Atmospheric Perspective

• Distant objects appear cooler, grayer, lighter and less distinct

• Close objects appear warmer, more colorful, darker and more distinct

Reflections

• Same colors as in surroundings, but on surfaces like glass, water & polished surfaces, colors less intense

• When a reflective surface is darker than its surroundings, colors that it reflects are less intense and darker

• Mirror surfaces like chrome or polished stainless steel usually distort shapes, but reflect colors exactly

Luminosity

• Light or bright colors appear to be illuminated or glow when surrounded by larger areas of darker or duller colors.

• This juxtaposition helps create illusion of illumination

Color & Light Level

• Color perception based on amount of reflected light. Objects absorb certain light waves and reflect others. The more light that is reflected, the brighter the reflected color. The less light reflected (darker), the duller the color, but will retain its local color relative to other objects

• Nighttime images will be mostly neutral with the exception of objects that are sufficiently lit

Arrangements of Light and Dark

• We can perceive a wide range of value, but if we squint, we can reduce values to basic keys of high, middle and low. This helps simplify tonal arrangements

• This is good for nighttime illustrations where because of the darkness, we see less color and more value.

Dimensions of Color

• Hue: color name on color wheel• Value: lightness or darkness of color• Chroma: saturation, purity, intensity of color

Color Wheel: Hues

Value Contrast

Chroma Contrast

Munsell Tree

• 3 dimensional color model as opposed to 2D color wheel. Takes into consideration all dimensions of color, not just hue

• Vertical pole equals value, horizontal equals chroma and equator equals hue.

• Because of its configuration, presents designers with colors that go together well

Simplified Color Descriptions

• Munsell Tree uses numeric organization that has its advantages when describing colors accurately, but would mean little to clients

• It’s better to describe color, such as: weak, dark red, instead of referring to Munsell designation: 5F3/4.

• You can describe all colors by referring to their hue, value and chroma

Media

• Advantages and disadvantages discussed. • Inexpensive, lasting, forgiving & mostly dry.• Contiguous, meaning, can be used in early efforts as well

as in more finished work.• Hand media fast and inexpensive compared to computer

generated images, but are compatible with computer generated.

• High quality color copy techniques let you work on smaller scale meaning, faster and less expensive. Smaller images can be copied to larger size for presentation

Line Media

• Micron Pens: Can make thin lines that can be enlarged and still appear thin. Don’t smear easily and erase well with pink electric eraser.

• Pilot Razor Tip: Excellent all purpose felt tip. Slightly wider than Micron 01. Not waterproof. Draws over colored pencil with minimum clogging. Harder to erase than Micron, but can be partially erased with pink erasing tip. Line remnants can be hidden with color pencil

Line Media

• Sharpie: permanent, good for filling in small black areas. Don’t use over colored pencils because it can dissolve and smear them.

• Black Prismacolor Pencil: Very dark line that varies in width depending on how it is held and how sharp it is. Reproduces well on copier. Erases fairly well, but not completely. Can make very even tones because of its waxiness and is good for shades and shadows.

Markers

• Can be transparent and appear similar to watercolors. Aniline dye mixed with either alcohol (Prismacolor) or xylene. Does not buckle paper because these chemicals evaporate faster than water. Compatible with most papers designers use.

Markers Continued

• Often used as base color that is modified with pencils, pastels & sometimes line media

• Some types incompatible with some types of line media. – Should not use over colored pencils. Will dissolve

pencils and adulterate tips– Use only alcohol based over copies because xylene

will smear black toner

Markers Continued

• Aniline dyes not UV safe. Will fade quickly in strong sunlight and over time in indoor light. Best to make copy and store original in dark

• Always use adequate ventilation. Can cause nausea and headaches

Markers Colors and Grays

• Grays used most often. Can set value of color whose hue and chroma have not been determined. French grays are brownish, warm grays are reddish and cool grays are bluish

• Colors suggested are consistently used by pros for common materials like wood, stone, metals and glass

• If you can only afford 1 set, alcohol based grays are most versatile

Color Pencils

• Most used media in book. Most flexible and precise. Good for small drawings because of precision and erasibility

• Prismacolor: wide variety of colors, soft enough to apply easily and smoothly. Brilliant solid color, blends well

• Recommended palette selected for frequency of use. Can add colors as needed

Pastels

• Dry & powdery. Erase easily. High quality brands worth it as they don’t streak and blend well.

