WHITE PEONY

Here’s another peony – only this time “white”.

For me, “white” and “black” are relative terms.

“White” is usually the “white of the paper” – and as you know, that, too, is a relative term! Compare the “white” of Arches to the “white” of Lanaquarelle! And, sometimes, “white” is just the lightest value on my paper after a thin wash of color.

“Black” is also relative. Generally speaking, if you add black to a high key painting, it will look oddly stark – it’s just too much of a value shift. In a high key painting, anything in a mid value range will read as black. But, if you already have some pretty dark values in your painting, you may have to go very black for your darkest darks.

When I began painting, and got to the point when colors started to mean something to me, I would look at paintings that seemed a bit dull to me. That is when I became aware of people using black in a mix to darken a color. I didn’t care for that; to me it looks a bit dirty. Now, in reading through some blogs, it seems that “black is back” and more painters are beginning to use true blacks again. Generally I do mix my blacks, although I do have an ivory black somewhere in my paint stash.  I would still rather mix blacks – that way I can incorporate some of the colors in my painting into my blacks and I think it adds some unity to the painting. 

That doesn’t mean I disagree with using black! That’s your choice as the artist!  Anyway (climbing off the soap box!) . . . this is a “white” peony.

This painting is fluid acrylic, and I began by painting the flower area with a light wash of white. Then I began laying in shadows.

TIP: “High key” refers to a light value painting; think sunshine. “Low key” refers to a darker value painting; think rainy day with dark clouds. I also remember which is which by thinking of a piano! The “high keys” give us a light “plink” of sound, very light, high tones. The “low keys” give us that deep, somber bass that resounds for several seconds.