103-02 How Do I Choose & Match Color?

Apprentice

every effort was made to insure the accuracy of the information contained in this lesson

©© JANIE JANIE GILDOW GILDOW Apprentice

WELCOME TO R.T. PENCILS ACADEMY!

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HOW THE ACADEMY PALETTE COLORS WORK

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FOR THIS LESSON

White acid-free drawing paper (choose one): FABRIANO Artistico HP 140# FROM JANIE STRATHMORE 300 Series Bristol (smooth surface) Color evaluation can be STRATHMORE 300 Series Bristol (regular surface) one of your most RISING Stonehenge daunting challenges. Good quality colored pencils in one or more of these brands: It de!nitely requires a knowledge of the color PRISMACOLOR Premier wheel, but like anything CARAN D’ACHE Pablo else, expertise and FABER-CASTELL Polychromos mastery grow with Eraser practice. Pencil sharpener Optional supplies: dust brush, pliable lifter, pencil extenders, Go for it! hand rest, matte finish removable tape, battery eraser, erasing shield (for a more complete illustrated list of tools and equipment, see Lesson 101-1)

It’s frustrating to say the least, when you just can’t seem to tell what colors to combine--and the order in which to combine them--let alone choose the correct colors in the first place!

My students tell me the most difficult thing for them to do is to choose and match color. It’s always been instinctive for me, but it sure isn’t for everyone, so in this lesson I’ll do my best to communicate to you my thought process as I choose and match color; I’ll provide exercises that will help you begin to evaluate color and in addition will provide you with yet another reference tool, and I’ll explain and describe everything I possibly can.

You’ll find that the more you work with color, the better you will understand it and the easier it will become for you to analyze and recreate it.

So first let’s take a close look at the characteristics of color--and then begin with some simple evaluations.

Color has three attributes or characteristics. (Each color can be described three ways)

1. HUE - the name of the color

BLUE

2. VALUE - the lightness or darkness of the color

LIGHT BLUE / DARK BLUE

3. INTENSITY - the pureness or saturation of the color

DULL BLUE / GREYBLUE

A pure or saturated color is clear and bright. If it’s found on the traditional color wheel, it’s pure. A color that is light in value may be pure (like yellow)--but can also be less than pure (like pink- -which is red with white added to it). A color that is light in value is said to be a high value color. A color that is dull either contains one of the achromatics (black, white, grey) or contains some of its own complement or its near complement. Again, this color may be dark or light, but it is also dull and unsaturated. These colors are not found on the traditional color wheel.

You need to be able to isolate and identify each one of those three qualities in every color you evaluate.

For more complete information on color, see Lesson 103-01 Color Basics and/or Lesson 203-01 Advanced Color.

YELLOW* VIOLET* PINK** GRAY GREEN** GRAY BLUE**

VALUE high low high low high LIGHTNESS/DARKNESS

the color is the color is the color is the color is the color is light, so its dark, so its light, so its dark, so its light, so its value is value is value is value is value is high low high low high

INTENSITY high high low low low SATURATION

the color is the color is the color is the color is the color is bright and bright and diluted dull and is dull and is pure, so its pure, so its with white, diluted diluted saturation saturation so its with gray, with gray, is high is high saturation so its so its is low saturation saturation is low is low

*FOUND ON THE COLOR WHEEL **NOT FOUND ON THE COLOR WHEEL

We see color because there is light. And when there is a light source, it creates shadows. Color becomes lighter nearer the light source and darkens away from it. Consequently, three-dimensional objects change color value. It is those changes that you first need to understand and learn to evaluate--and then finally to reproduce.

When there is no evident light Changes in color value source, there is no change in indicate the existence of a color value; the shape looks light source--and give us a flat and two-dimensional. clue that the object is 3- dimensional.

The general color of this circle is green. So we say that green is the LOCAL COLOR of the circle. But when an object is one color value all over, it looks flat.

