Posterized monochromatic painting- Criteria & Objectives

• Students will make a small 8.5 x 11 in. to 9x12 in. or larger painting of a posterized reference in one color.

• Students will use a posterized reference, they must follow the posterization tutorial provided by the teacher.

• Students must use watercolors or acrylics with other painting supplies for this project.• Students must use a grid or project their reference onto their canvas. Students may

also use carbon transfer paper. Free-handing is also allowed but only if the student measure and sights their reference.

• Students must choose a monochromatic palette, they can explore more complex color schemes per teacher approval. For instance students may use a complimentary color pair in addition to tints and shades of said pair if they posterize their reference more than 10 steps.

• Students must make the painting a representational depiction of the subject, abstraction may only take place through the posterization effect.

• The objective of this assignment is to use computer aided designs in an artwork, and to explore a monochromatic color scheme.

Posterization process

Photoshop• Take a photo or find a photo,

Save it to your personal H:// drive.

• Open it In Photoshop• Image>Adjustments>Posterize

>4-8 steps> OK• Print full page

Monochromatic posterized paintings in acrylic

Student examples

Watercolor, posterized monochromatic portrait with only one level of posterization, you need at least four levels of posterization.

Monochromatic still life painting- Criteria & Objectives

• Students will complete a monochromatic painting of a three object still life in acrylics.

• Students will only use one color with black and white.

• A full range of values must be used from whitest tint to the darkest shade.

• Students must complete a value scale and thumbnail sketches before starting a final.

• The objective of this assignment is to master mixing tints and shades of a color to depict a static scene.

The practical application of monochromatic painting is the practice of making a grisaille for an under painting. Typically a grisaille does not use white or black to create it’s range of values.