Image Simplification

"Simplify, simplify, simplify."

Every art teacher says it. Every master painter does it. The ability to see past the details and find the essential shapes is what separates confident paintings from overworked ones.

Color Study gives you multiple ways to simplify your reference images, so you can see the underlying structure before you start painting.

Why Simplification Matters

When you look at a photograph, you see thousands of colors, subtle gradations, and endless detail. Your brain processes it all instantly. But when you try to paint it, that complexity becomes overwhelming.

Simplification helps you:

• See the big shapes - Find the major masses before getting lost in details
• Understand value structure - See how light and dark organize the image
• Plan your painting - Know what to paint first and what to leave out
• Work more confidently - Start with a clear plan instead of guessing
• Train your eye - Learn to see simplified shapes in any scene

Multiple Simplification Methods

Different algorithms reveal different aspects of your image. Color Study lets you experiment with various approaches:

Clustering Methods

Advanced clustering algorithms group similar regions of your image together based on color and spatial proximity. These methods produce natural-looking simplifications that respect the actual shapes in your reference - not just color similarity, but how colors are organized spatially. Often the best choice for seeing the true structure of a scene.

Graph-Based Segmentation

Graph-based methods analyze the relationships between neighboring pixels to find natural boundaries in your image. They excel at preserving meaningful edges while merging areas that belong together visually. These produce clean, paintable shapes that follow the contours of your subject.

Edge-Preserving Smoothing

Smooth out texture and detail while keeping the important edges intact. Great for seeing form without distracting surface detail.

Color Quantization

Reduce the image to a limited number of colors. This groups similar colors together and reveals the major color masses in your reference.

Posterization

Flatten values into distinct bands. This creates a poster-like effect that separates light, midtone, and shadow areas. Simpler than clustering methods but useful for quick value studies.

Value Grouping

Combine with value maps to see your image reduced to just a few value levels. Essential for understanding the light pattern.

From Simplified to Finished

Professional artists often start with simplified studies before tackling a full painting:

1. Thumbnail sketches - Quick value studies at small scale
2. Block-in - Lay down the major shapes and values first
3. Gradual refinement - Add detail only where it matters

Color Study's simplification tools help you see what that block-in should look like before you commit paint to canvas.

Part of Your Study Workflow

Image simplification works alongside Color Study's other features:

• Value maps - See the light/dark structure
• Notan studies - Reduce to just two values for composition
• Color extraction - Identify the key colors you'll need
• Paint mixing guidance - Match those colors accurately
• Full reference tool - All tools in one place

Learn to See Simply

The goal isn't just to simplify images - it's to train your eye to see simplification naturally. The more you practice seeing the big shapes, the easier it becomes to find them in any scene.

Study master paintings with simplification turned on. You'll see how great artists organized their work into clear, readable shapes - even in highly detailed finished pieces.