value drawing assignment

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What Is Value In Drawing (With Examples And Ideas!)

Learning what a value drawing is and how to use one will be very important to grow as an artist and learning new and different techniques.

With it, we can better understand how to create depth and perspective in a drawing.

What is a Value Drawing? A Value Drawing is a black-and-white drawing. We use black, white, and all the gray tones in-between these to create light, shade, and contrast in a piece.

There’s more than one way to practice value.

It also doesn’t need to be hard.

If you keep reading, you’ll find some practical exercises, including how to draw a Value Tone Chart that you can do at home, and even some examples of Value Drawings to serve as inspiration!

Table Of Contents

1 What Is A Value Drawing For?
2 Value Drawing Examples
3 Value Drawing Techniques
4 Value Drawing Ideas And Exercises To Practice
5 Seeing Values On Your Drawing Software
6 Tonal Value Chart
7 Related Questions

What Is A Value Drawing For?

A value drawing is an exercise using only black and white and every shade of gray there is between these two.

The value in drawing or painting basically means how light or dark something is. We use value to add depth and perspective to a drawing.

For example, one of the most common exercises we can do to practice value is by shading a sphere!

Shading exercises! Shade a ball to practice your shading, this is a very helpful exercise.

At first, it looks just like a circle, something very flat. But as we shade and add different shades the flat circle will start to look like we can reach and grab it!

This is very important to learn and practice because it will get you a better understanding of lighting and shading in a drawing.

The differences and contrast between light values and dark values are almost mandatory.

It is the difference between a homogenous painting and one that will grab the viewer’s attention. Of something that has different levels of depth! Using value will help the viewer understand what is away or closer to them in the scene.

A value drawing is a black and white drawing using every tonal value in between!

Even with color, this concept plays an important part in your drawings.

You’ll always have a light source that illuminates the subject of your work. Knowing where that source is and how the light will behave on the object is important so everything is balanced!

However, it is much easier to learn light and shading using black and white.

That’s when we turn to a Value Drawing. A lot of artists prefer to work in black and white and only when finished do they convert that to color.

This way, they’re sure they have the right values and the lighting makes sense.

complete guide to shading and lighting cover

You don’t necessarily need to work this way. As always, each artist has their own preferences and works differently from each other.

It is still important and I do recommend you to take some time and practice with value drawings.

A lot of artists prefer to work in black and white and only when finished do they convert that to color.

These don’t need to be finished products.

Sketches and simple scenes with very simple objects are more than enough. What matters here is that you have a good light source that will capture different values.

Try different places with more or less light.
Change the direction of your light source!

You’ll have different results depending on how close or far the light is.

The properties of the subject or object you’re using will also change how the light will behave. But simply put, where the light touches the most, the brighter the object will look.

And the farther the light is, the darker the drawing will be!

drawing a nose with different light sources

A Value Drawing is especially important if one wants to draw in a very realistic style.

Nevertheless, I feel it’s still important to learn, even if you’re going to draw only cartoons or other styles .

Having a good sense of light and dark in painting or drawing is very helpful in creating a balanced and interesting piece of art.

Value Drawing Examples

You can do a drawing value both in traditional and digital!

If you’re doing traditional, I’d recommend using graphite pencils. I’d say something from HB up. You don’t need a lot of them, a 2B, 4B and 6B pencils are enough for this kind of exercise.

Different levels of graphite change how hard they are.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Max Denison-Pender (@denisonpender)

The B scale is the softer kind of graphite. This means they’re the best to shade and produce different values. Now you just need some paper to draw on.

I always recommend the Canson XL series ! I’m a big fan of this brand, their paper is always very good and comfortable to work, with any kind of tool.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by MsSchwarz (she, her, hers) (@msschwarzartstudio)

As for digital, simply open the drawing software of your choice and a brush that you like.

To make things easier for you, you can even set the document to grayscale, this way no color will be used, even if you pick it by accident.

I recommend choosing a textured brush and something that has different values depending on the pressure you apply. This way, it simulates graphite very well and you can control how dark or light the drawing will be.

Now as for the scene it can be as simple or as complex as you wish! If you’re a beginner I’d say to start with simple objects like a sphere, fruit or vases that you might have at home. But a Value drawing can go further than this! It can be a portrait or even a whole room or environment.

Some good examples to look at are ‘The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse’ (image below) and ‘Praying Hands’ by Albrecht Dürer.

A German painter from the Renaissance period.

Four Hoursemen Of The Apocalypse by Albrecht Durer

He worked not only with color and oil, but there’s also a lot of engraving and works done with a value scale made by him that I recommend seeing, especially if you’re interested in value drawing and looking for inspiration.

Another favorite of mine is E.C. Esher .

His works are very famous because it uses a lot of optical illusions, creating very interesting and beautiful compositions! Most of his work is black and white, so it’s also great to study value and how you can work with it.

On a more actual and modern approach, Loish works a lot with almost monochromatic color schemes and also posts some grayscale studies and works on her Instagram, like this one and another example here .

I really recommend following her work, since it’s always so beautiful and calming. She also does some tutorials from time to time and they’re always worth to check out!

I also love Ilya Kuvshinov’s work!

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ilya Kuvshinov (@kuvshinov_ilya)

So naturally, I recommend following his work on Instagram as well, where he posts new work almost daily. There’s a lot of value drawings that are definitely worth a look.

Value Drawing Techniques

There are different drawing techniques that you can try and explore.

As I said, you can pick up some graphite pencils and use them to draw and shade normally. Apply more or less pressure depending on how dark or light you want the subject to look.

But you don’t need to limit yourself. There are no rules in drawing as long as you get the desired effect and that you learn something from it!

Cross Hatching is very similar to hatching, but you cross the lines with each other for shading!

For example, you can use a hatching technique !

You can do this with either graphite pencils, but also with inking pens (here are our favourites). With this technique, we create shading effects by creating parallel or crossed lines.

The closer the lines are to each other, the darker the shadows will be.

Albrecht Dürer’s work mentioned above is a very good example! The shadows on his engravings are mostly done with parallel lines.

Another fun technique that you can use is pointillism .

The concept is very similar to hatching. The closer the dots are to each other, the darker the shadow.

If you want to capture lighter zones, then you’ll draw fewer dots until there are no dots at all.

Both of these exercises are very helpful. Not only will they teach you and help you have a better understanding of how to shade, but it also helps you feel more at ease with drawing.

It’s the kind of exercise that will help you relax and worry less about how your lines look.

