What Is Notan in Drawing and Painting?

Notan is the pattern of light and dark masses in a picture — the “music” underneath color and detail. Japanese ink painters spoke of strong and weak ink; Western teachers borrowed the word to describe how big shapes of light and shadow hold a composition together. If lesson 1.4 taught you to posterize a photo, this lesson explains what you are looking for when those flat shapes click.

Why notan matters

A clear light-and-dark design can make a painting feel beautiful even before hue and brushwork are refined. Many strong works use only two, three, or four major values — not dozens of tiny steps. Monet’s boldest seascapes often read as simple two-value designs when you squint; Japanese woodblock prints do the same with flat silhouettes.

Without a convincing notan, color and line struggle to carry the piece. Train your eye on black-and-white first; color comes later.

How to see notan

Squint until color blurs — only masses remain.
Convert a reproduction to grayscale in any photo editor.
Posterize the grayscale image to 2, 3, or 4 levels (see lesson 1.4).
Step back from a real painting in a gallery — distant viewing merges extra values.

Two-value notan

Exactly two major values: a light and a dark. This is the simplest and often the most graphic structure — think of a dark tree line against a bright sky, or a figure silhouetted in a doorway. A painting may contain more subtle values up close, but from far away those middle tones can merge so the design still reads as two values.

Three-value notan

Light, dark, and one middle gray. Many portraits and landscapes use this range: a bright sky, a mid-tone ground plane, and a few dark accents. Squint at master reproductions and count how many big value families you actually see — often three, not ten.

Four-value notan

Light, dark, and two middle grays (a lighter gray and a darker gray). Beach scenes and complex figures often need four steps. Sometimes two of the four values sit close on the scale — if you merge them mentally, the painting still reads as a three-value notan with extra unity. Gradations from mid-tone into light can also sit inside a four-value framework.

Design habits that strengthen notan

Link separate dark shapes into one larger dark mass when possible.
Use cloud shadows or cast shadows to create interesting light/dark patterns in landscapes.
Avoid breaking lights and darks into many equal small shapes — simplify before you add detail.
When you move a tree or rock for design, keep its character so the scene still feels believable.
Sketch a small notan thumbnail before a studio painting — five minutes of planning saves hours of repainting.

Common questions

Is notan the same as value? — Value is how light or dark something is; notan is the big pattern those values form across the whole picture.
Do I have to paint in black and white? — No. Notan is a planning tool; finished work can be full color if the underlying masses are strong.
Which notan count should I use? — Start with three values for general subjects; use two for bold graphic ideas and four when you need more separation in the mid-tones.
How does this connect to lesson 1.4? — Posterizing is the practical technique; notan is the design idea you are checking with that technique.

Part of the Complete Drawing Guide. More chapters and lessons are listed on the main guide page.

YOUR HOMEWORK

Try it before your next class

Exercise 1 — Old masters in notan

Choose ten paintings from museum websites or art books — mix historical and contemporary work. Convert each to grayscale, then posterize to 2, 3, or 4 values, whichever reads clearest. For each piece note the artist, title, and whether you prefer the two-, three-, or four-value version. Trust your eye for now; later lessons add stricter design rules.

Exercise 2 — Your subject in three values

Photograph a simple scene near home (balcony, café table, park path). Posterize your grayscale photo to exactly three values. In a small sketch, redraw only those three masses with pencil or ink — no detail inside the shapes. Compare the sketch to the posterized photo: does the design still describe the subject?

When you’re done: upload your photos below in Exercise submissions (log in if prompted).

Exercise submissions

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