Art Lessons with Lianne
Values
Understanding and effectively utilizing values is crucial for creating depth, form, lighting and visual interest in your artwork. Values refer to the range of lightness and darkness within a composition and are often represented by different shades of grays between black and white, Although values are equally relevant when it comes to working in colour. When people first start out they usually use 4 or 5 different values in their art work but increasing your ability to differentiate and see values will have a massive impact on the quality and realism of your work
Let's explore why values are so important
1. Creating Depth: Values are essential for conveying depth and three-dimensionality in your oil paintings (See the image of the sphere)
By accurately representing the various values of your subject, you can mimic the way light interacts with different surfaces and forms, making them appear more realistic and lifelike. Darker values tend to recede, while lighter values appear to come forward, helping to establish a sense of space within your painting. Drawing your own sphere is a great exercise to help you begin to understand how to use values to create dimension in your art.
2. Defining Form: Values play a crucial role in defining the form and structure of your subjects. By carefully observing the light and shadows on your subject, you can identify the different values and use them to model the shapes and contours. This technique allows you to create a sense of volume and solidity, making your paintings more visually appealing and believable.
3. Establishing Contrast: Values are instrumental in creating contrast within your artwork. By juxtaposing light and dark values, you can add visual interest and drama to your paintings. You can give the impression of strong lighting or create a more moody atmosphere. Strong contrasts can draw the viewer's attention to specific areas or objects in your composition, creating focal points and enhancing the overall visual impact of your artwork. To effectively incorporate values in your oil paintings.. See below for some examples of strong value contrast in my paintings.
Here are some tips on how to improve your abilities to work with values.
1. Observe Lighting: Pay close attention to the lighting conditions and how they affect your subject. Study the way light falls on different surfaces, creating highlights, mid-tones, and shadows. Take note of the range of values present and try to replicate them in your painting.
2. Use image software to turn your reference image into greyscale. it is easier to see how light or dark a shade is once you remove colour. Even if your painting is going to be in colour, this technique can help your understanding of the values in your painting.
3. Gradation and Blending: Experiment with gradations, smoothly transitioning from one value to another. This technique adds depth and dimension to your paintings. Practice blending adjacent values to avoid abrupt transitions, creating a more realistic representation.
4. Squinting Technique: Squint your eyes while observing your subject. This technique helps simplify the values, making it easier to identify and replicate the different light and dark areas. It also aids in creating a unified composition.
5. Get a values app such as 'values study'
6. Use a Value Scale: Create a value scale by mixing different shades of gray using black and white paint. This scale will serve as a reference to help you accurately gauge and reproduce the values you observe. By comparing the values in your subject to the values on your scale, you can ensure greater accuracy in representing light and shadow.
Remember, values are a fundamental aspect of oil painting that can greatly impact the overall success of your artwork. By mastering the art of values, you can bring your paintings to life, capturing the essence of light, form, and depth. So, embrace the exploration of values in your oil paintings and enjoy the creative journey!