The Importance of Values

Values are the foundation of any type of realism in visual art, including creating convincing landscapes.

What are Values? In the art world, values refer to the amount or degree of light or dark in a painting. Values create contrast between shapes and that in turn provides interest in the work.


Starting to get the idea? Read more about the importance of values at

Fine Art Views here
Empty Easel here


Need More Convincing? Read on.......

"It is impossible to make a picture without values. Values are the basis. If they are not, tell me what the basis is." - William Morris Hunt

Problems with color are almost never problems with color. They are almost always problems with value." -Eric Wiegardt

"Many of the most powerful paintings have the simplest value structures. That is to say, they only use two, three, or four major values."- Barry John Raybould

"When begnning artists understand and use values for the first time, there is usually a quantum leap in the quality of their painting." - Paul de Marrals

"When it comes to value, that's when we find out why most paintings are boring and others will knock your socks off." -Harley Brown