Values in painting
Values describe the lightness scale of an image, from pure black to pure white. They are the foundation of all realistic painting: values create the illusion of volume, depth and light, even before colour. Most paintings that «don't work» have a value problem, not a colour problem.
What is a value?
A value is how light or dark an area is, independent of its colour. A lemon yellow and a sky blue can share the same value; so can a dark red and a navy blue. To paint, you learn to separate two pieces of information the eye naturally blends: the hue (red, blue, green) and the value (light or dark). That separation is what distinguishes a trained painter from a beginner.
Values are mapped on a scale, often from 1 to 5, 1 to 9, or 0 to 10. The darkest (black) sits at one end, the lightest (white) at the other, and intermediate greys fill the scale. Reducing an image to just a few values — three or four — is one of the most formative exercises there is: it forces you to prioritise and simplify instead of copying every detail.
Why values matter more than colour
There is a studio saying: «Colour gets the credit, but value does the work.» A painting can be right in values and wrong in colour and still read clearly and convincingly; the reverse almost always fails. This is why grisaille studies — painting only in greys before introducing colour — remain a classic stage in a painter's training.
The reason is physiological: our visual system relies first on brightness contrast to recognise shapes. It is value contrast that separates an object from its background, gives a face its relief, brings a light forward and pushes a shadow back. Colour comes afterwards, as an expressive quality laid over an already solid value structure.
How to see values (and stop guessing wrong)
The beginner's greatest trap is painting shadows too light. Under the influence of what we know about an object — «this wall is white», «this face is light» — we unconsciously lighten shadow areas, and the volume flattens. The fix is not «trying harder to concentrate» but using tools that bypass judgement.
The simplest: take a black-and-white photo of your reference and of your canvas, then compare them. The mismatch is instantly obvious. Another method: squint. By reducing the light coming in, you erase detail and colour; only the large value masses remain. A value viewer (a grey card with a hole punched in it) or a greyscale app does the same job: they replace opinion with measurement.
Planning your values: the value sketch
Before painting, many painters make a small sketch in two or three values — sometimes called a notan. The idea: decide where the large light and dark masses will sit, and check that the composition works «from across the room», when detail disappears. A painting with a clear value scheme stays readable shrunk to the size of a postage stamp.
A useful rule: start by blocking in the extreme values. Lay down the darkest area (V1) and the lightest (V5) of your subject first, then place everything else between the two. These two anchor points fix the range of contrast and prevent «bunching» all values in the middle of the scale — a fault that produces grey, lightless paintings.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Shadows too light: the number-one fault. Darken your shadows decisively and keep them unified; it is the contrast with the lights that creates volume. Too many different values: a painting that uses ten values everywhere becomes confusing. Group areas into a few coherent masses. Maximum contrast everywhere: if everything shouts, nothing stands out. Reserve the strongest value contrast for your centre of interest.
To fix a painting that «won't hold together», convert it to black and white. Nine times out of ten you will see either shadows that have melted into the mid-tones, or a centre of interest that doesn't separate enough from its surroundings. Both problems are solved by working the value, not the colour.
The anatomy of light on a form
On a lit object, light always breaks down the same way, and knowing these zones helps you avoid value mistakes. The highlight is the lightest point, where the source reflects directly. The light covers the whole plane turned toward the source. The halftone is the transition, where the surface begins to turn away from the light. The core shadow is the darkest band, at the boundary between light and shadow — often darker than the rest of the shadow.
Within the shadow itself is the reflected light: light bounced from the surroundings that faintly illuminates the dark side. Classic mistake: painting this reflected light too bright. It must stay in the shadow family — lighter than the core shadow, but never as light as the lit plane. Finally, the cast shadow, thrown by the object onto its support, is usually the darkest and sharpest area near the object. Sorting each zone into the right value family — lights or shadows — prevents the washed-out-shadow fault.
How many values should you use?
A question that comes up constantly: should you work with many values or few? The practical answer: think in groups. Even though nature offers infinite nuance, a readable painting is organised around three or four large value families — the darks, the halftones, the lights, and possibly one very light or very dark accent. Within each family the variations stay subtle; it is between families that contrast happens.
This value-grouping principle is what gives the masters' paintings their immediate clarity. By keeping the shadows together in a single dark range, without letting stray light patches in, you preserve the reading of the big masses. The beginner, by contrast, scatters values: a shadow too light here, a light too grey there, and the image blurs. Group before you nuance: it is the working order that protects the structure.
Translating the value of a colour
When painting in colour, the difficulty is perceiving the value of a hue, independent of its brilliance. Yellows are especially deceptive: a bright yellow looks «luminous» and we assume it is light, yet its value may be mid-range. Conversely, a deep blue seems dark but can be lighter than you think. The only reliable judge is comparison: mentally place your colour on the greyscale and ask which value it matches, not what its hue is.
A decisive exercise: paint a small colour study, then photograph it in black and white next to your reference treated the same way. If the two greyscales resemble each other, your values are right, whatever the accuracy of the hues. It is this discipline — judging the value behind the colour — that separates a painting that «holds» from one that is merely colourful.
Practical tips
- → Squint at both your subject and your canvas: detail disappears, only the large value masses remain.
- → Block in the extreme values first (darkest and lightest) before placing the intermediate ones.
- → Photograph your canvas in black and white next to your reference: the value gap becomes obvious.
Related guides
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