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  1. Notan - What It Is and How to Use It in Art - Draw Paint Academy

    Sep 23, 2018 · Notan is a Japanese term that literally means “light-dark harmony”. Artists use “notan studies” to explore different arrangements of light and dark elements in a painting without having the …

  2. Notan - Wikipedia

    Notan Nōtan (濃淡) is a design aesthetic referring to the use of light and shade while also implying a balance or harmony in their respective contrast.

  3. Notan: The Top 10 Tips For Creating Powerful Notans

    Notan is the underlying abstract framework of dark and light values, upon which you build the value structure of a painting. The arrangement of darks, lights, and grays, regardless of the colors used, …

  4. Notan in Art: Definition, Examples & Tutorial

    Notan is a Japanese term that literally means “dark-light.” In the visual arts, notan is used to describe the relationship between dark and light values in a composition.

  5. "Rivers of Light and Shadow: An Introduction to Notan

    Jul 13, 2025 · Notan is a Japanese concept in art that focuses on the interaction and harmony between light and dark shapes within a composition. The word "Notan" literally translates to "light-dark" or …

  6. Notan - The Art Principle That Emphasizes Balance

    Sep 4, 2023 · To unpack what this design principle involves, we will refer to Nōtan as “Notan”, as it is recognized in Modern uses. In Notan, one can visualize the composition into a series of light and …

  7. Notan - design-encyclopedia.com

    Notan is an ancient Japanese design concept which involves the arrangement of light and dark elements in a visual composition. It was used extensively in traditional Japanese art forms such as Ukiyo-e …

  8. Notan - Exploring Notan Designs and Notan Art Examples

    Jun 21, 2022 · Notan design refers to the fundamental value structure of your painting and was referenced by Arthur Wesley Dow in his book titled Composition: Understanding Line, Notan, and …

  9. Notan – What is a Notan and How to Create Notan Artworks?

    Oct 25, 2022 · In simple layman’s terms, Notan is a play on the placement of light and dark in a painting without adding any other imagery that will take away from the Notan artwork.

  10. The Benefits of Value Studies – What is Notan?

    What is a Notan Value Study? Notan is a Japanese term that refers to the balance of light and dark within a composition. Traditionally, Notan studies involve using a limited range of values—typically …