Understanding Value: The Foundation for Making Better Art.
Learn the secrets behind creating dynamic and impactful art!
We have all had an artwork that just doesn’t seem to be satisfactory or look as ‘good’ as a previous one. No matter what you do, you just can’t seem to make it look better. In fact the more you do, the worse it looks! It’s frustrating, and often disappointing. You are left scratching your head and wondering why one painting seemed ‘good’ and the other well… ‘not good’. In this newsletter I’m going to address the concept of value in relation to colour theory, and how being aware of and understanding value can really help you improve your artwork - and help you avoid hours of wasted effort - so you can create more art that you are proud of.
Understanding value is like the difference between playing a tuneless song, and one with a melody that carries the emotional essence of the music. A musician uses variations in pitch, pace and volume to create interest and tension. Similarly, artists can use variations in value to create depth, dimension, and visual interest. Hopefully it will be a really valuable post! (see what I did there, lol!)
So what exactly is value, and how can use it to create better art?