This way, your drawings will start to look smoother and more natural!

Finally, you can try different tools.

For example, it’s very different to use graphite pencils than inking pens.

When using graphite, you have more control over the drawing. If you apply more pressure to the pencil, the darker the lines or shades will be. The less pressure you apply, it will become lighter.

With inking pens , however, the amount of ink is almost the same depending on the pressure you add.

If you want a thicker line, you need to use a pen with a thicker nib. There are also different types of nibs to try and explore, and they will have different effects!

What about paint, watercolor, or even India Ink (my recommended India ink on amazon)?

I really recommend doing some exercises with the latter, since it’s a very fluid ink and easier to work with values. It’s a common practice to do in art school and classes.

It’s usually black and it really helps us understand the value and how to control it. It is very fun and interesting to try, even if you don’t usually paint!

Here’s a great example of how you can use India Ink and create beautiful values with it:

Value Drawing Ideas And Exercises To Practice

As I mentioned before there are a lot of themes you can go for when practicing value drawings. Of course, some are easier than others and it also depends on what you want to focus on your art.

Here are a few examples:

Draw a sphere. This is the most basic exercise you can do and I 100% recommend this one for beginners. Just start by drawing a circle and then shade it! Choose where your light source is and then apply the shadows according to it. The farther it is from the light source, the darker the shades will be.
Draw fruit. Once you get a hang of spheres, up your game with some fruit. Start with oranges and apples, since they have a similar shape. Then as you get more confident try to draw different fruit with different shapes.
A glass jar or vase. Drawing glass is very different than drawing other types of materials. The way the light hits and shines is always very interesting and fun to draw. The same goes for metallic objects, so do practice with those as well!
Draw a portrait. If you’re more interested in drawing people , it’s good to do anatomy value drawings. Either some portraits or the whole body is a great exercise!
Draw your room. Or parts of it. Try to draw it at different times of the day, so that the lighting is different. You’ll see how much the room will change in your drawings.

I highly recommend you do each exercise by taking pictures of the objects or subjects you’re drawing and then turning them into grayscale mode.

This way, you can really see what you’re drawing in black and white, and it’s easier to understand and learn.

Here are a few more easy drawing ideas to try out (click to check out the article).

Alternatively, you can always find reference images on Pinterest or stock photo websites like Unsplash .

This way can be a bit more difficult sometimes since you don’t have as much control of the object you want to draw.

By taking a picture yourself, you’re sure you have the shot and view you want and many household items you can use for your practices!

Seeing Values On Your Drawing Software

Either if you take your own pictures or find reference photos online , you might need to convert them to grayscale.

If you’re taking your own photos, I recommend taking them normally and then converting the image into grayscale in a drawing software of choice.

Now to convert your photos it is very simple! If you’re using Photoshop, simply open your image in it. You might have to unlock the layer. If the layer appears with a tiny lock, double click the layer and click ok.

Next, just go to ‘Image -> Mode -> Grayscale’ . It is done!

It is worth noting that you can still add some more edits to your images or the ones you find as a reference. For example, you might want to add some contrast or for some shadows to be stronger than others.

There are a couple of ways to do so.

Go to ‘Image -> Adjustments’ . You can now choose the option that you prefer or feel that makes more sense. If you want to change the overall brightness and contrast of the picture, choose ‘Brightness/Contrast…’

If you want more control over the shadows and lights, choose ‘Levels…’ or ‘Curves…’ .

Personally, I like to use the ‘Levels’ menu. It is very simple and straightforward to use, especially if you want to make minor changes.

Here's how you can study the values of your images on a software of your choice!

A lot of image software has the grayscale mode option, so you’ll find it very easily. Photoshop just has some more options for you to use.

Even our phones can do this kind of editing! Just remove the saturation of the photo you just took and then play with the brightness and contrast of it until you get the result you want!

There’s also an app that you can use both on mobile or on the web that’s really simple and useful to use.

It’s called Pixlr and you don’t even need to download it, although you can if you wish to.

On Pixlr you can Desaturate your images to see the values of your images!

To turn your picture into grayscale, simply open it, then go to ‘Adjustment-> Desaturate’ .

Now, just like in Photoshop, you can edit your photo as you want. Go to the ‘Adjustment menu again and choose the option that fits you best!

Tonal Value Chart

Before starting drawing spheres or other objects, to become more familiar with value, it is recommended to draw a value chart or scale first!

This is very simple to do and it will help you understand and draw/paint value. It will also help you have more control of the tool you’re using.

To draw a value scale, pick a piece of paper.

Now you can draw some squares. It can be as many as you want, but I recommend not going over 9 and a minimum of 5 or 6 squares. You can number the squares if you wish to.

Your first square will be white, this means you don’t need to do anything in that one.

The last square will be black! Pick up your pencil, the softest you have. A 4B or 6B does the job well . Fill up the square as dark as you can.

Now you need to fill all the squares in-between. The closer it gets to the black square, the more pressure you want to add when filling the square.

You should fill the squares starting from the first.

As you go, add more pressure to your pencil! Try different scales with different pencils. You can start with an HB pencil, then try a 2B and so on.

The important part is to have the values ranging in contrast, from white all the way to black. With a value scale ramping up through the grays.

Example of a tonal value chart, with values ranging from white to black

I recommend trying graphite pencils on the B side of the scale since this kind of graphite is softer and ideal for this kind of exercise.

But you’ll notice that depending on the type of pencil, you get different results.

I really like this Faber-Castell pencil box. It has a wide range of graphite pencils but turned more to the softer side, which is perfect for this exercise!

Just go from light values, all the way to the darkest value in the value scale.

If you keep a nice flow of different tones, you’ll even create the illusion of gradient shading!

Value in Art – In-Depth Guide with Examples and Overview

Value in art is among the several art elements that are used to help artists create visually appealing, harmonious, and striking compositions in art. Learning about value can greatly shift the way you approach your preparation processes when creating art and will certainly give you a new perspective on how you understand the power of value in influencing color and perception. In this article, we will discuss what value is, show you several examples and also guide you on how to use it for your art.

Table of Contents

1.1 Where Color and Value Meet
1.2 Value as an Element of Art
2 What Is the Purpose of Value in Art?
3 More than Colors: Art with Value
4 The Many Shapes and Sizes of Value in Art
5 Learn Everything about the Elements of Art
6.1 What Is Value in Art?
6.2 What Are the Different Types of Value in Art?
6.3 Why Is Value in Art Important?

What Is Value in Art?

