© 2020 Helen C Read
For either drawing or painting, this is one of my favorite and most used tools in the studio!
Can you believe it?
Such a simple looking tool, made of thin cardboard!
Here’s why it’s one of my favorites
The darkest value (black) on the scale is noted as 1.
The lightest value (white) is noted as 10.
8 more notations of value (grays) fall in between.
So, as you can tell, this is an analyzing tool.
The artist can put the scale right next to the actual object they are drawing or painting, or it can be held up in the field in order to evaluate how dark or light the tone or color is and needs to be.
Then, it can be placed in various places in the drawing or painting to see if the values agree.
And, though this may sound rather old school and low tech, I find it necessary to squint my eyes in order to evaluate the value. Really! Squinting filters out other data and helps you focus just on what you need to see in terms of value.
This is particularly important where color is also involved because sometimes color can fool the eye.
All you are looking for is value with this tool.
Why is finding the right value essential?
Value is one of the basic elements of design. In fact, I think it is often more essential than color. When artwork has a limited range of values or the incorrect values, the work seems flat and lacks vitality.
A good value range can make all the difference in a drawing or painting and using a value scale is a great way to get it right.
I love to send encouragement to artists! It’s free and it comes right to your inbox each week. Just click the button below for inspiration, tips, and encouragement.
© 2020 Helen C Read
Photo credit – Annie Spratt
Comments