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.
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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