Underlay Toolbar for Grisaille

Now has the expanded Underlay toolbar with 12 buttons made for value studies and grisaille under-painting techniques. Create a grisaille study in minutes, print the results, and simulate hue glazes.

Quick Start Tutorial

This tutorial explains how to use Artworks Basic to create and print grisaille studies. Available as a FREE download in a printable PDF format.


To download this study click here.

WINDOWS® 98, ME, 2000 Pro, XP, Vista, 7

First Virtual Methods for Art

Artworks Basic™ 1.9.3.9
COMPOSITION SOFTWARE FOR FINE ART

"I love it!" is the most common phrase stated by customers

Artworks Basic™ is a composition tool for artists who paint. Key features include the innovative virtual methods for color composition, drawing and composition grids for form, artistic effects filters, and photo editing tools.

The Innovation

What makes Artworks Basic unique and effective are the virtual methods invented by artist and real time software engineer Philip Gagnon for art instruction and color composition.

This technology is a new kind of software engineering. It's developed with robust, native coding methods for real time artistic control. That means it's got the power of state-of-the-art photo-editing, but goes the next step delivering true virtual methods for art.

Since 2002, Gagnon's virtual methods technology has been "raising the bar" setting new standards for art software tools so artists can work with the colors in real time, live on-screen (see left), for composition.

And that's the innovation - virtual methods of control for art.

In a nutshell, you can use virtual methods at a basic level to figure out any color effect in minutes, overcome tricks-of-the-eye, specialize in color effects that interest you, discover color secrets, and more. You can also advance to the next level of color composition much quicker and deeper by using these methods to study hue, value, and chroma patterns in terms of visual design principles.

All in all, the "time saving" and "effectiveness" benefits alone are worth the investment into virtual methods for composition. Artworks Basic has 3rd generation virtual technology. The next generation is coming in 2012.

To learn more, read the Product Highlights below.

Printed Color Charts & Tutorial

Artworks Basic is more than composition software. It's actually a toolkit that comes with the software on CD plus...

• three printed color charts - a "gray balanced" color wheel, a 16 step value scale, and a chroma scale

• electronic color tutorial - topics include the three color elements, the color system, how to use it for reference, and color mixing.

JULY 2008


Artworks Basic was listed for its composition features in the article...

The Best Software for Making Art

Here are some of the nifty things you can do with Artworks Basic.

Analyze Color for Art


Analyze color using the Gagnon Color System™ - the color foundation for virtual methods.

The basic Gagnon 3D Color Model charts more than 4000 gray balanced colors. Each color is positioned within a unique "golden section" color wheel for applying color theory principles while analyzing color effects and planning color compositions for the canvas.

Here are some of its unique benefits.

Study Color Effects in Real Time

Virtual methods enable you to analyze and study deep color effects in digital images in real time so you can gain in-depth knowledge of color using visual design principles.

Interpret screen colors using the virtual color system and the printed color charts that come with the software.

Mask (isolate) more than 4000 colors by hue, value, or chroma in real time.

Discover what combination of hues, values, and chromas make things look real and natural. Discover what makes things look good.

Overcome "tricks-of-the eye" caused by simultaneous contrast and after image effects. These effects can handicap an amateur for years. You'll often be surprised at what's really there.

Specialize in color effects - skies, clouds, trees, mountains, fog, water, pets, portraits, barns, boats, and barrels. You name it. Find out what makes a "copper" pot look "copper"? What makes "ice" on the pond look like "ice"? Or "trees" look like "trees", "water"... "water"?

Simplify the lighting in your digital images to view the notan and create grisaille studies. With a click of the mouse, you can change the notan in the underlay and switch between the colors and notan in real time. Want a four gray notan? Click "4". Three grays? Click"3". Eight? "8". And so on.


Interpret, Mix, and Plan Color

The Artworks Basic software package also comes with three printed color charts that are gray balanced for art - a color wheel, a value scale, and a chroma (intensity) scale.

The colors in each chart are measured with a spectrophotometer and reliably printed on acid free paper with light-fast archival inks for long life without fading. Each chart is laminated for protection and durability.

Use these charts to interpret screen colors, make color notes, share color notes, plan color compositions, and mix hundreds of colors accurately and with confidence.

Even without the software, these printed charts alone add considerable value as a reliable gray balanced, reference for color composition.


Compose the Non-Color things

Artworks Basic also comes with special overlay features that help you draw, frame, and compose form (the non-color things - lines, shapes, masses, and textures). Use the Canvas Crop Window with the Composition Grid overlay to frame pleasing compositions and the Drawing Grid to help with drawing proportions.

And More...

When you add photo-editing plus special artistic effects filters, you have much value for what you pay.

To download a 30 day trial version, click on the "Try It..." button below.

For Full Product Details...
click here

Price* and Purchase Options...

$ Australian price... click here
£ British Pound price... click here
$ Canadian** price... click here
€ Euro price... click here
$ New Zealand price... click here
$ USA price... click here

We ship to 29 Countries:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, and United States.

* Prices may change week to week without notice due to currency exchanges
** Canadians must use Canadian dollars.

Artworks Basic - trademark of Artellmedia Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Gagnon Color System is a trademark of Philip Gagnon, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. All Rights Reserved.