ROBERT J. KRAJECKI
  • Home
  • About the Artist
  • Watercolor Paintings
  • Oil & Gouache Paintings
  • Demonstration Paintings
  • Patterns
  • Books
  • Classes, News and Events
  • Contact
  • Bob's Blog
  • under construction

Do You or Don't You?

3/31/2016

1 Comment

 
As a watercolor student of Irving Shapiro, I was told never to use black in my paintings. I was never given a reason for not using it. But I followed his rule, and to this day, I do not use black in any of my paintings.

Also, in my painting classes I instruct my students to never use black in their paintings. No matter the black that you use–whether lampblack or ivory black or boneblack–the tendency is to use it anytime that you want to make a color darker in value.

You have a much greater variety of color choices when you use other colors to make a color darker.

However, Faber Berrin in his book on color, "The Principles of Light and Color" states that color harmony is achieved by tints -a hue or color with white added, and tone–a hue with black and white added, and shade–a hue with black added, as shown in the chart below.

Picture

​​Some of my favorite artist of the past used black in their paintings with beautiful results. 
Picture


​John Singer Sargent

Picture


​Anders Zorn

Picture


​Winslow Homer

Picture


​John Carlson

Though I have never used black paint in any of my paintings, and will still encourage my students to avoid black initially, the creative process is a continual journey. So adding black to my palette will be my next great experiment in painting. Stay tuned!
1 Comment
Linda Vorderer
4/2/2016 11:32:12 am

Hello Bob!
I found your information in a P&C brochure...I was a student of yours circa 1980 at AAA... took your classes only on Saturdays. Made me happy to see your name...You gave me a recommendation saying I was in the top 5%... I appreciated that so much...as I went on for my BA degree in art... then raised two kids...then went on to teach elementary art..then went on to SAIC for an MAT degree.. I now am an Advanced Placement reader for the college board, and teach art at Queen of Peace High School, Burbank, IL. I just wanted to say Hi and let you know I still recall the good lessons you led while I was at AAA. I can see in your blog you are still teaching solid fundamentals :)
My email is lvorder@aol.com

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    August 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    April 2015
    January 2015
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Krajecki
    Painting
    Watercolor

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About the Artist
  • Watercolor Paintings
  • Oil & Gouache Paintings
  • Demonstration Paintings
  • Patterns
  • Books
  • Classes, News and Events
  • Contact
  • Bob's Blog
  • under construction