In this article, we will be examining one of the most important elements of art that has the power to establish a strong visual composition in your artwork. Value is one such element that relies on one’s understanding and application of the value scale and its relationship to color theory.

It is closely linked to color and forms part of one of the characteristics of how color can be applied in artworks. Before we go further into value as an element of art, let us provide more context on how it relates to color. To do this, we will briefly review what color is and then look at the role of value as an art element.

value in art definition and examples infographic

Where Color and Value Meet

Colors can be applied in a myriad of ways to produce different effects in artworks, from faint, dull, bright, blurry, sharp, textured, contrasted, bold, naturalistic, and abstract effects, colors make us “feel”. By learning more about color theory and its relationships with the value scale in terms of creating harmony between dark values and light values, one can truly harness the power of value. What determines these kind of visual effects in color and value?

These include the degrees of saturation or intensity, which relates to how “bright” or “dull” a color is. Color temperature is another aspect of color, which involves how cool or warm a color appears , as well as the mood created. Additionally, color tones, tints, and shades, refer to the addition of gray, white, and black to a color, which can influence the value of your artwork.

Finally, color schemes that incorporate the primary, secondary, and tertiary colors can also be useful when determining the kind of impact or effect you want your artwork to relay. As such, artists may choose to use either a limited or wide range of values to achieve a specific effect, or alternatively, opt for different values from a single hue.

One of the most important points to understanding color and its collaboration with value is that there is a science to color. Color is shaped by light waves that reach our eyes, which contain specific photoreceptors that allow us to see the spectrum of “visible light”, as it is often referred to.

This spectrum of light consists of different hues such as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Some colors are also either absorbed or reflected.

Value as an Element of Art

Value as an element of art determines the lightness or darkness of a color, which can be confused with color intensity or color saturation. For example, a low-intensity color could appear lighter because of its dullness, while a high-intensity color could appear darker because of its brightness. However, this is not quite the same as value in art, although the two concepts seem similar.

Color saturation is commonly described in terms of the “pureness” of a color and if it has been mixed with neutral colors like white or black, which will make it appear “muted”.

For a better understanding of how value works in art, many art sources suggest imagining a grayscale or a gradient of colors that progress from lightest to darkest or darkest to lightest.

On the grayscale, you will notice the color gray with white and black hues at each opposite end. These are the different gradations from darkest to lightest and vice versa. Value is also affected when a color has been mixed with white which is called a “tint”, and black which is called a “shade”.

On the grayscale, the lightest, or whitest, tints are termed “high-key” color ranges and the darkest, or black, are termed “low-key” color ranges. The grays in between are termed “mid-range” or “middle-key”.

An example of the low-key value in art includes the often referred-to “A Dinner Table at Night” (1884) by John Singer Sargent.

This composition depicts a room with two people sitting at a table. The room is dark with only three lit lamps with reddish lampshades providing the light. The walls are also in a red shade and, together with the lamps, create a cozy and warm ambiance.

In this composition by Sargent, there are also various off-white and lighter (high-key value range) areas like the tablecloth and items on the table. These contrast with the deeper-hued areas, especially the shadows in the background, the black on the figures’ clothing, and the dark port in the decanter.

High-key value in art is illustrated by some of the paintings of Impressionists like Claude Monet, who is also often referred to in teachings about value in painting.

An example of Monet’s use of value in painting includes his Waterloo Bridge , Sunlight Effect (1903). This is one of the versions from his Waterloo Bridge Series , which he painted between 1899 and 1904. Monet depicted the Waterloo Bridge in different conditions, notably in the fog. He utilized light colors to convey light and atmospheric effects. Some of the colors are described as” soft” and “pale”, which include blues, purples, and pinks, among other hues like yellow.

Another important point to remember about utilizing value and the types of “keys” as some describe them is to be aware of their placement in a painting and the purpose of having a high, low, or middle key value. If there is too much or too little of a high or low-key value, it could create an unbalanced composition.

A painting that has a dominance of middle-key value can also appear more balanced and harmonious in its color scheme.

An example of a painting that appears to be more middle key is John Singer Sargent’s watercolor and graphite Military Camp (1918). In Sargent’s painting, there are no distinct dark areas, rather, his use of dark values are strategically placed in the shadows of the trees and coaches.

What Is the Purpose of Value in Art?

Value becomes an important element in art such that it adds a different kind of value to any type of artwork. It creates various effects such as highlights and shading, which provide more depth and three-dimensionality to artworks like paintings or drawings.

Some of the best value in art examples that create strong visual effects using highlights and shadows can be seen in Albrecht Dürer’s drawings and engravings.

Examples include the renowned engraving of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1498), Adam and Eve (1504), and Saint Jerome in His Study (1514). In each of these engravings, we see Dürer’s great skill in creating tonal contrasts using light and dark areas that give the composition life and a sense of movement. The background appears darker from the engraved lines to denote a foreboding background, with the horsemen emerging into the scene fast and strong.

We see the clouds behind the four horsemen are also lighter and contrasts well with the shadows. Dürer also created these contrasts throughout the subject, for example, the delicate shading between the folds in some of the figures’ clothing and the horses’ musculature. Value is accentuated here with the assistance of lines, which is another key art element.

Value in art does not stop at highlights and shadows. It can also create illusory light effects and emphasize specific focal points in a visual composition.

Value in art examples that emphasize focal points will also apply contrasts of light and dark. This is evident in Francisco Goya’s The Third of May 1808 (1814). The left portion of the composition appears lighter compared to the right portion, which appears darker.

The illusion of light is given by the painted lamp in the center with the armed men on the right standing behind it, and executed in a palette of darker values to draw attention to the main source of light.

The light from the lamp in the center is shining on the focal point, which is the man standing with his outstretched arms and facing the men on the right. Goya creates a contrasting interplay of light and dark in this oil painting, which also creates emphasis and sets the tense mood.

This leads to an important point when utilizing an art element like color, specifically value. If it is purposefully applied, it has the power to shape the visual narrative and evoke a spectrum of emotions. Value, when coupled strategically with color, can create calm and peaceful moods or dynamic compositions that make for dramatic paintings.

More than Colors: Art with Value

Beyond the physical application of paint on canvas or pencil to paper and the arrangement of colors and values, we cannot forget the inherent value that art provides. From cave art, church art, or Pop art , art has been in existence since the dawn of human origin.

It is one of our most natural forms of self-expression and exploration of ideas, concepts, and events that are close to our hearts.

