ToneTone
Artists use tone to create a sense of depth or three dimensions in their pictures. Some artists like to paint the effects of light and shade. Some artists paint pictures using very few tones. This is called tonal painting.
Artists can use light tones (shown above left) dark tones (shown above right) to create different moods in their paintings.
This painting by Joseph Mallord William Turner is called Bellinzona From The Road To Locarno. He painted it in 1843. It is a painting of a town in Switzerland surround by mist. Turner has used subtle tones to create the mist and outlines of the town.
This painting by John Duncan Fergusson is called On the Beach - Etaples. The artists has used muted tones of grey, blue, white and mauve to pick out the elements of the landscape. Thick dashes of white are used to paint the 'white horses' thrown up by the waves and thin dark streaks create an illusion of depth. On the Beach - Etaples by John Duncan Fergusson © The Fergusson Gallery, Perth & Kinross Council, Scotland.
This painting by Arthur Melville is called Christmas Morning. It is a traditional nativity scene. The artist has used tones of ochre to paint the scene, with some small areas of blue.
