Values painting

I created this post to discuss how an artist can think technically about achieving an intended value key discussed in the previous post. This method helps to simplify an overwhelming number of values into a more workable structure at early stages of a painting (a digital one in this case). The loose renderings below are quick head studies from my imagination as they might be lit for dramatic and compositional purposes. I began with this basic head drawing which indicates some of the major…

Learn all about tonal values in painting and drawing and how to create a sense of light and dark in your own paintings. Tonal value scale

On color value: All of us, beginners and experienced painters alike, can benefit from a refresher course in the bedrock principles of ...

Join George Strickland with his opinion on the importance of values and how the key to mastering values is to simplify them.

For me, even a simple landscape painting needs to have three basic elements. A foreground, midground and background. How those three elements are handled will

Value - Download as a PDF or view online for free

Still life value study - 6x6" (demo) A couple of months ago I put out a challenge to anyone who wanted to take on doing 50 value studies in 30 days, ideally from life. We also set up a challenge over on the Daily Paintworks site for those who wanted to simply take one crack at it. (This challenge is still on if you want to join in.) The idea is to use only 4 values (white and black included) to portray your subject. What this forces you to do is make decisions about where values must be…

I got some questions about the colors of this painting so I will try to explain my thought process! It's really all about the link between value, exposure, and color...

I like how this painting looks like a photograph. the composition of the painting is nice in relation to the space around it. The value is also very clear which adds a lot of contrast to the painting. The brushstrokes are also really clean and smooth. I like the colors in this painting, they go well together. This painting is really strong but one thing that I would change is the shirt collar, the angle looks wrong. I would also add more value to the green jacket, it looks flat without…