Tonal Variation - Tip #5 from the book "Sketching Wild Birds"

Trevor Smith


A three dimensional form has to be built up using tonal variations. The blackbird has been painted in one colour (neutral tint) in three stages, each successsive appplication of paint has darkened some areas while unpainted areas remian lighter in tone. The white of the paper has been retained for the lightest highlights. Light reflecting off the birds glossy black plumage is responsible for creating this three dimensional effect on a bird that would otherwise appear to be one unrelieved colour offering little sense of its rounded form. A watercolour painting can sometimes look flat if the subject is painted without a significant range of tonal variation.