When it is affected by a light source, the color (LOCAL COLOR) of a curved object changes from an all-over same value to a lighter value (COLOR HIGHLIGHT) nearest the light source and to a darker value HIGHLIGHT (FORM SHADOW) farther from the light source. This circle is still “green,” but now LOCAL COLOR the value of the green has changed from one part of the circle to another. FORM SHADOW

Your challenge, then, is to evaluate objects with regard to their hue, value & intensity, and your first task is to determine the LOCAL COLOR of whatever object you plan to match. (In this case, the local color of the sphere is green.) That local color will need to be both lightened (COLOR HIGHLIGHT) and darkened (FORM SHADOW) and the resulting colors will need to look as though they were derived from that initial (or “root”) color--in this case: green (not yellow-green or blue-green). If you were painting the circle, it would be easy: mix the darkest green (FORM SHADOW), add water/solvent for the middle value (LOCAL COLOR) and add more water/solvent to create the light green (COLOR HIGHLIGHT). However, the real challenge occurs as a result of the choices the colored pencil manufacturers give you. They don’t make three different values of the same “root” color very often--and even if they did, the names they gave the colors wouldn’t give you a clue as to whether or not they were related: True Green, Grass Green, Juniper Green, Empire Green, Spruce Green, etc.

The three Prismacolor grays (Warm, Cool, and French) are available in percents, but none of the other colors are. Caran d’Ache Luminance is available in a set of 76 lightfast pencils that includes eight colors: Olive Brown, Raw Umber, Burnt Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Brown Ochre, Sepia, French Grey, and Payne’s Grey in percents: 10%, 50%, 100%.

So…back to our evaluation. Our problem, then, is the fact that we must layer colors to mix them, so normally the local color will consist of more than one color. Our task is to create a lighter version of the local color mix to indicate the changes in value due to the light source-- and then to create a darker version of the local color mix to represent the form shadow.

And those three values must look as though they ! were all derived from the same basic (local) color.

So let’s create those colors now.

First, choose the colors that will make up the local color: green.

Get out your Color Index and select whatever greens you have. Separate those colors into dark, medium, and light value greens--and take note of the additional values you have made with each of those greens by changing its pencil pressure. Your local color mix should consist of the greens you judge to be most like the local color of the sphere. My choices: P-908 Dark Green C-229 F-159 P-909 Grass Green C-290 F-264 P-910 True Green C-460 F-162

Directions for the Color Index can be found in Lesson 101-01 Getting Acquainted.

Now choose some lighter value greens for the color highlight, remembering at the same time that you can vary pressure with any pencil to create a lighter value of that color.

P-910 True Green C-460 F-162 P-920 Light Green C-211 F-162

And finally something darker than your darkest green. This/these color(s) will serve to darken the mix of greens and create a realistic form shadow color. I already know that I can use my darkest green with heavier pressure, but I still need to find something darker, if possible.

Well, guess what--I have no Prismacolor greens any darker than 908 Dark Green. (Same goes for the dark greens in the other two brands.) So now I’ll have to find some other color(s) that I can use that will darken the local color but not change it, if possible.

This is where my knowledge of the color wheel comes in handy. I know that the complement of green is red. Using a complement or near complement can work--as long as I don’t use so much pressure when I apply it that it changes the color of the green. I want to apply enough to change the value of the green, but not the color. So I’ll look for a dark red, red-violet, or violet.

RED P-937 Tuscan Red C-085 F-225 P-1095 Black Raspberry C-089 F-217

RED-VIOLET P-931 Dark Purple C-120 F-194 P-1078 Black Cherry C-067 F-133

VIOLET P-932 Violet C-139 F-136 P-1007 Imperial Violet C-130 F-137

The above colors are not equivalents. Instead, they are the colors that I chose from each of my three brands to darken the green local color I created from the colors in that particular brand.

Of course, you can select other darker colors that will work to develop the form shadow: Dark Blue Dark Brown Dark Grey

Just make a series of swatches using the different colors with your local and form shadow colors. Try them in different combinations and different pressures to see which ones work best. Remember to keep the color as true as possible to the local color--so that it looks as though they are both derived from the same source (or “root” color).

Create the form shadow with the darker colors. You might not use them all, but whichever ones you do use should be applied with gradually reducing pressure toward the light source. Use whatever combination of the dark green and LOCAL COLOR dark red, red-violet, and violet (or other colors) you need to create a darker green.

The form shadow should then be enriched with your mix FORM SHADOW of local color greens. They should be applied right over the form shadow, and extended farther toward the highlight.

BUILD THE LOCAL COLOR

Add a lighter local color green. It should be applied over the darker colors and extended farther toward the highlight (up to the dotted line), with gradually reduced pressure at the dotted line.

