Complementary Hue/Value/Intensity Study

Progress on my value study a day? Slowed to a halt. But I have been making progress and moving forward on my goal of considering myself an artist by the time this Corona Virus ordeal is over. Mostly working on things that make me happy during this summer of staying home. No need to add any more stress to the anxiety we all already feel. 

For the past week, I've been using a previous value study to work on my my color theory knowledge while continuing to explore acrylics. I'm not a new-comer to color theory. It's a subject I love and find fascinating. But I will say, there's a difference between reading about it and actually using it for a painting.  I picked up a used copy of Stephen Quiller's Acrylic Painting Techniques, and I've been devouring it. (I have several other books by him; his theories aren't new to me, but they were challenging to use with watercolor). The first exercise asks you to paint six small, simple paintings using two complementary colors. I had to head down to my local art store, Way Up Art and Frame (so happy they're weathering these crazy times), to pick up seven tubes of paint to be able to flesh out my color wheel to match his. I'm glad this acrylic thing is still fascinating me because I now have A LOT of acrylic paint! Anyway, I decided to work my exercises with Pyrrole Orange and Phthalo Blue. Interesting combination; interesting outcomes. 

This was a fascinating exercise and much harder than I thought it was going to be. But, wow, I learned a lot. For each painting (5.5"x7.5"), I chose the value range and the intensity range, and decided if I was going to use white and black. It was a lot to think about before starting, but having done all that thinking, I found I could start focusing on the painting. I liked that a lot. I don't think any of these paintings is a masterpiece, nor do I think the color is very sophisticated, but I am really happy with how they came out, and they will now be on my studio wall for future reference. Here's my results:

• Top, orange dominant: lighter value range (no black used), full intensity color plus white (tints).
• Middle, orange dominant: darker value range, added black (shades), every color neutralized. 
• Bottom, orange dominant: full value scale, used tints, tones (made from mixing blue and orange), and shades. 
• Top, blue dominant: full value scale, all intensities, used gray but no black or white. 
• Middle, blue dominant: darker value range, all neutralized color, added black.
• Bottom, blue dominant: full value range, used a mixed gray as a "mother" color (some amount of gray in every color or color mix). 

So which do I like best? Hard to say. At first I hated the top orange, but it's kind of grown on me; it has its own charm. I also didn't like the middle blue; it's dark and creepy. But I think what's interesting is that it goes back to what Mike Bailey asks of all of his students...what is the mood? If I had said my mood was a happy, bright day, the first orange one would be perfect. If instead I was after something glum, the middle blue would be perfect. In the end, I think I like the last one the best, the one with the gray mother color. In fact, I like it enough that I'm going to paint one more in this series, a repeat of the bottom blue but with orange as the dominant instead. I'll get back to you!