Value in Painting and its Importance

In this module, we are going to introduce you to the importance of value.

In simple terms, value is the lightness or darkness of a colour. It’s how far removed a colour is from its hue (i.e. the purest form of that colour).

In art, dark values of a colour are called shades, while light values are called tints.

Value is important because when you have a range of values (from light to dark) represented in your paintings, you have contrast, and contrast is crucial because of the importance that it plays in how we perceive things.

Essentially, if you want your paintings to appear ‘alive,’ rather than dull and lifeless, you need to include contrasting values.

Value is so important in painting that it’s actually a good idea to organise your pastel sticks by value rather than by colour, so that you get used to thinking about value first, then colour.

By learning more about value, you will understand that the value of colour is dependent on its surroundings.