Apply all the other colors in the local color mix in exactly the same way--again extending color to the highlight, and gradually reducing pressure at the dotted line.

CREATE THE HIGHLIGHT

Create the color highlight with light-value green(s). Begin in the center of the highlight with very light pressure and slightly increase pressure toward the dotted line, overlapping the already-applied color there.

If you use more than one light-value green, you can apply the lightest one last and use it as a blender. Or you can apply both and then use the colorless blender pencil.

Now let’s sum up how it works. LOCAL COLOR: First, select colors you can layer together that will make a good local color mix. FORM SHADOW: Then find a color (or colors) darker than the darkest local color to use as a form shadow. Or at least plan to apply the darkest local color with heavier pressure. Consider using a complement (or near complement).

COLOR HIGHLIGHT: Most colored pencil manufacturers don’t provide you with a light value version of every color. So develop a light value version of a darker color with a very light and even application of the darker color--and possibly use the colorless blender to smooth, blend, and even the pigment--all in order to preserve the hue of the light color and still keep it light. Use white only as a last resort; it can both change and deaden color.

I decided to begin with three different colors to see what effect they would have on the local color greens.

P-1095 Black Raspberry P-1078 Black Cherry 932 Violet

(dark RED) (dark RED-VIOLET) (dark VIOLET)

So begin with your darkest color. Consider the direction of the light source and begin to apply the color around the lower left edge of the circle. Reduce pressure both toward the center of the circle and around the edge toward the light source.

Next apply your darkest green. I used P-908 Dark Green.

(dark RED) (dark RED-VIOLET) (dark VIOLET) Use MP over the first color you applied, but this time extend the color farther toward the light source, again reducing pressure toward the color highlight and this time all around the circle’s perimeter.

You may not be able to see the differences in color from one circle to another, but the dark red and the dark red-violet are too dark and too red. The dark violet, however, contains less red than the other two colors, and consequently is more blue. The “bluer” color looks better with and relates more to the dark green, so that’s the circle I’ll complete.

Before I apply more color, let’s talk about what’s happened so far. The violet serves to The violet now lowers the darken my darkest green and value of the dark green and at the same time gives the together with it creates the dark green depth and interest. form shadow. The resulting If I had just applied the dark color looks “green” and with green with heavy-to-light the extension of the dark pressure and not layered it green even farther toward over the violet, the green the light source and around would have looked “flat” and the perimeter, the dark shallow. Even so, as I applied green is not only part of the the dark green over the violet, form shadow, but also I still varied my pencil becomes the first layer of pressure (and extended it the local color mix. farther) to get more “mileage” out of the dark green.

P-909 Grass Green

Now develop the local color. First apply a A sphere is an excellent example of smooth and even middle value green gradation, so it’s a good shape with medium pressure to use for practice. over the darker colors Your main objective at this you’ve already applied. point is to change color/value As always, to keep gradually and smoothly, leaving no blotchy areas and color smooth and even, no noticeable stroke marks. make sure your pencil is sharp and work the color down into the paper tooth.

P-909 Grass Green

As you can see here, I’ve 2-3 LAYERS begun to describe a circle to define the highlight area. Reduce pressure around the edge of that area.

ONE LAYER

Continue to apply the middle-value green with medium pressure. Extend the color farther toward the highlight than you did with the dark green, and apply more than one layer to enrich the color and fill in the paper tooth.

P-909 Grass Green

Define the color highlight with the middle-value green. Gradually (and evenly) reduce pressure around the color highlight. This is the part that requires some finesse. You’ll be using a darkish color with v-e-r-y light pressure, so keep your pencil sharp and use PP2. Make this change in value as gradual and even as possible. This is what realism is all about!

P-910 True Green

Now with your lightest green, The important things to create the color highlight. You remember are (1) to apply can begin either way: working this lighter color well into the from the lightest part of the local color with medium color highlight back into the pressure and (2) to make the local color--or beginning well transition from medium to into the local color and working extreeeeemly light pressure toward the lightest part of the in the very center of the color color highlight. It doesn’t make highlight v-e-r-y smooth any difference--the effect will and gradual. be the same.