Artworks have also become sought-after legacies left by many great artists, now adorning museums and art galleries all over the world . There is art with a value that many pay millions of dollars to have in their private collections and art with a value that is priceless. These “priceless” masterpieces have acquired monetary and status-value over time due to their unique histories and innovative creators.

The Many Shapes and Sizes of Value in Art

Value is one of the tools we can use when it comes to utilizing color, which can apply to different media like paintings, watercolors, or drawings.

There are also several variations of value in art, referred to as high-key, low-key, and mid-range. Value adds effects like highlights and shadows, which create emphasis, perspective, depth, contrast, and so much more to a visual composition, thus giving it life. As such, one needs to carefully examine all the shapes and sizes of value in art to ensure that one makes the best out of this art element.

Value in art comes in many different shapes and sizes as we have illustrated with the above value in art examples. Value is considered an important art element to understand, and like many art enthusiasts and artists, we encourage you to grab a pencil and a sheet of paper and start practicing your hand at creating value in art!

Learn Everything about the Elements of Art

We have written a series about all the elements of art, if you would like to dive a bit deeper into the topic:

Elements of Art Overview
Color in Art
Line in Art
Shape in Art
Form in Art
Texture in Art
Space in Art

Frequently Asked Questions

Value is an art element, alongside color, texture, line, form, shape, and space. Value refers to how light or dark a visual composition is or the so-called lightness and darkness of a painting, drawing, watercolor, or graphic design.

What Are the Different Types of Value in Art?

There are different types of values in art. These range from the lightest value, which is the high-key value range, to middle-key values, and the darkest values, which is understood as the low-key value range. It is often described in terms of a grayscale with the different gradients ranging from white to gray and black.

Why Is Value in Art Important?

Value in art is often called the most important art element because it gives a visual composition character. It creates depth and three-dimensionality through shading and highlighting. It also adds emphasis and contrast, and can give a visual depiction more meaning beyond formal art elements like color, line, form, shape, space, and texture.

Alicia du Plessis is a multidisciplinary writer. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Art History and Classical Civilization, as well as two Honors, namely, in Art History and Education and Development, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. For her main Honors project in Art History, she explored perceptions of the San Bushmen’s identity and the concept of the “Other”. She has also looked at the use of photography in art and how it has been used to portray people’s lives.

Alicia’s other areas of interest in Art History include the process of writing about Art History and how to analyze paintings. Some of her favorite art movements include Impressionism and German Expressionism. She is yet to complete her Masters in Art History (she would like to do this abroad in Europe) having given it some time to first develop more professional experience with the interest to one day lecture it too.

Alicia has been working for artincontext.com since 2021 as an author and art history expert. She has specialized in painting analysis and is covering most of our painting analysis.

Learn more about Alicia du Plessis and the Art in Context Team .

Cite this Article

Alicia, du Plessis, “Value in Art – In-Depth Guide with Examples and Overview.” Art in Context. July 6, 2022. URL: https://artincontext.org/value-in-art/

du Plessis, A. (2022, 6 July). Value in Art – In-Depth Guide with Examples and Overview. Art in Context. https://artincontext.org/value-in-art/

du Plessis, Alicia. “Value in Art – In-Depth Guide with Examples and Overview.” Art in Context , July 6, 2022. https://artincontext.org/value-in-art/ .

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Value Scale

How to Draw a Value Scale

The value scale.

The value scale is a system of organizing values. It consists of nine values ranging from white to black, with several shades of gray in between. These shades of gray make up the meat of a drawing, and help to create the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality.

Why Draw a Value Scale?

This exercise will improve your eye, making you a more sensitive observer. You will also gain control of your drawing materials and learn how to draw an even gradation, which is, in essence, what a value scale is.

Recommended Materials

A sturdy drawing board, a sheet of good quality drawing paper (such as Strathmore 400 Drawing paper), a selection of drawing pencils (HB, 2B, 4B and 6B), and a kneaded eraser are all the materials that you will need for this exercise.

A word about pencils... In this demo, I am using charcoal pencils . However, you can use any kind of pencil that you wish to become more familiar with - charcoal, graphite, conte, etc. My only recommendation is to use a black pencil as opposed to a colored one, because the purpose of this exercise is to learn about value, and this is much easier to do when it is isolated from color. Before you begin... Set yourself up for success by creating a clean, organized drawing area. Tape or clip a piece of drawing paper (I am using Strathmore 400 Drawing) to a sturdy drawing board, and make sure that your pencils are sharpened .

1. Using a ruler, draw nine equally sized and spaced boxes.

2. When you begin a drawing, in order to accurately capture the relationships between the values, you first establish your lightest and darkest values. That way, you have two points of reference to which you can compare all the other values.

3. We now have the two extremes of our value range: white and black.

The next step is to establish the middle value: value 5.

Estimate how dark value 5 should be by imagining what it might look like to blend 50% white with 50% black. Later on, when you have drawn in more values on the scale, it will be easier to tell how accurate you were, and darken or lighten value 5 as necessary. Since you will probably have to adjust your values, do not worry about making them perfectly even at this point.

4. Now that you have an estimated middle value, you can choose to either begin with value 2 or value 8 and work inwards towards value 5. I began with value 2.

Helpful Hint:

The neighbouring values on the scale should be similar enough to each other that when you put them side by side and squint your eyes way down: they almost merge together. For example, squint your eyes and look:

Notice that it becomes difficult to tell exactly where the boundaries are between the neighbouring values. Use this technique to help you judge the accuracy of your values as you draw the value scale.

5. Continue filling in values 3 and 4 on your scale, constantly evaluating the accuracy of your existing values. For example, in the image above I noticed that my value 5 box was too dark. I lightened it using the technique described below.

Adjusting the Values Using a Kneaded Eraser

It will take some practice to do this evenly, but it is a great technique once you get the hang of it. Kneaded erasers can also be shaped into points resembling the point of a pencil, and used to pick out individual dark "spots" within a value.

Continue filling in values 6 through 8, adjusting the values until you have a completed scale!

F R E E D O W N L O A D

Value is one of the essential elements of Realistic Drawing. Download the free Elements of Realistic Drawing E-Book to learn about the rest (plus, receive a weekly newsletter!)

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Analyzing the Elements of Art: Four Ways to Think About Value

By Kristin Farr

Jan. 3, 2018

Welcome to the final piece in our Seven Elements of Art series, in which Kristin Farr pairs videos from KQED Art School with current New York Times pieces on the visual arts to help students make connections between formal art instruction and our daily visual culture.

