Value
Value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. High value is light [white being highest] and Low value is dark [black being lowest]. Using different values creates contrast which helps the viewer see and understand the image. Value makes shapes appear 3D and creates form.
Activity Value Scale
Watch this video on an introduction to graphite pencils and how to shade a value scale and complete your own value scale on a piece of paper.
*many of you may only have access to one grade of pencil at home [likely HB or a dark colour pencil] . Use this video as a guide to how to create value with a single pencil.
What to avoid when shading.
The next few activities will be asking you to shade to add value. Its important to understand what NOT to do, to ensure quality work. Watch this video and ensure that you keep these DONT Do's in mind while shading
ACTIVITY Using value to create a 3D form
watch each video below and then do the activity on a piece of paper. I recommend trying to find a sturdy piece of paper to draw on - the brown paper bags from supermarket are excellent [use the slightly rougher side], so is the inside of cereal boxes or other pantry items. Doesn't have to be white! You can do the all the drawings on the one piece of paper
Sphere
Cylinder
Cube
ACTIVITY observational drawing
In this task you will set up a still life of objects from the kitchen to draw. start by looking through the slides to the left. Use a minimum of three objects. Step by Step here there is also this video
When you are setting up your still life think about the objects and how they relate to each other. Perhaps internet search still life setups and research different types. Keep the objects close to each other.
I have a motto - KEEP IT LIGHT TILL IT'S RIGHT. Your pencil marks should be super light when you are starting out sketching in the shapes and forms. Once you feel you have them all in the correct place, then you can start to build up value and shade. You can add value either with shading or with cross hatching. Examples of both techniques are below.
Pencil shade& hatching
Pencil Shade
Pen hatching
Pen cross hatching
Skill Building activity
on 1/2 of your page in your visual diary use one continuous line to swirl around the page. WORK LIGHTLY - Start at an edge and finish on another edge to make large organic shapes.
Start with one shape and create a value gradation within that shape. Move to the shape next to it and contrast your dark edge with a light edge in the second shape. Continue with the rest of the shapes, contrasting light and dark values against each other to create your edges and to make your line disappear!
Crystal Value Drawing
Copy of ValueCrystalsHandout.pdf
