Let's talk VALUE

Value has been on my mind. Last night in painting class that was our topic here in the studio. 

 

Tonal Value, Tone, Value... all the same thing. To an artist that's the term for a grayscale - light to dark WITHOUT color. Black being the darkest, white the lightest. Like a black and white photo.

 

It's a VERY important concept in painting, but a difficult one for many.

 

A good way to start the process of observing values is to note the lightest light and the darkest dark in your subject.  With this point of reference, you know that all the other values fall somewhere in between. Comparison is really what value is about.

  

Color can be so 'in your face' that it gets in the way of seeing the true value. Squinting at your subject can help.

 

Yesterday morning, before class, I painted this scene of Mount Everts in Yellowstone National Park near Mammoth.

 

My photograph of the scene.

Look at those blue/purple shadows in the distance - boy, are they captivating! Oooh, it's hard to ignore that color coming at you. But to make the shadows FEEL like shadows, you need to get the right VALUE. Painting them too dark is a common mistake.

 

SO....

 

Where is my lightest light?  

 

Where is my darkest dark?

 

(Think before you read on)

 

Mount Everts study  12" x 12"   Oil  by Shirl Ireland

 

The lightest light is the snow in the foreground. The darkest dark is the shadow base of the junipers.

That tells us that the shadows in the distance need to be lighter in value than the darks of the junipers.

Remember, once you've established your lightest light and your darkest dark - everything else needs to fall somewhere in between. It's just a matter of comparison to be sure they all fall correctly into place.

Observe, observe, observe. Learn to really SEE. You can practice anytime. Look around, spot your darkest dark and your lightest light and note how the other tones fall in between.

See if you can 'ignore the color' and focus on just the tone. The more you practice, the easier it gets.

P.S. - I've hiked on the top of Mount Everts too. Fun hike up there and great views! If you want to see another photo of Mount Everts and get more info on visiting the Mammoth area, click here.