The other pieces in the series? Here are lessons on space , shape , form , line , color and texture .

How does value create emphasis and the illusion of light?

Artists are able to create the illusion of light using different color and tonal values. Value defines how light or dark a given color or hue can be. Values are best understood when visualized as a scale or gradient, from dark to light. The more tonal variants in an image, the lower the contrast. When shades of similar value are used together, they also create a low contrast image. High contrast images have few tonal values in between stronger hues like black and white. Value is responsible for the appearance of texture and light in art. Although paintings and photographs do not often physically light up, the semblance of light and dark can be achieved through the manipulation of value.

How do artists produce and use different tonal values? To begin, watch the video above, on value, one of seven elements of art.

1. Emphasizing Portrait Subjects With Value and Contrast

Jamel Shabazz’s 40 Years of Sights and Styles in New York

View Slide Show ›

Photography can be defined as drawing with light. Photographers often capture high-contrast colors to emphasize parts of an image, and low contrast colors to add dimension, foreground and background.

The photographer Jamel Shabazz is known for his photographs of diverse communities that serve as social commentary to broaden perspectives. In a Lens piece, “ Jamel Shabazz’s 40 Years of Sights and Styles in New York ,” Maurice Berger writes:

Mr. Shabazz uses his camera predominantly to challenge stereotypes and negative perceptions about urban life — and especially about New York’s black and brown residents — by focusing on the vitality, diversity and dignity of his subjects.

People are the main focus of Shabazz’s work, and the concept and emotional intention of his photographs are supported by the use of value and contrast to create emphasis. Subjects stand out when contrasting with their environment, drawing the eye to the person captured in the image.

In “Style,” Lower East Side, Manhattan, 2002,” the black-and-white image that begins the slide show above, there are many tonal values (shades from the gray scale). Which parts of the image are low contrast, and which are high contrast? What stands out? What’s the first thing you see? What’s the next thing you notice? Is your eye drawn to the high contrast or low contrast areas first?

In highlighting his community, Jamel Shabazz plays with value and contrast to make them stand out, emphasizing fashion and community aesthetics as a way to honor and document his New York neighbors. His memorable photographs communicate successfully in part because of his skilled approach to using value to create emphasis and meaning.

Click through the entire slide show and repeat the same exercise for each image. Which photos have high contrast colors? Which have low contrast colors, or a mix of both? Which areas are emphasized with high contrast shades? What do you think Mr. Shabazz wanted to reveal about his subjects?

2. Value Creates Illusion

When colors have similar value and low contrast, they create the illusion of vibration or movement, as in the paintings of Agnes Martin, whose color choice often stays within the realm of a certain value to create subtle variation with a puzzling effect for the eye. In “ The Joy of Reading Between Agnes Martin’s Lines ,” Holland Cotter writes about the visual exercise of differentiating color and value in her work:

View her paintings from several feet away, and their surfaces — whitish, pinkish, grayish, brownish — look hazily blank, as if they needed a dusting or a buffing. Move closer, and complicated, eye-tricking, self-erasing textures come in and out of focus.

How does Martin use value to trick the eye and create subtle texture variation? Which of her paintings have a high contrast between colors, and which have colors of similar value? Look through the images shown in “ The Joy of Reading Between Agnes Martin’s Lines ” and analyze her use of color value.

The Art of Julian Stanczak

Then, compare and contrast Agnes Martin’s use of contrasting color values with the work of the painter Julian Stanczak, known for his Op Art style that also boldly plays with the eye. Op Art is a type of visual art that creates optical illusions. In his Times review of the exhibition “ Julian Stanczak Master of Op Art: Highlights of the Past 40 years ,” Kenneth Johnson writes:

Mr. Stanczak has been steadfastly devoted to using pattern and color to create striking and confounding illusions of movement and luminosity. In his neatly made abstractions nothing stays fixed: lines appear to vibrate, waver, rotate and undulate; color glows and throbs as if electrically generated; hovering, gridded squares seem to fade in and out of visibility. The effects are retinal but they feel almost hallucinatory.

In the Times writer Roberta Smith’s recent obituary about the abstract painter Julian Stanczak , Ms. Smith detailed how the artist achieved these optical illusions and became a leader in the Op Art style.

He produced some of the most emotionally gripping paintings associated with the Op trend. This was achieved partly by his delicately textured paint surfaces and partly by the soft light that often infiltrated his forms and patterns, the result of an infinitesimal adjustment of the shades of one or two colors.

Browse through the Times slide show embedded above on “ The Art of Julian Stanczak ” and answer the following questions:

• Can you identify the techniques used to create optical illusions of depth, dimension and light?

•Which paintings have the most subtle adjustments between shades?

•Which have a higher contrast?

•Which kinds of value variants create the strongest texture?

•How do you describe the effect each image has on your eye?

3. A Times Scavenger Hunt

Now that you’ve explored how value is used to emphasize subjects in art and creates the illusion of dark and light, and gained an understanding of the value of colors and how they affect each other, browse through features in The New York Times’s Art & Design section ; Lens , the Times site for photojournalism; or anywhere else on NYTimes.com, and challenge yourself to a scavenger hunt.

See if you can find photographs or images of artwork with the following characteristics:

•A high contrast photograph.

•A low contrast photograph.

•An image of a painting with colors of highly contrasting values.

•An image of a painting with colors of similar value.

•A photograph in which the level of value contrast affects the mood of the image.

•A photograph in which the value contrast creates texture.

•A photograph in which the value contrast emphasizes the focus of the image.

4. Your Turn: Photo Portraits and Op Art

Here are two ideas for experimenting with value in your own creative work.

a. Portraits With Varied Values

In 2014, The Times invited students to submit creative selfies that express who they are, and received hundreds, from college students to first graders. Marci Beene, who teaches digital photography at J.T. Hutchinson Middle School in Lubbock, Tex., turned the solicitation into an assignment for her seventh and eighth graders: “Do a selfie that goes beyond your face,” she instructed, “and that represents something.” Click through the photos above to see the results.

Take a portrait of a friend, or a self-portrait using the timer on your camera. Use an editing app on your phone like Instagram or Snapchat to create different versions of the portrait with filters. Create one black-and-white version with high contrast and one with low contrast. Do the same with a full-color version.

