Let's talk about color theory. Part 1: Goal setting.

   At the last time I've been looking for a variety of information on painting miniatures.  So I've  decided to collect and structure a variety interesting conclusions, links to guides and tutorials, which I liked. Most of the information is in Russian, so I apologize for my translation mistakes. And all that is written below is my point of view and reading comprehension.

   As the first article, I've decided to choose the theme of color. It is so global and has a clear space for me. I don't plan to go into highly artistic jungle, I don't get it, but I want to collect basics and the materials that I was interested on this topic.

  For those who want to explore this issue further and deeper, I can recommend to search for material in the Painter Library (Russian). There are a plurality of books in electronic form, artists' biographies and pictures.
 

Goal Setting.

Here's the Johannes Itten's words:

    "If the main means of expression is the color, the composition must begin with a definition of color spots, which will determine its pattern. Whoever starts with a drawing, and then adds color to the lines, there will not be a convincing and strong color impact."

   I found a statement of one colorist Nadezhda Azarova that I liked so much:

    "Every work of art  is an idea embodied in a material form. Artist embodies the idea in the picture. Sculptor - in the statue. Architect - in the building. Picture, statue, building - these are the material form. One of the components of the material form is a color palette, that is, the color and the links between them that create the visual color. And the color should be tied to the idea of ​​the work. This will be "shaped relationship."
    I'll give an example to make it easier to understand these abstract things.
    Let's say you is an artist. And you write the picture on the biblical story - "Descent from the Cross." Previously, every self-respecting artist felt obliged to reflect this theme in his work. Moreover, this kind of works were not written on the finished blueprints, but accordingly of the author's perception the Gospels text. Accordingly, each author wrote as it saw fit.
    Imagine there is a text (reflecting certain ideas and attitudes), and that's all, nothing more. You want to capture ideas from the text  in the picture for posterity. So that they inderstand your feelings and impressions.
    So, let's imagine that picture visually. You heroes are: Christ, which is removed from the cross, John, the disciple of Christ, the Virgin and Joseph. The plot is clear, I think. Christ was crucified, and now his loyal people take the body down from the cross. Question, what kind of emotions they are feeling?
    Rejoice? Sorrow? Cry? Anticipating the booze? Experiencing the non-human despair? Maybe they do not care - so passed by, they saw the man on the cross and decided to take him off... Or it is, on the contrary, the biggest event in their life?
    As an artist, you have to feel the emotions of his characters, the selected scene, and then decide - how it is best reflected in a material form. That is, in the picture. What colors to choose? What type of contrast? How to arrange the pieces? Your task is not just to draw a Christmas tree with a house. Your task is to convey the idea, so to touch the soul of your audience so that they feel what you want to express. Does thus value of the picture colorit? Absolutely!
    Similarly, in any kind of design. Contrast is selected for the idea. His task is to emphasize the meaning inherent in the product and make it more vivid, expressive and clear. "

  I think this is fully tolerated in our miniature world, in our material form. We have a miniature  and try to give it the "life", display her mood, status, environment and other. I see this process in creation a scene with its own atmosphere and color solution, in the definition of "focal points". And after it we  select the "tools" - color schemes, contrasts, etc.

And here I want to share with an interesting topic that was raised be the russian artist Dmitry Fesechko (Lynx) on Russian Alternative forum - about Overflow artistic imagery (Russian). He refers  to the Matt Rhodes' post, a famous illustrator. It is a discussion about how to create something unique, but not just another faceless copy. There are many interesting views and suggestions from a various artists in the forum thread.  Also, there are interesting comments in the Matt Rhodes' blog (English). 

 

Wow, so many words in the first part. I hope that it will be easier in the future. And next time I want to write about the tools that are at our disposal. 

Next:  Let's talk about color theory. Part 2: Color wheel.