• Pencils good for small drawings. Slightly harder than sticks, but more accurate.

• Can be applied over marker. Color pencils can be used over pastels. Marker should not be applied over pastel because it will clog and dry it out.

• Needs fixative or great care with finished drawing because it smears easily. Best to make copy and store original

Watercolor

• Used to be used more often but is being replaced by digital media because it is demanding

• Can cover large areas quickly and easily• Can buckle paper• Type of paper used makes a big difference• Can use pencil & pen over dried watercolor

Accents

• Final touches can add life to finished drawing. Touches of white gouache can create sparkle on reflective surfaces. Can create pinpoint of light on light fixtures

• Metallic gold or silver can make convincing metallic highlights. Best used sparingly. Doesn’t reproduce, so has to be added to each copy

Paper

• Variety of types of paper can be used in B&W copier

• Allows for easy transfer of line drawings from tracing paper to finish paper.

• Enables designer to make more than one copy in case design must be redone or gets damaged

Tracing Paper

• Most frequently used• Good for early ideas as well as final color illustrations• Takes pencil, dry media, & felt tip well. Markers may bleed and

can appear muted, which can be an advantage• Translucency less refined than mylar or vellum. • Good for retrocolor, softens application and appears more even• Can place toned paper behind to change background. Lighter

pencil marks appear lighter and more luminous• Disadvantage: thinness makes it fragile. Susceptible to holes

from erasers. Oils and perspiration from hand can make it curl. Good to place paper towel under hand if it must rest on paper

Toned Paper

• Advantage: can complete drawing quickly because only center of interest needs to be colored. Greatest contrasts will occur within colored areas. With white paper, greatest contrasts occur where color meets white edge.

• Can create dramatic effects easily & quickly. Highlights become vivid and colors of pastels and colored pencils appear luminous.

• Darks can be easily added and middles only need light application or left uncolored.

• Less effort to cover white paper in middle to low key schemes

Toned Paper: Canson Mi Tientes

• High quality, textured, toned art paper. Wide variety of colors & grays. Excellent background for color drawings.

• Accepts markers, colored pencils & pastels easily. • Texture helps mask streakiness & errors inherent in pencil

application. Helps unify through color mingling. One side is more textured, both sides can be used.

• Line drawings can be transferred to light colored Canson with light table. Good if you want to keep lines light. If line value is not an issue, can be run through a copier. Needs to be sprayed with Krylon Crystal Clear because photocopy doesn’t adhere well to texture.

White Paper: Bond

• Most common copier paper. Inexpensive, durable & toothy enough for effective use of pencils and pastels.

• Markers can be used, but may bleed due to greater absorbency

• Best to use heavier weight bond (24 lb. & up) if it is compatible with machine

White Paper: Bristol

• Dense & high quality. Excellent with all color media discussed. Good tooth for pencil & pastel. Markers do not bleed too much

• Can be run through copiers. Toner fuses well to surface. Very translucent on light table so it’s easy to trace drawings. If subtle lines are preferred, use 5 mm. mechanical pencil with 6H lead

• Good brands: Strathmore 100 lb. & Canson. Both are 2 ply & have vellum surface. 11 x 14” adequate size for most illustrations. One side slightly rougher, both sides can be used

White Paper: Ink Jet Plotter

• Wide variety available. High quality like HP Coated Paper, C6569C, takes hand drawn lines and color well

• Ink jets dry with matte finish, so hand media can be used on plotted images to add color adjustments, details and nuance quickly