ZMACS JAN: Tones over Background PC

Tone on tone -- sounds like a great jazz song to me. It refers to using different tones of the same color -- for example brighter and duller yellows obtained by mixing white and black paint with the original paint color, or shading with more and less pressure and lines that are closer together or further apart using a white crayon -- over a darker background.

In this postcard project, let's use a very interesting background, such as a collage of magazine pages or a piece of wrapping paper, and use one or two tones over it to convey a landscape, object, or portrait. In the swap example pictured above, Jonathan Darby has used white and black shading over a collage background with brown predominating. Here are some more examples from Carrie Vielle in a similar style. Look for some more examples here in these art sketchbooks, some are still lifes or nature, others are portraits, and in this art student idea guide.

Another great site for portraits using paints over interesting background is by artist Jenny Grant. Check out the amazing still life with scissors on this page of still life drawing ideas.

One postcard featuring an interesting busy background with any tonal media (watercolor, pencil, crayon, acrylic, gouache, oils, et cetera) on top of it, sent to one partner.

I will screen swappers and angel all unsent swaps. Have fun, be brave and adventurous, and generous with yourself and your partner trying something new :)