Study#14: Fishing Boat and Dory

Look, there's Color in those Shadows!

Perhaps you heard your art teacher say "Look! There's color in those shadows", but could you really see what the colors were? Check it out for yourself. Most of the colors in the scene (left) are dull. However, you may be surprised to see how colorful the shadows really are. Take a look....

1. click "OFF", click "Black", click "2"
...lot's of color in those shadows!

2. click "White" ...now colors look dull.

Here's something to think about...

Don't you find it interesting that the dark, dull colors (at value 2) look rich on the black underlay and dull on the white underlay?

When you are done switching between the "white" and "black" underlays, click "ON" to restore the colors.

As you can see, this technology is very simple and effective. You can quickly see for yourself that even the grayest looking shadows have color them. By instantly removing the surrounding colors (called masking) you were able to view the remaining colors next to a neutral reference at the same general value. When doing so, the color's richness pops right out.

Now, let's look at the highlights

Ever heard it said, "put a little yellow in the highlights". Well, see for yourself. This time, take a look at the lightest part of the ramp in the forground. Looks white... right? OK, now try this...

1. click "OFF" ...to mask all colors out

2. next click "16 grays", then click on values"7" and "8"

Now move your mouse over to the "White" button, but do not click it yet.

3. Focus on the lightest part of the ramp, then click "white". See! There's color in the highlights too.

4. now click "black" ... colors look dull!

Here are a couple more questions...

Why is it that the highlights look so white when all the colors are "ON"?

and...

Don't you find it interesting that the light, pale colors (at values "7" and "8") look richer on the white underlay and duller on the black underlay?

The Answer

The reason why those colors and effects look that way is due to an effect called simultaneous contrast. To those who are not aware of this effect, it's often a stumbling block that could hinder growth for years. On the other hand, those who are aware and understand how it works, have a unique opportunity for creative expression.

The color tools in Artworks Basic are innovative. They are specifically designed to help you quickly become aware of effects like simultaneous contrast (and another like it called the after image effect). Step-by-step, you begin to develop an eye to see so you can overcome the various combinations of hue, value, and intensity that "trick the eye" and you learn how to use them instead to creative advantage.

But that's not all. This technology is rooted in the foundations of color. It provides a simple, powerful, and artist friendly way for you to observe the color relationships that interest you. Even though you, like hundreds of different people, would see different things that are relevant to interest and need, everyone becomes intimately involved with the same simple, intuitive characteristics of color. You don't even realize that you are gaining in-depth knowledge about color... it's so simple. There's really nothing like it.

Hopefully, we have generated some interest, so let's go to the next page. There we will shift the focus to some of the simple "value" contrasts in this photo.

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About the Demos and G-Lab™ Color Technology