P-911 Olive Green F-112 Leaf Green F-171 Light Green C-221 Light Green

Then to tweak the color just a little--I applied the four yellow-greens above. It isn’t necessary unless you have them and want to “yellow” the sphere just a little. I applied the darkest color over the form shadow, the middle-value green over the local color mix, and the light-value green in the color highlight.

This sphere did not require a lot of colors in the local color mix. Some objects will require more than others to build and match local color. So long as you have layered with at least 2 colors, your local color mix will have some depth. Always try to layer at least two colors. More is still better--unless you can create the color you want with just the two.

FOR THE GREEN SPHERE

OTHER

Caran d’Ache Prismacolor Faber-Castell Surface used in this project: PABLO PREMIER POLYCHROMOS

Fabriano Artistico Extra C-120 P-932 Violet F-136 # White HP 140 C-229 P-908 Dark Green F-159 C-290 P-909 Grass Green F-264 C-460 P-910 True Green F-162

OPTIONAL

C-221 P-911 Olive Green F-112 F-171

“Now,” you say, “why doesn’t this green sphere match the little green example to the left?”

Excellent question! This “phenomenon” certainly demonstrates the differences that occur from camera--to computer--to color monitor! My actual example on paper is very close to the sphere on the left--and yours will be, too, if you use the same pencil colors that I did to create it. The important consideration is the fact that the example demonstrates the thought process you need to follow in order to evaluate and select color--and the steps you must follow to modulate local color into color highlight and form shadow. The actual color of the sphere doesn’t really matter; the manner of selecting of colors, the technique of changing pressure to create the changes in value, and the method of application do matter.

Train yourself to think of the color of every object you see in terms of its color (hue) and its intensity and then in terms of its three local color values: color highlight, local color, and form shadow. Practice by selecting an object, looking through your Color Index, and then choosing colors that would make up the local color mix. Then picture what you would need to do in order to lighten that local color and still preserve its “root” relationship. And lastly, look through your pencils to find the darkest color you have that you could use to darken that local color mix and develop a form shadow that appears to be a darker version of the local color.

You’ll soon discover (if you haven’t already done so) that the manufacturers “short” you mostly in the very high value colors and in the very low value colors, but they make a ton of middle value colors. And you’ve probably already discovered that some of the colors they give you are redundant (resemble each other very closely). You’ll also realize how terrific it would be to have more colors in percents.

And now it’s time to practice developing local color… But first…

This is another tool for you to use in your color matching quest. I know--not another color chart! Oh yes! Trust me--if you have trouble matching color, this little tool will be a BIG help. It takes a lot of the guesswork out of color matching and choosing.

The master copy consists of two columns that you’ll need to cut apart.

COLOR FAMILY

Punch a hole in the center NUMBER NAME COLOR of each large square using a hole punch. The smaller rectangle is for the color NUMBER. The long rectangle is for the color NAME. The actual color goes in the square with the hole.

Punch, label, and color as many strips as you need for the number of colored pencils you have.

HOW IT WORKS

the color you want to match

Place the holes in the Color Matching Guide over the Begin your color color you want to match mix with that and you’ll see right away color. Sometimes what colored pencil color you can match matches it most closely. the color with one or two pencils; sometimes it takes more, but this gets you in the ball park right away and makes it a lot easier to get started!

EVALUATING COLOR In this exercise, I want you to try to exactly match the colors in the boxes by creating those colors with the pencils you have. Think of each color as the local color of an object. In the blank box beside each color-filled box, layer colors together to match the color in the box as closely as possible.

HINT--write the NUMBERS of the colors in the mix beside the boxes. List the colors’ numbers and NAMES on the back for future reference.

It’s a good bet that your monitor (and your printer) won’t display and print colors that exactly match mine--or that the color from your printer won’t exactly match the color you see on your own monitor, because mine sure doesn’t. But that said, let’s take a look at these boxes and I’ll tell you some ways to get started.

You can use your Color Matching Guide for starters.

Another way is to look at the actual color and then look through your pencils to see if you have one that looks like the color in the box. (I’m going to match this gold color). If you do, great! Get it out and lay it beside the box. If you have a color that is in the “ball park,” get that one out. Let’s say this box color looks “gold” or some kind of “dark-ish yellow” (you can begin to see the problems with describing color already!)

This yellowish color, when printed by my printer doesn’t look anything like what I’m seeing on my computer monitor.

