Project - Notan Master Thumbnails
Project - Notan Master Thumbnails
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7:09

Project - Notan Master Thumbnails

355
Course In Progress

Project - Notan Master Thumbnails

355
Course In Progress

Level 1: Two to Three Value Studies

In this project, you'll do Value Thumbnails to help you see value relationships and organize them into groups. You'll simplify the drawings into just 2 or 3 values. This practice will improve your ability to observe and interpret values in your drawings.

Thumbnails are small sketches. They are intentionally small to help you avoid drawing details. Don't draw the details! Focus on designing the large shapes and assigning them a value.

Reference

In the downloads, you’ll find several images of master paintings. Use the images I provided, and if there's another master painting you're excited about, feel free to study it as well.

Two-Value Studies

Two-value drawings (Notan) use just lights and darks. You'll choose a threshold: anything lighter goes into lights, anything darker into darks. This threshold is up to you, based on your interpretation of the image.

  • Lights
  • Darks

Three-Value Studies

Optionally, incorporate a mid value into your thumbnails. The mid value is useful for areas that aren't clearly light or dark and could belong to either group. Including this value helps to categorize those ambiguous areas.

  • Lights
  • Mids
  • Darks

Level 2: Still Life Photos

For more challenge, set up your own still life, compose, light, and photograph it. Use a direct and clear light source to create distinct light and dark areas. Choose a subject that interests you. 

Then, do value thumbnail studies from your photo. This is harder since you're working from a photo, not a master paintings, which have a lot of the composing, designing, and simplifying already done. Photos present raw details and noise. You'll need to filter out unnecessary information, focusing on big shapes and value groups. Fight the urge to include all the details.

Remember, this project isn't about beautiful drawings. It's about improving specific skills to help you make beautiful drawings later.

Deadline - submit by Nov 15, 2024 for a chance to be in the critique video!

Newest
Ben Whitfield
Level 1 attempt. I did 4 thumbnails with 2 values. I found it really hard only using 2 values to make what I was doing identifiable. I will attempt some more using 3 values next time
Mike See
2h
Level 1: That waterfall, though.
Martin M
2h
Level 1 - Question! Which should I prioritize while grouping values: 1) Put similar values into the same group even if it means breaking the shapes. Such as a persons coat and the background wall merging into one group thus breaking the silhouette. Example - in my drawings the person hunched over the table in the 3 value version has their back merged together with the wall as the values are similar. But this breaks the silhouette. OR 2) Keep the shapes by pushing some colors into other value group. This will keep silhouettes intact but changes values of some objects. Second question: Should I aim to capture the correct value of the group as well? I now noticed that I was so focused on the grouping of values that I forgot to figure out where on the value scale the group actually should land. I just defaulted the darker tone to as close to 10 as I could and mid colors to somewhere in the mid. I guess I should try to figure out which value number best represents the average of the group.
Mipupu
3h
I think I simplified it too much. I had fun with it, but the result is strange: looking at my drawings it is impossible to understand what is going on there. And I don't know how to avoid this problem without making too much detail.
Daniel Lucas Nizari
Here the first 3 drawings. I tried to avoid detail but looking at the just released demo, I believe I can go a bit further with detail :).
Cecilia Stagni
L1 studies
Suteja Rao
My Value studies. I found it quite useful to start thinking in values
@skalet80
Did some more tries at the assignment with two drawings with three values and one with two values
@purpleart
11h
Here are the first attempts. Found the landscape particularly tricky as abstracting an already abstract wideangle lanscape ended up looking confusing to my eyes.
Jim H
4h
Nice @purpleart I like those boats especially. I might have to skip ahead to the Notan section to join in the fun....
Kian laguitan
This is my first attempt on one of the master for the Notans. (I plant on redoing this) Essentially what I did first was big to small shapes before going and thinking about the values, Am I approaching it right or is there a way better to do so? (Also I'm having a lilttle issue with my pen so sorry that the values merging with one another.)
@eeid
14h
Minqi He
16h
The practice process was very enjoyable, but I really don’t have extra time to practice more.
John Daniels
I wanted to get in this assignment now (even it is it only 2 master studies) because I may not be able to draw until the coming weekend. This was difficult to do because I had to focus on value while still trying to make sure my proportions were still mostly right. It ended up ok. Towards the end I think my eyes adjusted (or may be my squinting skill leveled up) because I could start to see things in 3 tones a bit easier. I'm interesting in trying some more, but maybe smaller thumbnails would be better.
Connie
23h
Here are my level 1 and level 2 assignments. Notes are on the images. Except I forgot to number all the thumbnails on the level 2 assignments. The flowers are from a picture I had taken a while ago. The apples, I did from life.
Lesulie
1d
level 1 assignment. Struggling to find a good composition for level 2, putting my own comp next to the masters makes it look extra bad XD so I'll take more with this one...
Thieum
1d
A notan still life study, but not really a level 2 because I took the photo reference from the internet. I also used some transitions between darks and mids on some large areas. So I don't know if that completely answers the requested exercise...
Spookii Moon
Dont know if my light source was good enough, but I was able to see and make out different shapes with 3 values.
Rachel Dawn Owens
Nice one!
Krisztina Eperjesi
My first lvl.1 assignments. I did two and three valu version of the same picture. It was so challenging to keep the papier clean. Any advice how to avoid patches due to soft 4B pencil?
Jim H
4h
If you're a righty, work from top left outwards (from top right outwards if you're a lefty). That way you drag minimal graphite with your hand. Also: you can use a clean sheet of paper between your hand and the drawing surface to rest on... and make sure to not drag the resting paper as you move your hand. replace as it gets smudged. As the most expensive option you can look up "Artist Leaning Bridge Hand Rest" at amazon. but it may be best to try one of the above first....
@mariabygrove
Level 2 assignment. It's interesting how in the 3 value thumbnail you can still see what the image represents, but in the 2 value it kinda becomes abstract. Am I correct thinking that in this exercise we're supposed to use only sharp edges? Or should I have differentiated between sharp and soft?
Ieva Paleja
Very interesting challenge! I tried two values and I must say that sometimes it's not understandable anymore what is depicted on the drawing.
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Founder of Proko, artist and teacher of drawing, painting, and anatomy. I try to make my lessons fun and ultra packed with information.
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