ANSWER - Where two color shapes meet –That’s Drawing!

QUESTION - do you know what Composition is?
ANSWER - Multiple color shapes coming together; a web of color spots – That’s Composition!

QUESTION - What is a Plane?
ANSWER - Solid geometric plane is a section of a three dimensional form having both surface area and two dimensional shape as well as having a directional movement (advancing, receding, lateral, diagonal, etc.,).

While approaching a painting that is unambiguously based on color planes, comparison is the key! A constant scanning and comparing of color relationships of all the objects against one another enables developing the study. I realized these studies are building up my perceptual, and observational concentration. Although, rigorous color theory, understanding the primary palette, the complimentary colors, color mixing and the science of the color is the basis of my painting process, the practical application of all the color theory is when these box studies are addressed from observation. Although, “the knowledge” or “the knowing” gained from the color theory is profound, the knowing vs doing/testing it on the field is the vitality in my art practice.

Every day is a new day, every study is a new study, every situation is new, applied principles vs observed colors depend on situation to situation. All sunny day studies aren’t super warm temperature-wise, depending on the light key of the day, the color key changes from day to day from study to study. Similarly, all rainy day studies are unalike depending on the overcast. Of course, the time of the day is such a game-changer! Morning light key is soft vs afternoon. (Every day variables altering color perception could be sunny, grey, atmospheric, or time of day, early morning, mid day, late afternoon, dusk, etc., seasonal angle of the light, or types of artificial lighting, atmospheric conditions, humidity, dust, etc.,)

What is the light key?

Any particular combination of these atmospheric variables and their effect on that observed local color during these quick and small studies is the light key.

The light and shadow planes on these objects are different/new color notes, let’s take a red box in the sunlight as an example. The light plane isn’t necessarily light red (red mixed with white) and the shadow plane isn’t dark red (red mixed with black), in short, these color notes are different than the objects local color. The light plane on the red might be warm red leaning towards orange vs the shadow plane could be leaning towards a blue-red/cool red (all depends on the situation). Ultimately the light key of the day rules and the effect can be achieved by observed color contrasts and not entirely by known color concepts.

Newton observed that color is not inherent in objects. Rather, the surface of an object reflects some colors and absorbs all the others. We perceive only the reflected colors.

 The question is,

Is Color Perceptual or Conceptual?
A Science or a Sensation?
Physical or Intellectual?
Tangible B Intangible
Spontaneous or Calculated?

Color – an experience, an inner and outer experience!

The eye translates the reflected wavelength off an object as a color, how do one translate that perceived wavelength using physical pigments into the language of painting? In my experience, the system or the color theory is an important tool to prepare the eye for this genuine experience of painting observationally out in the nature.

I rigorously perform these color studies as a preparation for my paintings. It allows me the harmony and a pleasing arrangement of colors, which in turns allows to depict the color of the light plane and the color of the shadow plane on an object, creating form, depth and space. These block studies are full of surprises for me.

It’s ∞, the color theory feeds color studies, in turn these color studies feed color theory! ∞

So I pick minimum 3 colorful and color varying objects for these quick studies, set them up on my table out in the nature, on my easel I look at the setup and activate scanning mode! Scan each and everything in the setup without any previous knowing (new day new way of seeing, you know!!) simply look and see. Scan and obtain color relationships of one color plane against another. Paint those observational differences in the color as I go, one shape next to another, traversing through adjacent shapes, capturing the color shifts that I see. Being in the Now, Happily paintings colors, out of the box!

Would you like to paint out of the box with me?

• ASHWINI