Which filters create the strongest value contrast and which flatten the photo with low contrasting light and color? Arrange the four versions of your portrait into one image and compare the mood of each. How does value bring about the feeling portrayed?

b. Op Art Collage

To create an Op Art collage, choose two colors of construction paper with similar values, like red and orange, or light yellow and light pink. Cut one color into thin strips or small shapes, and glue onto the other sheet with a glue stick. Consider the abstract compositions of Julian Stanczak for inspiration. Next, choose two colors that have a strong contrast, like blue and orange. Create another cut-paper collage using the same technique.

Sol LeWitt is another artist who experimented with color values to whom you can look for inspiration. View the Times slide show “ Sol LeWitt at Mass MoCA ,” as well as the image above.

Hang your two paper collages side-by-side and critique the visual effect of each. Do they vibrate or create dimension? Which has a stronger effect? Which is your eye drawn to more?

Considering value in your own artwork will help you emphasize the focal points, create depth and texture and help determine the experience you want your viewer to have. Do you want to create a calming or jarring feeling? Value can help evoke an emotional response from your audience.

Want to read the whole series? Here are our lessons on shape , form , line , color , texture and space . How do you teach these elements?

How to Draw and Use a Value Scale in Your Artwork

I’m going to share with you an easy way to shade in a value scale using pencil, charcoal, and even paint. I’ll also be explaining why you should probably buy a value scale too if you are serious about getting better at your artwork.

What is a Value Scale?

A value scale can be considered not only a drawing exercise but also an important tool when trying to learn how to draw. Right now I’d like to focus more on what a value scale is but, before we’re finished I’ll show you how you can use value scales as a tool for improving your drawing skills!

In its simplest form a value scale is a rectangular shape that encompasses different values ranging from light to dark. Not sure what value means in art? Read this .

The example above shows 7 value steps ranging from white to black with several grays in between. Value scales can also be created using color. Here’s the same example this time using the color red:

Value scales can have as few or as many steps as you wish. We’ve been demonstrating how to draw a value scale consisting of 7 different values but you can certainly change that. It becomes more difficult when trying to draw a value scale with many value steps. So how do we create a value scale? I’m glad you asked!…

How Do I Draw a Value Scale?

When starting out I recommend you create a value scale consisting of 5 values. This is much easier to do and will give you the confidence needed before moving on to more difficult drawings. Here’s a step by step plan for drawing your first value scale!

To create a value scale, begin by drawing out a rectangle and subdividing it into 5 even boxes. Grab a ruler and get going!

Next begin shading the last box (it will eventually be black), but don’t shade it in completely dark right away . You’ll get better results if you add many layers of pencil and arrive at the desired value over time rather than right away. After you’ve shaded the last box move to the second to last box and shade it in slightly lighter. Keep repeating this process for each box, only making each one lighter in value than the previous box.

At this point you should have a value scale that looks very light similar to the last example above. Continue this process several more times working from the dark end of the value scale towards the light end of the scale.

It’s okay to press harder to achieve your darkest values but remember to layer your pencil as well. A layered approach to shading will always look the best! In the creation of this drawing exercise each time I added a new layer of pencil I choose to use a darker pencil.

Learning to Draw

Creating value scales is a great exercise for learning how to draw. If you have ever taken a drawing class your art teacher probably made you draw one. The 5 step value scale we worked on above is a great starting point but if you really want to test your drawing skills it would be a good idea to go through the same exercise, but with more boxes. In other words, can you draw a value scale consisting of 9 distinct values that progress from white to black?

Seeing Values

Remember I mentioned that the value scale can also be a valuable drawing tool? Check this out: Once you have an accurate value scale in your possession you can use it to discover values in anything you’re trying to draw:

Hold up the value scale in front of the actual subject matter you are drawing.
Choose a value on the scale that is closest to the subject matter. This requires moving around the scale until you line up the value that is closest with the values you are looking at.
Now you have a good idea for what value you need in your drawing. Now match your drawing to the correct value you just discovered!
Repeat this process for as many parts of your drawing in question.

This process of comparing reality to your drawing in terms of values is a really time-intensive, but a very accurate way to learn how to draw.

If this type of work, quantifying what you are seeing, is something you find interesting you are definitely not alone. Albert Munsell developed a system for quantifying colors and values in the early 1900s. His system uses 11 different values. The Munsell system of color is taught and used by some of the artists associated with the Grand Central Atelier art school in New York . I know first hand because I recently took and amazing painting class there!

Although an expensive investment, the Munsell color system is an excellent way to take your realistic, full-color artwork to then next level and really get a handle on scientific-based color theory.

Types of Value Scales

So far we have been discussing what is called an “even value scale” which is one of the two basic value scales an artist can create. If you jumped right to this section this is what an even value scale looks like :

Even value scales are a fantastic way to practice your drawing skills. Another skill you will need to develop as an artist working on paper will be the skill of shading with graded values. This is where the graded value scale comes into play. Check out the graded value scale below :

How would you draw this type of value scale? Very similar to the way we drew the even value scale.

Start near the end of the scale you wish to be black and slowly work your pencil strokes towards the white end of the scale. Remember not to achieve your final values right away. Make several passes from the dark end to the light end of the value scale. It’s the layering that will complete the smooth transition from black to white.

Make a Value Scale using Pencils

The process outlined above is exactly how I would shade in a value scale with pencil. While I advocated starting at the dark end of the scale and working towards the light end that is not the only way to accomplish the value scale. An artist could also get great results starting near the lighter end and working towards the darker end of the value scale. The final result is what matters. Do what works for you! One thing is for sure…the more layers you use the smoother your results will be.

Using a variety of pencil grades from the h-pencils to the b-pencils will also make this drawing task easier. Consequently, using a range of pencils will also make sure that your dark values reach a maximum value that is as close to black as possible. Read this post on pencil grades if you need a refresher on what the different pencils can do for your artwork.

Shading Value Scales in Charcoal

Can I shade a value scale in charcoal? Absolutely. It’s very much the same process as the drawing process outlined above. Charcoal tends to be messy though, so if you ever want to create an extremely neat value scale in charcoal you can mask off the edges or use your kneaded eraser to clean up the edges of the drawing afterwards. Check out this old video I made many years ago showing the process:

In the video I’m using both vine charcoal and compressed charcoal to get the job done!

Painting a Value Scale

By now you probably have a good idea for drawing value scales but how does all this translate into painting? The concept is the same but when using paint you won’t be relying on layering or pressure to create your values. When painting you need to mix different values on your painter’s palette and then paint them into position. You can’t press harder with your paint brush and expect to get a darker paint!