Looking through my Prismacolor pencils, I find: 1012 Jasmine 940 Sand LF203 Gamboge 942 Yellow Ochre

I can hold the colored leads right up against the color in the box to judge their color compared to the color in the box.

Then on a piece of scrap paper I begin making color swatches.

I apply the color MP and LP

The color swatches show that all the colors are too yellow, so I’ll have to deal with that, but before I do, I look very closely at the VALUE of each pencil color.

Value is very important when you match colors--and you do have some control over it by varying your pencil pressure.

ANOTHER TOOL If you have trouble judging color value, you can use pieces of colored cellophane to neutralize the color--leaving only a grayed value of it.

Red and green cellophane work best. Use one or the other, depending on the color you want to neutralize. If the color to be evaluated contains red or orange, look at it through the green cellophane, if the color contains green or blue, look at it through the red cellophane.

Another important aspect of matching colors generated by your printer is that printers add black (or gray) to just about every color they put out. Think about it: what color are the inks your printer uses? Magenta (red), Yellow, Cyan (blue), and BLACK. As far as the printer is concerned, in order to darken a color: just add black to it. That’s why images printed in color from your printer lack the brightness, liveliness, and clarity you see on your computer monitor. CONCLUSION? In order to match many of the colors in this exercise, you’ll need to add some gray to your color mix.

Now I’ll deal with the fact that the box color looks greenish-brown in addition to looking yellowish. (My, my, what professional terminology I’m using!) So I’ll choose 1028 Bronze and 1005 Limepeel to dull and darken the yellow--and then “green” it a little.

Now it’s time to start layering colors. Of the yellows, Jasmine Is the only color that will work with the Bronze and Limepeel without being too yellow. I layered those three colors in different orders until I found what worked best.

And here’s the result…

1. I ended up first applying the Bronze very carefully and evenly with LP.

Step 1: Bronze LP

2. Next I applied a little Limepeel with LP.

Step 2: Limepeel LP

3. Then over those two colors, I layered the Jasmine with MP.

To lighten and then smooth the color even more, I added some 914 Cream over the mix with MHP.

I could probably add a little 1052 Warm Grey 30% to tone it down just a smidgen, but it looks pretty close on my paper. (And these swatches on my monitor don’t look at all like the actual colors on the printed exercise sheet.)

The important thing is how I chose (and then experimented) with various colors (in various orders) to match the color in the box. Remember that color mixes can look different, depending upon the order in which the colors are layered, and the pressure with which they are applied. Remember, too, that lighter colors can be applied over darker ones to act as blenders, smoothing and evening color.

CHOOSING COLOR FOR THE APPLE

FORM SHADOW

Here’s an apple photographed indoors with overhead fluorescents. The local color of the apple is RED. The red grows darker as it gets farther from the light and you know that that darker area is called the form shadow.

LIGHT-VALUE RED

DARK YELLOW Let’s evaluate the color: The local color (or the middle value red) looks to me to contain several different reds plus some dark yellow (gold).

The lighter part of the apple (the higher value red) contains the same reds as the middle value MINUS the darkest reds.

The form shadow is a mix of the same reds as the middle DARKEST RED values WITH SOME DARKER COLOR(S) ADDED TO IT TO DARKEN IT.

EVERY 3-DIMENSIONAL OBJECT consists of these three values in its local color.

Let’s keep looking at this apple…

How do you make the colors you need? First, select the colors for the middle value red or the LOCAL COLOR of the apple. I’m going to choose for you this time--and share my thinking with you. You’ve probably already discovered as you work with one brand of pencil that you are limited in the colors you can use. For example, there are only so many “reds” in the set that you have--and not all red objects can be represented by those few colors in combinations.

