Study 2: Notan
What Does "Notan" Mean in Art?
"Notan" is a Japanese word for "light-dark harmony." Artists use "notan studies" to try out different arrangements of light and dark in a painting without worrying about colors, textures, or small details.
Can you express a full picture in only 2 colors?
rooster and mouse, by siddarth chaturvedi
The objective of this exercise is to organize areas of light and shadow. Unlike last week, where we start with something with strong lines, this week, we must start with something rendered, with a good 3D shape.
When picking a reference picture, be careful to pick one with a single strong light source: here are some tips on what to avoid:
Don’t pick something that is very 2D
Don’t pick something with too many light sources. One single light source is optimal.
These are examples of good references:
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Put down a rough sketch of the shape being drawn
Step 2: Draw the terminator line, where the light turns into the shadow
Step 3: Fill one half of the terminator line with pure black, using the paint bucket tool
Step 4: Draw the small details on the light side with black
Step 5: Draw the small details on the dark side with white
Step 6: Turn the lines off and stylize the places where extra shading needs to be added to see the entire picture
Step 7: Done!
Show it to blk cat with the /submit command at https://discord.com/channels/1017943945214435438/1129477874823479387
Tips
- Keep the end goal in mind: a picture that looks finished with only black and white.
- Avoid drawing structural lines to prevent the drawing from looking flat.
- It’s okay to deviate slightly from the reference as long as the final picture is clear.