Black-and-white version of the painting Old Trees by The Avon (above right)
Colour is often a major preoccupation among aspiring painters, yet it is only one aspect of the visual world. Tone (value or ‘tonal value’) is perhaps even more important if you want to paint in a way that depicts reality convincingly. But tone – variations of light and dark – is also important in giving paintings visual impact. A few key points I’d like to pass on are:
1 Observe the tones in your subject as much as – or more than – you study colour, if you want to depict reality in a convincing way.