Chapter 5: Overview of Value

Amy Haney

Chapter 5: Overview of Value

“Art is a by-product of an act of total attention.”

– Dorothea Lange

Element: Value

Flowers: Poppies and Daisies Odilon Redon 1867

CCO

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/94240/flowers-poppies-and-daisies

VALUE: the characteristic of color determined by its lightness or darkness, or the quantity of light reflected by the color.

Read the definitions below and decide which or if any images match words.

ACHROMATIC: neutral gray from light to dark. It is refracting light without dispersing it into its basic colors. Images free from extraneous colors.

ACHROMATICE VALUE: shifts of lightness and darkness.

AESTHETIC VALUE: the value of an object or an event based on its ability to evoke pleasure. This pleasure is understood to be derived from aspects of the object or event that are typically considered to be worthy of attention.

BLEND: merging multiple values or colors together to create a smooth transition from one to another.

BRIGHTNESS: the degree of lightness or value in a color.

CAST SHADOW: when one object is placed in front of another to block a light source a cast shadow will occur on an object.

CHIAROSCURO: distribution of light and dark in a picture 2. a technique of representation that blends light and shade gradually to create the illusion of three-dimensional objects in space and atmosphere.

REVERSE CHARCOAL DRAWING: creates a dramatic effect and accentuates lights and darks in a drawing.

GRADATION: a smooth transition from dark to light value.

GRAY SCALE: an illustration of gray value used to explore with varying drawing materials. Can be used as a practice to understand value.

GRISAILLE: a technique used to establish neutral or single color value typically achieved with sepia or gray.

HALFTONE: images printed and shades of grey with small dots.

HIGH KEY VALUE: value that is middle gray or lighter.

HIGHLIGHT: area on a surface that reflects light.

ILLUMINATION: the source of light.

LOW KEY VALUE: value with the level of middle grey or darker.

LOCAL VALUE: whiteness or darkness as perceived in the objective world unaffected by the light falling on it.

OPAQUE (or opacity): Something that cannot be seen through, not transparent.

SHADE: a color produced by mixing black with a hue, which lowers the value level and decreases the quantity of light reflected.

SHADING: description of value or physicality of light to dark when drawing.

SHADOW: an object or area untouched by light.

SILHOUETTE: a total shape or outline of a body viewed as confined mass.

STIPPLE: to mark or draw by means of dots or small, short strokes.

TENEBRISM: a style of painting that exaggerates the effects of dramatic lighting. This process draws attention to key features or areas of a composition.

TINT: a color produced by mixing white with a hue which raises the value level and increases the quality of light reflected.

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