You can do it! Apply white paint and black paint to your palette and premix the 3 gray values in between right on your palette. Then complete your painted value scale. It’s that simple! Be sure to wipe your paint brush clean before changing values.

Drawing Aides

value card | tools for learning how to draw

Want to learn more about drawing?

Check out some of my popular drawing tutorials that will get you drawing like a pro in no time!

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One Comment

so i did not know that you can use charcoal as a pencil or a eraser like that so yes it is useful.

Value Scale Exercises and How to Use Value Scales to Improve Your Drawings

Today we are going to work on mastering values and tones in your drawings. This is just one of the many things that you will need to learn in order to become a master drawer/artist.

Tones/values occur in nearly every part of a drawing that you will create. Learning how to create the perfect value for each spot on the drawing is what will turn your artwork into a masterpiece. But before you learn how to master tones/values in your drawings, you will have to work on your craft, which means, ughh, drawing exercises. Sorry.

Today, we will be working on value scales. What are “value scales,” you ask? Well, I was just about to tell you. Value scales are a tool that will help you understand tonal relationships in your drawings. It can also be used as a drawing exercise to learn how to make all of the possible values that your pencil (or whatever tool you are using) can make. Creating value scales also trains your eyes to be able to see and compare small value changes in your artwork. And in the exercises below, I will also show you how to use these value scales to create smooth gradients. Your ability to see and draw these value shifts will help you create beautiful depth in your future drawings.

VALUE SCALES AND SMOOTH GRADIENTS: EXERCISE ONE

In this first exercise, you are going to create a 5 step value scale as well as practice creating a smooth gradation using those values that you created. This is a great way to become familiar with what range of tones (or values) your pencil can create. You can use any pencil that you want, whether it is a graphite pencil, charcoal pencil, or even colored pencil. This will help you create and see subtle tone variations within your artwork.

So here is how you do it:

The Value Scale boxes should go from lightest (left) to darkest (right). So use your pencil to fill in the box on the right with the darkest value that you can create with your pencil.

The box on the far left will remain white.

Now fill in the center box with the value that you think would be in the middle of the lightest and darkest. If you aren’t sure, it is always good to go with a lighter value because you can always darken it later on.

Now fill in the remaining boxes with values that are between the values that are around them. So for example, the 4th square should be a value that is darker than the 3rd square but lighter than the 5th square.

how to draw faces step by step - learn how to draw faces and heads

Now we are at the part where we create a smooth gradient from light to dark, using the same exact pencil. Below each rectangle, match the tone on the far right. If you don’t know what I mean, look at the picture above.

Now use your pencil to smoothly create a gradient. I suggest going from left to right on each of these values we create. Just lightly put value down and just keep make it darker as you go toward the right. Match the color to the left and match the color to the right and just gradually make it look as if the gradient is going from dark to light.

VALUE SCALES AND SMOOTH GRADIENTS: EXERCISE TWO

Click Here or on Picture for the PDF File to Print Out

Now do the same thing for this 2nd printout, except this one spreads out with 8 boxes instead of 5. This makes it more difficult but the same rules apply.

Practice it with different types of pencils

How Do I Use Value Scales to Improve My Drawings

Once you have a value scale in hand, you can use that value scale to discover different values in things that you want to draw.

Hold up that value scale next to the thing that you want to draw.

Choose a value on the subject matter (the item that you want to draw) and try to match it up with your value scale. You probably will need to move your value scale around to find a match. Do this with another value on the scale.

Now you have a good idea of what value to use in your drawing. Lay down that value. I suggest doing this for all of the darkest parts of your drawing first.

Repeat until you have finished your drawing.

Chapter 6: Value Readings and Exercises

Drawing with Charcoal: Historical Techniques of 19th Century France

3 Ways to Use a Kneaded Eraser for Realistic Drawing

Fixative Spray Your Drawings Like a Pro! (Mistakes to avoid + tips)

Everything I know about charcoal drawing in one video

Sketchbook:

Value scale with all media:

Use charcoal (willow/vine and compress), conté, graphite, or ink. Draw 9 one inch by two inch rectangles. Each gray needs to be stand alone, do not blend between grays.

Creating Value Scales in Charcoal and Graphite

Chiaroscuro study:

Shine a flashlight on three objects in a dark room or late at night (then take a photo if possible). Find unusual objects for the still life. Sketch the objects lightly with willow charcoal, then establish your darker values with compressed charcoal. How can you create a dramatic narrative through lack of light? Chiaroscuro is the distribution of light and dark in an image. How does the art or feeling intensify when chiaroscuro is utilized. Be aware of your cast shadows and enhance them.

Shading with Vine Charcoal:

Still life with eggs. No porcelain, metal, or glass in the still life.

Modeling planes:

Create geometric shapes by developing planes. Start with a cube, draw it in various angles and rotations. Shade and manipulate each side of the cube to make it look dimensional.

Basic Drawing: Standard Flat Plane Exercise

Drawing Fundamentals: Modeling Planes, a how-to guide from ArtistsNetwork. By Jon deMartin.

See this how-to-guide to start working on your own modeling planes.

Credit: Jon deMartin, ArtistsNetwork

Basic Drawing: Bent and Rounded Plane Exercise

Drawing on toned paper:

Using a mid-tone paper as your middle values rely on white and black conté to illustrate an object.

University of Oxford

Black and white photo or photocopy:

Find an image that has a range of grays and rich contrast. Grid the photo and your sketchbook paper to assist in enlarging the image for accurate proportions. You can use graphite or charcoal for this assignment.

Alternative option: Photocopy your hand, then take that copy and drag it across the glass as it’s being scanned while another copy is being made.

Folded paper stippling:

Crumple a piece of lined paper. Use ink (micron pen) to stipple value and shadows. The white of your drawing paper will be the highlights/brightest whites found on the crumpled paper.

Notice how Pissarro used stippling to illustrate distance, light, and value in this image:

Reading assignment :

Read about Dante’s The Divine Comedy Inferno, check out the video below, and look over these vast collection of images.

The World of Dante

Getty Images

Open Art Images

Dramatic Depictions of Hell

The Divine Comedy (1307-1321) is one of the most intriguing and politically driven texts in the 14th Century. Who wouldn’t want to write an amazing poem and put all of your political enemies in hell and force them to suffer unspeakable acts of torture and pain! Indeed, Dante also put friends and people he respected in hell because he believed that all people needed to repent and care for their souls. The importance of this text lies not in its content necessarily (though that is important as well), but rather that it is written in Italian. This might seem trivial to us now, but that Dante chose to write in the vernacular language and not Latin significantly changes the course of literary history in the West— not to mention the movies, books, and video games this text has spawned . Up to this point in the Western Middle Ages, “literature” was only written in Latin, and anything written in a vernacular language was not worthy of a proper audience—i.e., educated people. The vernacular language was the language spoken by the people, the uneducated masses. So with this in mind, you can begin to see precisely who Dante was attempting to write for, who he wanted his work to touch and speak to, who needed to hear what he had to say.

