FOUN-112-23 | 10/1/26
THE ASSIGNMENT
Translate a high-contrast black-and-white photo into a monochromatic painting, using tints and shades of blue acrylic to build value and volume.
RESEARCH & INSPIRATION
I chose a portrait with strong side lighting: its clear lights and darks were easy to divide into value zones, and its melancholic mood fits my work.
IDEATION & SKETCHES
I traced the photo and numbered each section (1–10) to match my tint scale, turning the tracing into a value map.
ITERATION & DEVELOPMENT
I started with the darkest shades to set the contrast, then filled in the middle tints, keeping each zone flat.
FINAL WORK
Tints Composition – acrylic on Bristol board, 9″ × 12″, 2026.
REFLECTION
The main challenge was keeping the blue recognizable while changing its value: white softened it gently, but even a little black changed it fast, so I mixed small amounts at a time. Matching each value to the reference and keeping clean edges between sections took patience. I learned that one color, through value alone, can create depth and volume.