Toning the Canvas: Why and How It Enhances Your Painting
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As artists, we often seek ways to create depth, mood, and structure in our work. One powerful step in this process is toning the canvas before we start applying paint. Though it's optional, toning offers many advantages, from providing a consistent base to setting the stage for light and shadow.
I didn’t start toning my canvases until I learned the technique from Ten Hundred, a popular artist on YouTube. While I’m sure the practice didn’t start with him, watching his approach opened my eyes to how important it can be for setting the tone (pun intended!) for a painting. If you haven’t checked out Ten Hundred’s channel, I highly recommend it—not only does he have a unique style, but he also shares some truly helpful insights, even if our artistic approaches differ. It's cool to watch him in action, and I've learned a lot from him.
On top of that, I also learned a lot about using multiple tones from artist James Gurney, whose videos and books have been an invaluable resource for me. If you're looking to dive deeper into how toning can shape your art, I encourage you to check out James Gurney’s work. His approach to multiple tones is something I now use in my own pieces to create even more richness and depth.
What Is Toning?
Toning is a technique where you apply a thin layer of color over your canvas before beginning your painting. This base layer not only provides a neutral starting point but also impacts the way subsequent layers of paint interact with the canvas. It’s like creating a foundation for the mood of your artwork.
The main purpose of toning is to help set the stage for the rest of your work. It can unify the surface, create a harmonious balance, and give your painting depth even before you start applying your subject matter.
Choosing the Right Color for Toning
When it comes to choosing the right color to tone your canvas, think about the mood and atmosphere you want to evoke. Here’s how different tones can affect your work:
- Warm Tones (e.g., ochre, red, burnt sienna): These colors add warmth and drama to your painting. They can help focus the viewer’s attention on certain areas and give your painting a vibrant, energetic feel.
- Cool Tones (e.g., light blue, grey, green): These tones create a sense of calm, distance, or mystery. They work well in landscapes or more subdued, peaceful compositions.
- Neutral Tones (e.g., beige, light brown, light grey): Neutral tones are great for versatility. They allow your colors to pop without overshadowing the subject matter and are perfect for almost any painting style.
Each of these tones can set a specific mood for your painting, so think carefully about what you want to express before you choose one.
Can You Use More Than One Tone?
Absolutely! You can—and often should—use multiple tones in a single painting. This is a technique I learned from James Gurney’s videos, and it’s one that has significantly improved my work. By using several tones, you can create richer layers, better contrast, and a more complex background.
Here’s why you might want to use more than one tone:
- Depth & Focus: Warmer tones in the foreground and cooler tones in the background can visually separate different parts of your composition, creating depth and emphasizing the focal point.
- Mood Enhancement: Multiple tones allow you to play with light, shadow, and atmosphere in more nuanced ways.
- Richness & Complexity: Layering multiple tones can add complexity to your work. For example, a golden undertone might peek through cooler layers, adding a glowing warmth to a dark, moody sky.
I highly recommend watching James Gurney’s videos or reading his books to understand how to effectively use multiple tones in your work.
How Toning the Canvas Affects Your Painting
Once your canvas is toned, you’ll notice a difference in how the paint sits on the surface. The tone underneath will affect the vibrancy of your paint colors and can even help create an illusion of light or shadow right from the start.
Toning helps to:
- Provide a consistent base, so when you apply your subject matter, the colors blend more smoothly.
- Guide you in placing light and dark areas, since your toned surface will influence where highlights and shadows should go.
- Make your work feel cohesive and balanced from the first brushstroke to the last.
In essence, toning can elevate your painting before you even start, allowing you to achieve a harmonious look faster.
K.M.’s Process of Toning the Canvas
For me, toning is one of those steps that really sets the tone (pun intended!) for the entire painting. Sometimes I choose a single tone, depending on the mood I want to create. Other times, I’ll use multiple tones to build depth and dimension into my work—something I learned from James Gurney.
When I tone my canvases, I typically reach for neutral or warm tones because they work well for the range of subjects I paint. However, if I'm working on a piece with cooler tones—such as a seascape—I might choose a cooler tone to help establish the overall atmosphere of the painting early on.
Examples and Application
Here’s a sneak peek into how I’ve used toning in my own work:
- For a landscape painting where I wanted the sky to feel distant and soft, I used a light blue tone, then layered warmer shades for the foreground.
- In a portrait piece, I used a warm burnt sienna tone to add richness to the skin tones and give the painting a glowing effect.
Feel free to experiment with toning to see how it changes the way your colors and compositions come together!
Conclusion
Toning the canvas is a small but powerful step that can make a huge difference in your painting process. It allows you to set the mood, create depth, and make your colors more dynamic. Whether you use a single tone or multiple tones, this step can improve the overall composition of your painting and make your colors more cohesive.
I recommend exploring this technique, and don’t forget to check out Ten Hundred’s and James Gurney’s channels (and books) for more in-depth lessons on toning and using multiple tones in your work. Both are incredible resources!