Magic of Black Week 4: Notan

Thinking in black and white (and possibly grey)

Notan is the balance of dark and light in a composition.  This Japanese word word derives from the Chinese, Nóng Dàn, which refers to Nóng meaning strong or concentrated (dark ink) and Dàn meaning weak (watery ink).  We will make Notan studies using two, and three tonal values and discuss how these relate to painting in colour and printmaking. We will also see that the pattern of shapes in a successful Notan study can be more than a strict reflection of tonal values.

One of the best ways to develop a strong composition is to build a strong pattern of lights and darks.  A Notan study will help to identify these patterns before embarking on the final work.  Whether working on black or white paper It is helpful to draw the main shapes swiftly but accurately to avoid getting bogged down in details. This could be done with a white pastel pencil if working on black paper. Then all the pale area areas can be filled with white ink or paint.  It is relatively easy to identify the darkest areas but when it comes to the mid tones you should try to assign these areas to light(white) or dark(black) values which best convey the sense of what is happening in the picture. This applies whether you are working from life or from a photograph.  Where only two tones, black and white are used the Notan study is called a 2 value Notan.

Some compositions are better described by 3 value Notans where the subject is reduced to black, a mid-tone(grey) and white.  It is of course very possible to include more values but for our purposes 2 and 3 should suffice.

Do read the short introduction to Notan by Mitchell Alabala which very eloquently describes how Notan is linked to shape and patterns that define the structure of a composition rather than being studies totally defined by tone ; links below

https://mitchalbala.com/the-wisdom-of-notan/

And look at the accompanying 13 minute video

https://mitchalbala.com/video-exploring-composition-though-shape

You will see how this is especially the case where different colours that are similar in tone make distinct patterns of shapes over the whole area of an abstract work.

Practical: Try making a 2 value Notan, and if you have time a three value Notan;

Choose to make these from an existing well known artwork, a simple still life set up or a photo reference. This will be easiest where there are well defined areas of light and dark as in a portrait or still life lit strongly from one side. Identifying the main shapes and eliminating unnecessary detail is the key to a successful Notan as is including necessary detail and careful assignment of the mid tones in a two value Notan. In the Notan derived digitally from a photo of a painting at the beginning of this post much of the detail could have been eliminated leaving a stronger pattern of larger shapes. Necessary detail may be a tiny slither of light or glint that makes sense of the overall image.

Making a 2 Value Notan

1.Find a reference ( photo or art work) or work from a simple still life set up.  If working from a reference try to find one with strong contrasts and relatively simple shapes. Mark out a rectangle of the correct proportions on your paper.

2.Identify all the main shapes by tone.  Decide which mid tones will be assigned to the black of the paper and which will be painted white. On black paper this could be done by working with a white pastel pencil to establish the proportions of the main light and dark areas.

3.Block in the light areas with white paint or ink.

4. If you have time make a second study from the same reference and assign the mid tones assigned rather differently. Think about which Notan is most informative.

Making a 3 Value Notan 

1.Find a reference and then mark out a rectangle of the correct proportions as before.

2.Identify dark, mid tone and white areas and mark them with a white pastel pencil or white coloured pencil.

3.Then paint in the mid tone and white areas. Sometimes it will be easier to paint all areas that are not to be left black in white first, and then to add the mid tone over the top. In other cases it may be easier to paint everything except the darkest with a mid tone grey first, before adding the palest parts in white over the top.

4.Please send an image of your reference as well as the Notan studies. Reference material will not be published on the blog but would be helpful for the review.

Below are a few additional notes:

Digital Notans

There are several computer programs which will provide you with 2, 3 and more value Notans.  These do not always convey the spirit and energy of a reference in the way that your personal Notan study will.  This is because an arbitrary and fixed threshold of what will be designated as dark or light may be different to the best way to communicate your subject.  Some areas of the composition may require a different threshold to communicate that. That said, if you have problems in beginning your studies, seeing the results of  a digital process can  be helpful.  One of the other problems is that a digital process will not simplify the shapes for you.

Notans and Printmaking

After making a few studies you will soon see the practical relevance of making Notan studies both to analyse the patterns of shape that inform a composition for painting and also for print making, especially for relief printing where you will need to clearly define the shapes that will be inked or cut away so they are not inked.

Decorative Notans

Interesting designs can be made by playing with positive and negative shapes as in the sea and fish decorative Notan above. This is a really fun way to play around with shape and pattern.

Your Notan Studies: