By an odd paradox we draw with black to create the light. Seems contradictory when you think about it. So we will. Think about it.

Keep the shadows simple. Good advice. Its why the raw umber block in is used. The lights are where the complexity is. Starting from the form shadow, transition into the half lights, then full lights, reflections and highlights. And they wont work without that simplified base.

Now, when drawing, we use graphite, ink, charcoal to define our forms. Black. And the more we define the forms, the blacker our drawing gets. If we define to illogical extremes, we end up with a black sheet of paper.

And all the light is gone.

And unless we define the forms, we wont have surfaces to take the light. Remember , its in the light that complexity lies. A lot of form drawing is required. We simply cannot generate enough tones to distinguish this from that.

 (twenty or so seems the limit )

So, what do you do?

Clearly,  there is a point of balance between defining form in black (and covering it in scribble)and releasing light from the paper( and leaving it blank)

I just created a conceptual drawing called ” All or Nothing” and it is copyright.

Costa uses black and white on toned paper. QED

Whats your response? Its one we all have to solve

.Postscript.

Having done as i was told and massed my darks, I made them too dark so they didnt read tonally. Costa noticed and advised breaking up the “blackhole” sucking attention away from the figure. I objected, saying this was contradictory. His explanation was a gem.

If on the turn into shadow, we darken to create the” core,terminator,crescent” shadow, then work subtle transitions into the light, the eye will transition to the light, not the shadow. This we knew.  The next was news.  If the darkness of the core shadow is the darkest tone in the drawing,the tonal key will be best from a design or composition standpoint.

It seemed to work, but i will need to experiment more.

Brian Deagon