The Value of Value

 As many of you might know, this semester I started taking classes at TCC (Tulsa community college), as an art major. So far it hasn't been too eventful, I am only in the basic drawing foundations class. Even yet I think I've learned bunches, a lot about proportions, shading, art elements, composition, and what generally makes a piece well done. Today I am going to be sharing something that sounds small but makes a large difference.

And that is value (as you've probably gathered from the title) but also the contrast of and using a wide range of values. It's the final step of a "simple sketch" that can make it more than that. Even when drawing a still life...you can lie (essentially), though it's not called that, it's called taking artistic liberties.

Here is an example using a drawing of my cat, sweet Mr. Edison. It's simple but I am using it because the idea of this post came from this drawing. I drew it in one sitting (I was really just sketching a page of cats) and was happy with the composition and called it done but I ended up coming back to it and darkening sections which made me like it a lot more.

Here is what it looked before (I went back on the finished sketch with a kneaded eraser so I'm not sure how accurate this really is):

And here's what it looked like with a greater concentration of values:

Do you see what I mean? This sweet guy pops a lot more in the second picture and it looks a lot more finished. Maybe this is obvious to others but it wasn't to me and now it's in the front of my mind before I say I've "finished a sketch."  Of course, it can be a specific style to stick with a low contrast look, I don't deny it there is always an exception. Still in the general sense this, and for me personally, is something simple that has helped my art improve this semester.

Thank you for reading!

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