The value scale is best thought of as a gray scale and can be
directly related to color value.
The value scale, as illustrated below, is often shown as an eleven point scale, with black at the zero point and white at the ten. But, I want you to consider selecting only a few to compose your values in a picture. For instance, you may choose a three or a five value set to keep your painting simple.
As an example, you may want five values only, and perhaps they would be numbers 3,4.5, 7, and 8. Notice that you may skip numbers in the sequence, because this creates depth and interest. You may choose 3, 4 and 6 instead for an even simpler composition.
Another way I keep it simple is to assume the polar values that will be in my painting. Have only 3 values in your range. Say 2 is darkest and assumed, or put out of mind, and the lightest value assumed is 7. Then, I am free to work with any three values within those parameters. 3, 5 and 6, for instance. You get the idea - it is a mental trick I use to focus on fewer details and provides for me a very basic composition.
See the video in the sidebar that covers this topic.
Five values, represented as gray, may be used
to compose a unified painting.
Posts
