Value Drawing
Exploring Light and Shadow
http://www.spomilia.com/valuegallery.html
Strong value drawings begin with strong line drawings!
Contour Line: Is a line used to follow the edges of forms
It describes the outline of an object.
Varying the pressure
on your pencil or other
medium allows you
to describe the form.
You will show the
light and dark areas of
the form, as well as many
shades of gray in between.
Contour line, then, shows
VALUE, or relative lightness
and darkness of an object.
Remember…
Value
Value
Light creates Value.
Value illustrates form, or the illusion of objects in real space.
Form has a 3 dimensional quality, while shape is 2 dimensional.
Light causes value.
It hits the sphere, causing shadows and ‘Value’ to form on the surface of the object. Locate your light source.
Light
Shadow
No light
No Value
Value
The areas of value have been mapped out into precise shapes.
Our brain puts the shapes into something we recongnize!
The trick is to observe the light, highlights and shadows.
Draw the shapes that you see!
Amy Hahn
Pastel
Value
Value creates form.
Form has a 3 dimensional quality, while shape is 2 dimensional.
First Identify the following…
Light Source: Where is the light coming from? (above, below, to the side…). The placement of the light source affects every part of your drawing.
Shadows: The areas on an object that receive little or no light.
Cast Shadow: The dark area on an adjacent surface where the light is blocked by the solid object. Basically, the shadow on the surface the object is upon.
Ask yourself …
Where are the light values? Look for the lightest areas on the object. They are closest to the light source.
The very BRIGHTEST of the lightest values are called highlights.
Where are the dark values? Dark values often reveal the sections of the object that are in shadow. By locating shadows, you can usually identify the light source.
Where is the cast shadow? The section of the cast shadow closest to the object is usually the darkest value in a drawing. By locating an object's cast shadow, you can easily discover the direction from which the light source originates.
Highlight
Cast Shadow
Core Shadow
Reflected Light
Transitional Light Middle Gray Values
Shadows
Cylinders are exactly like spheres.
Highlight: Area receiving the most light
Core Shadow: Darkest areas of shadow
Reflected Light: Area on shadow side that is lighter due to the light bouncing off the surface and back onto the object.
Cast Shadow: Shadow cast by the object onto another surface.
Notice again that the darkest area of shadow is NOT along the shadow side.
Mapping Shadows
The first stages of drawing.
Recognizing the shapes of light and shadow
that help to define the form
Real Life Objects
1st Step: Light and Shadow Map
2nd Step: Light/Shadow with Grays
Each step helps to improve your observation and drawing skills
Mapping
Shadows
This is the first step in mapping shadows.
You must draw the object as accurately as possible.
You want to indicate where the shadow and light shapes are, ‘Mapping’ them out before you actually add value.
Use Contour Line!
Simplify the shapes as much as possible.
ALL SHAPES, both light and shadow!
Shadow Side
Mapping
Shadows
This is the second step.
Indicate only the shadow and light areas. Notice the flat shadow, do not worry about changing values or blending things, you are only supposed to map the shadow side.
Shadow Side
Flat value on shadow side of cup
Mapping
Shadows
The finished drawing
All values are indicated
The object looks 3 dimensional
The values were added to the previous flat shadow values to create the depth and range of value.
Highlights
Core Shadows
Reflected Light
Mapping
Shadows
This shows the result of drawing the shadow and lights by way of mapping them.
The drawing gives you much more freedom to interpret the shadow areas.
The photo is very flat, while the drawing has life due to the lines and quick sketchy style.
Light Side
Shadow Side
Pencil Rendering Techniques
Blended Shading
Gentle, smooth rendering with gradual changes from light to dark –
not sketchy!
Hatching & Crosshatching
Fine parallel lines drawn closely together OR layered/crossed to create the illusion of shade or texture in a drawing. The more layers of lines, the darker the shading.
High Contrast Drawing
By using extremes in values— more light and dark values than middle gray values—you create a high-contrast drawing.
These are powerful, dynamic, and eye-catching to look at.
Lights and darks are placed close together.
Your drawings appear flat rather than 3-D when you use TOO LITTLE contrast in values.
Unless trying to achieve a specific mood or want the subject to look flat, ALWAYS use a full range of values.
Squinting to see values and simple shapes
is key to drawing 3-D.
This helps screen out details and see simple shapes.
When you see the shapes created by different values, you can draw your subject more accurately.
Caution! Danger! Avoid!
To Remember…
Highlight Lights Gray transitions Shadow Reflected light Cast shadow