Description:
Ever felt overwhelmed by values, unsure how to design and compose with shades of black and white? You're not alone. Many illustrators grapple with this powerful aspect of visual storytelling, yet it's a skill that can truly elevate your art and narrative. In this illuminating Creative Lab, we'll unravel the mysteries of value composition and its pivotal role in picture book illustration. Through a dynamic blend of visual analysis and hands-on exercises, you'll discover how to wield light and shadow to enhance your storytelling. We'll explore the evocative potential of soft, warm light to create comfort, and the ability of shadows and dramatic contrasts to build suspense. You'll learn to harness both natural and artificial light sources, and how subtle shifts in illumination can symbolize a character's journey or mark transitions between reality and fantasy. Whether you're an aspiring illustrator eager to deepen your narrative skills or simply curious about the hidden artistry behind your favorite picture books, this lab will reveal the magical role of light in visual storytelling. Join us as we shed light on these essential techniques, empowering you to craft more compelling and captivating illustrated stories. By the end of our session, you'll have a rich new palette of tools to bring your narratives to life through the masterful interplay of light and shadow.
Prerequisites and Advanced Preparation:
This Creative Lab is beneficial for all artists, whether you work primarily in traditional media or digital. Since this lab moves fast, whatever you choose to use, please ensure you arrive with all that you need to use and a basic understanding of your preferred tools – be it a laptop, watercolor, pencils, iPad, or Wacom tablet. To make the most of this enriching experience, please come prepared with 3 -5 finalized sketches from any of your ongoing picture book projects. This will set the stage for a productive workshop as we will be creating value studies based on them. Lastly, bring along any references that resonate with your story's tone – whether they are photos, film stills, or artwork from other sources.
Schedule:
- Introduction (5 minutes)
- What is value? (5 minutes)
- 5 key elements when using values (15 minutes)
- Crafting an emotional arc using values (10 minutes)
- Picture book analysis/ different value styles (10 minutes)
- Monochromatic - first steps to translating value into color (10 minutes)
- Coffee/snack/stretch/bathroom break (10 minutes)
- Demo (20 minutes)
- Value study assignment Part I: create 3-5 value studies in different styles based on movie stills (30 minutes)
- Sharing, discussion, and Q&A (10 minutes)
- Value study STORYBOARD Part II: 3-5 value studies showing clear emotional arc (30 minutes)
- Sharing, discussion, and Q&A (10 minutes)
- Final Q&A (15 minutes)
Objectives:
Participants will:
- Learn how to use values to create captivating images that tell a story
- Discover how to evoke emotion through light - from cozy warmth to spine-tingling suspense
- Find the intention behind applying effective natural and/or artificial light sources
- Create ways to symbolize character growth and magical transitions through lighting shifts
- Compose with confidence using light and dark
- Try different styles of applying value
- Elevate storytelling through strategic illumination
- Craft illustrations that resonate with readers on a deeper level
- Make a plan on how to continue to learn about values post workshop
- Study how values enhance stories in film, animation, and picture book