P-922 Poppy Red (w) In my set of Prismacolor pencils, I have these colors that I perceive as reds: P-923 Scarlet Lake (w) P-924 Crimson Red (c) One of the first things I do when I P-925 Crimson Lake (c) evaluate a color is to decide whether it P-926 Carmine Red (c) looks to me to be warm or cool, so I’ve indicated that by a “w” or a “c” after the P-994 Process Red (c) color name. (Lesson 103-01 Color Basics) P-1029 Mahogany Red (c) P-1030 Raspberry (c)

Luckily, I perceive the apple to consist mostly of cool reds (and I have quite a few) with an underlying warm glow of gold. Now I must decide which reds will work for me. I’ll choose to make the local color mix with P-924 Crimson Red (LF-124) P-925 Crimson Lake P-926 Carmine Red (LF-126)

Next, I need to decide how I’m going to make You’ve already discovered that when you work in the light-value color highlight. This time I’ll colored pencil, in order to create MORE colors, you choose: must vary the pressure with which you lay down P-926 Carmine Red MP color. Look at your Color Index again and you’ll see the range of values you can achieve with your P-925 Crimson Lake LP reds from light to dark. P-924 Crimson Red LP I’ve chosen those same reds again because I plan My, my! Those are the same colors I chose to apply more of the lighter Carmine Red and less for the local color! How does that work? of the darker reds as you can see by the way I’ve labeled the pressure for each color.

And finally, I need to choose something darker than my darkest red….hmmmm, what will that be? As I see it, I have two choices: continue with colors that look related to red, such as red-violet, purple, violet… OR choose a complement of red: dark green.

As I look at my darker “reds” I find: P-931 Dark Purple P-932 Violet P-937 Tuscan Red P-996 Black Grape P-1078 Black Cherry P-1095 Black Raspberry

And in the darker greens I find: P-907 Peacock Green P-908 Dark Green P-911 Olive Green P-988 Marine Green P-1090 Kelp Green

The next thing I do is to start making little test color mixes layering those colors over the local color mix. Once I do, I decide that I like the mixes made with the reds better than I like the mixes made with the greens, so my choices of darker colors for the form shadow may be:

P-1078 Black Cherry (or P-1095 Black Raspberry) P-931 Dark Purple

I could layer them on the apple first in a modified grisaille (Lesson 101-4: Paper) and then over them layer Crimson Lake and Crimson Red. The four colors together will make the dark red that I need for the form shadow.

Local color mix: Carmine Crimson Crimson Lake

Once you are familiar with evaluating local color this way, you’ll probably be able to do some (or all) of it in your head. As I’ve already mentioned, color is instinctive to me, so I normally don’t make test swatches for every step. But that doesn’t mean I don’t make any swatches at all! Here are 3 (of many).

Be sure to make your swatches on the same kind of paper as the good paper you plan to use for the final pendering.

Now that you know my strategy in choosing colors for the local color, color highlight, and the form shadow for the apple, I’ll list the colors (not equivalents) that I would choose in the other two brands. CARAN D’ACHE FABER-CASTELL

270 124 LIGHT VALUE 075 LP 219 LP 280 LP 226 LP

075 127 LOCAL COLOR MIX 280 219 080 226

120 133 130 194 FORM SHADOW 139 225

Take a close look at your colors. Your choices may be different from mine! It doesn’t matter-- as long as your apple is the red you want--AND the form shadow looks like a darker version of the local color.

And now there’s one other issue to deal with--that beautiful glow of gold that shows through the red.

You’ll need to choose colors for it. And to create the glow, you’ll need to apply that mix to the paper first-- before you apply any red. The gold color needs to compliment and “glow” through the red--not make it look “orange.”

And here’s the fun part: the gold color is also affected by the light, so you will need to create the highlight, local color and form shadow colors of that gold color, because as the apple’s surface changes value, so too does the gold “glow.”

I’ll get you started by choosing three colors: a light, middle and lower value color for the changes in the “glow.” To further develop the color, use your Color Index and make swatches to create the color you want. Remember that you can use the colors below in different combinations and pressures in each mix, too. For example, you might add some of the form shadow color to the local color mix to darken it.

PRISMACOLOR CARAN D’ACHE FABER-CASTELL

LIGHT VALUE 940 Sand 031 184

LOCAL COLOR MIX 942 Yellow Ochre 033 183

FORM SHADOW 1032 Pumpkin 065 188

THIS JUST IN FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCY DEPARTMENT

Before continuing, let’s sum it up (again!): The LOCAL COLOR MIX is a middle value of the general color of the object. Its color value is affected by the light source. It becomes lighter near the light source, and darker farther from it. The COLOR HIGHLIGHT or lightest part of the object is a lighter-value version of the local color mix. You may find pencils in the correct color, but more than likely you won’t, so that means reducing pencil pressure to achieve that value. The FORM SHADOW is a darker value of the local color mix. It must be a color that relates to the local color mix and looks to be derived from it. And using heavier pressure makes any color look darker.

