Learning objectives
■ Include light and dark tones in all your paintings
■ How to mix and use dark tones
■ Make a tonal scale and use it
Tone refers to how light or how dark a colour is, and all colours have their own tonal values, which vary depending on the strength of the colour used. The amount of pigment used when mixing watercolour, coupled with the colours selected, will result in a specific tonal value. Add more water or pigment and the tone instantly changes.
Tonal values are extremely important in a painting. If the colours used within a painting are correct but too much water is used when mixing them, they become too diluted,will look very wishy-washy and flat. This is because the tonal values are not accurate, so everything appears pale.