Now, let’s look at the color changes--

HIGH VALUE Here’s a value map of the apple. I’ve outlined the major value changes. Of course there will be variances within each value, but LOW VALUE the lines mark the major changes.

MIDDLE VALUE

Notice the two areas on either side of the apple where the white surface under the apple reflects light up onto the apple. This is normally the most difficult color to evaluate. It’s not hard to reproduce, it’s just difficult to identify because your brain tells you the apple MUST be red--so those two edges have to be red. Upon closer evaluation, they are not red. They are a light value (and grayed) version of the form shadow mix. (Try your Color Matching Guide there!)

RED APPLE: Now It’s YOUR TURN!

An excellent exercise for you at this point will be for you to complete the apple on your own. I’ve suggested colors that will get you started, so now YOU choose the colors for YOUR apple and see how you do.

At the end of this lesson, I’ve included the steps and colors I used and you can compare both.

Once I got started on my apple, I made some color revisions, so don’t think that you have to use the exact same colors that I’ve listed on the preceding pages!

You have learned a great deal about how to choose and match color. I hope I have made it easier for you by sharing my strategy. Learn to analyze every object with regard to its local color mix, its form shadow and its color highlight. Try to re-create those colors with your pencils. Practice, practice, practice!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this lesson and plan to continue.

hue - an attribute of color: its name. (pg 7) value - an attribute of color: its lightness or darkness (pg 7) intensity - an attribute of color: its purity or saturation. (pg 7) achromatic - containing no color: black, white, gray. (pg 8) complement - any color’s opposite on the color wheel. (pg 8) near complement - a hue on either side of a color’s complement on the color wheel. For example, a near complement of red would be either blue-green or yellow-green--colors on either side of green (pg 8)

local color - the general color of an object. (pg 11) highlight - a light value of the local color. (pg 11) form shadow - a dark value of the local color. (pg 11) pendering - a combination of the words “pencil” and “rendering.” I use the word (suggested to me by Vernita Hoyt) to describe the process of rendering in color with the colored pencil. (pg 55)

RED APPLE

If you elected to create the apple on your own, GOOD FOR YOU! Now you can compare your choices to mine. But if you’ve decided to create it along with me, there’s nothing wrong with that! Seeing the colors I chose and watching me apply them will give you more insight into color application and matching.

TRANSFER THE LINE DRAWING TO GOOD PAPER

HINT--For more ways to transfer, see Lesson 101-3: Transfer Methods & Paper Preparation).

FOR THE RED APPLE

Caran d’Ache Prismacolor Faber-Castell COLOR # PABLO PREMIER POLYCHROMOS

OTHER 1 C-031 P-940 Sand F-184 2 C-033 P-942 Yellow Ochre F-183 Surface used in this project: 3 C-035 P-1034 Goldenrod F-182 Fabriano Artistico 4 C-120 P-1095 Black Raspberry F-263 Traditional White HP 140# 5 C-089 P-925 Crimson Lake F-225 6 C-075 P-924 Crimson* F-219 7 C-085 P-1029 Mahogany Red F-263 8 C-270 P-926 Carmine** F-121 9 C-300 P-1002 Yellowed Orange F-109 10 C-280 P-LF 122 Permanent Red F-118 *** (no equivalent) 11 C-055 P-945 Sienna Brown F-283

PRISMACOLOR LIGHTFAST 12 C-245 P-1005 Limepeel F-168 EQUIVALENTS 13 C-231 P-1004 Yellow Chartreuse F-104 *LF124 Cadmium Red Hue 14 C-470 P-989 Chartreuse F-171 **LF126 Carmine Red 15 *** P-1019 Rosy Beige *** 16 *** P-1079 Blue Violet Lake ***

ACTUAL COLORS USED ARE IN BLUE

RED APPLE: Step 1

Begin the glow with COLOR 1. Apply COLOR 1 This color is so light, to the top third of the it’s difficult to see, apple using LP and a but just apply it to sharp point to evenly the top third of the work the color into the apple, following the value map. Be sure to paper tooth. Feather the FEATHERED color into the next value EDGE leave the sharp hard- step area so that you LEAVE WHITE edged white don’t create a definite highlights white! line or edge where you stop the color.

Don’t confuse shiny hard-edged white highlights with the local color highlight. The brilliant white highlights are the reflection of the light source in the shiny surface of any object. These white highlights are what make an object appear shiny.

RED APPLE: Step 2

RE-APPLY RE-APPLY

Continue to build the glow. Apply COLOR 2 to the bottom two thirds of the apple. Then re-apply RE-APPLY COLOR 2 to enrich and darken some areas as indicated.

RE-APPLY MP

RED APPLE: Not Step 3*

COLOR 3 (the dark gold color) needs to be added to that whole outlined area to create the glow base for dark First add a layer of red COLOR 4 (that you will COLOR 3 (the dark add next). Under where the gold color) to the area appears to be dark red, outlined area using apply COLOR 3 with MP. LP. Then in the next step, you’ll apply the dark red color over COLOR 3.

*You can blame this one on me! I forgot to photograph Step 3 and didn’t realize it until I had the apple nearly !nished. Sorry about that!

RED APPLE: Step 4

Where COLOR 4 is Okay, NOW you applied over the golden can add COLOR 4! glow, it will appear more MP LP red. Where it is layered directly on the white VLP paper with VLP, it will VLP look more purple. LP

RED APPLE: Step 5

Apply COLOR 5. HP Use LP along the MP outer edges of the apple as indicated MP and MP to HP in the LP other areas. VLP

RED APPLE: Step 6

LP MP Apply COLOR 6 as shown. Use medium pressure in the bottom HP HP 2/3 of the apple. Keep your pencil point sharp and work the color evenly into the tooth. Increase pressure where indicated and reduce to MP light pressure at the top of the apple.

INCREASE

RED APPLE: Step 7

In order to create rich color, there will be times As long as you use even when you’ll need to re- pressure and keep your apply a color--and this is pencil point sharp, you can one of those times! apply quite a bit more Re-apply COLOR 6 with color. But don’t burnish! even pressure and in the You still have more colors same way you applied it to add, so save any in Step 6. burnishing until the very Keep your pencil sharp last step. and continue to work the color into the paper tooth. If you try to apply both layers of COLOR 6 all at one time, it will be more difficult to keep your application even--and you’ll risk burnishing the color.

RED APPLE: Step 8

Darken the areas indicated with Color 7.

RED APPLE: Step 9

Add another layer of Color 6 (sharp point, MP) as you did in Steps 6 & 7

RED APPLE: Step 10

Apply Color 8 to the top 1/3 of the apple with LP and over the lower 2/3 with MP .

RED APPLE: Step 11

At this point, you’ll need to deepen the glow, so apply Color 9 to the top 1/4 of the apple. Leave the shiny highlights, the stem, and the area around the stem white.

RED APPLE: Step 12

COLOR 10 COLOR 10 & & COLOR 9 COLOR 9

COLOR 4

Apply Color 10 MP to the entire top 1/3 of the apple; then go over the same area with a layer of Color 9 MP. To the bottom edge of the apple, apply Color 4 with VLP.

RED APPLE: Step 13

Complete the stem. Apply Apply Color 15 to the Color 11 to the bottom and in a outer edges of the side light line along the top; apply of the apple. Color 12 across the center of Then use Color 16 to the stem; and finally apply sharpen the edge lines. Color 3 to the end of the stem. Feather the color To the depression to the left slightly into Color 15. of the stem, first apply Color 13 to the darkest part. Then apply Color 14 to the entire Then, using Color 7, area. Use VLP and apply just a soften the value hint of Color 8 over that area transitions in the bottom in order to mellow and change 2/3 of the apple (where the intensity of the color. by the dark and light areas adding some of its come together). complement.

You should feel a lot more comfortable choosing and You may not have chosen the matching color now. You are same colors I did, but if your familiar with my thought process, apple looks similar, that makes you’ve increased your color no difference at all. vocabulary, and you are With the colored pencil, there is beginning to think about colors usually more than one “road” to with regard to their hue, value, take you to your “destination.” and intensity. As long as when you arrive you Remember, the more you practice, are happy with the color you the easier it will become. Many developed, that’s all that matters! times, as I look at objects, I try to picture the colors I would select in order to create their local, highlight, and form shadow colors. Try it!