Dante writes himself into the poem, referred to as Dante-pilgrim, and constructs a scenario in which Vigil, the author of The Aeneid , is his guide through hell. Dante meets Vigil just outside the gates of hell. As the two writers enter limbo, they meet other important authors such as Homer, Ovid, Lucan, and Horace. By placing himself in the company of these authors, Dante not so subtly posits his own literary genius. This becomes a standard practice for many medieval authors that follow Dante’s lead and begin writing in a vernacular language. (A brief note on time periods and dating: Dante is writing at the very end of the Middle Ages and the very beginning of the Italian Renaissance in the 14th Century—typically scholars date the beginning of the Renaissance when Petrarch is crowned poet laureate in 1341, which comes after Dante’s death. In England, however, the 14th through the 15th century are still very much considered medieval. The “progress” that the Renaissance makes in Italy does not fully reach and affect other parts of Europe for some time.)

Follow this link to read a curated selection from Dante.

As you read, consider the ways in which Dante-pilgrim’s journey has shaped our understanding of hell, punishment, and retribution. What kind of world does Dante create not through the creation of hell, but through writing and presenting new images in a language of the people?

Section credit: “From The Divine Comedy Inferno, Dante Alighieri,” in Introduction to World Literature Anthology Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

The Inferno according to Dante, after the Last Judgment fresco in the Campo Santo, Pisa, Anonymous, Italian, Florentine, 15th century, Engraving, a later re-strike (possibly 19th century)

Writing assignment :

The purpose of color/value : How can color, value, and texture present a narrative? How would an image shift if you changed the palette or included more white in it? A gentle, delicate butterfly illustrated in all black or a fearsome werewolf made of bright pinks and yellows could possible confuse a viewer. Look at images by William Blake, Caravaggio, Hieronymus Bosch, and Odd Nerdrum; artists that typically use darker in hue color palettes. What thoughts, stories, or emotions are stirred when you view their works.

Large Projects :

Black Paper drawing:

Use white, gray, and black conté on black paper to illustrate a mythological, supernatural, mysterious character and/or environment. The materials are reinforcing a visual drama, use it to your advantage. What conceptual narrative could you build by using black?

Nazgul the Ringwraith – Charcoal Drawing – Miroslav Šunjkić

Reverse charcoal :

Cover your drawing paper with charcoal (choose wisely, willow/vine or compressed will have different effects) with a light to medium value. Using charcoal to lightly draw in your subject (spotlight/dramatically lit still life) establish on your composition and proportions. Your kneaded eraser will be used to remove highlights from the paper while the charcoal will intensify your contrast and develop volume in your objects.

Scratchboard :

Take a photo of an animal, insect, or person and convert it to a black and white image in photoshop. Start by drawing your subject on your scratchboard using pastel, graphite, or white conté. Scratch away your lines using a needle or drawing tool, be aware of your directionality. To build volume go over highlighted areas multiple times.

Consider a story you could tell by only using silhouettes. A silhouette is a cutout, a solid shape, an object seen against light. How can figures, objects, environments be made into simplified shapes and remain readable?

Look at Kara Walker’s examples, she utilizes massive walls as ways of telling stories and exposing history. Draw your objects on construction paper or ink-stained paper and carefully cut them out with an exact-o knife. Glue the shapes to compose an image on your large drawing paper in a way that fills the entire surface area, be conscious of the composition. If your paper is buckling due to the glue, place a stack of books on top to flatten the paper (put wax paper between your art and books so the paper doesn’t damage your book!). Kara Walker website

[Paper Silhouette Portrait of a Woman], Unknown (American), Daguerreotype

Artists and terms to research :

William Kentridge

Stop animation charcoal

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio

Painting collection

His life and style: National Gallery

Louise Nevelson

In Process 1977

Agnes Martin

Beauty is in Your Mind

Shirin Neshat

Chiaroscuro

How to Master Light & Dark

Art History Terms

Gallery tour NYSM

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How to Teach Value

HOW TO TEACH VALUE

If you’re looking for an easy approach to teaching kids art, there’s no better system than using the elements and principles of art.

This is the sixth tutorial in our Series CONNECTING WITH THE ELEMENTS – How to teach the Elements & Principles of Art. This week I’m talking VALUE.

What is Value and why is it important?

Value is the lightness or darkness in a color. When you add white to a color, like red, you’ll get a TINT. The pink that children make when white is added to red is purely magical.

When you add black to a color, it is called a SHADE. When children mix a bit of black to red, a deep burgundy will appear. This paint mixing is purely magical and intense with learning opportunities.

There is no easier way to show children the fun of mixing black and white than by creating this simple cat project.

Watch Patty’s Facebook Live Tutorial below, or click HERE to view on the Deep Space Sparkle Facebook Page.

* This video is also available to you if you’re a Sparkler in the Sparkler’s Club, located in the Value EPIC Curriculum Bundle .

Here’s what you’ll need:

12″ x 18″ white sulphite or all-purpose drawing paper
Black, white and/or gold oil pastel or crayon
Small amount of liquid tempera paint (craft acrylic paint works fine)
Small amount of white liquid tempera paint
Optional; Orange and yellow painted paper or colored paper.
Optional: Metallic tempera paints

Start by downloading the VALUE CAT handout below. It contains a simple cat drawing guide. Use either a directed drawing or allow children top create their own cat.

If you have small children (younger than 7), consider using a pint size food container lid to trace the cat’s head near the top corner of the paper.

Drawing the Cat

Trace circle top for head.
Add a cat’s face (no whiskers yet)
Add triangles for ears
Starting at the right side of the head, draw a slightly curved line to the other edge of the paper and curve down to almost the bottom.
Draw a straight horizontal line all the way to the other side of the paper (trust me, here)
Go back to head and draw one line towards the bottom of the paper, joining with the straight horizontal line.
Now, add the leg definition by drawing two upside down letter “U’s”.
Add a long tail in whatever space you have available.

We kept the drawing super simple and large. I wanted the kids to have plenty of space to add their paint later on.

Using the black oil pastel, divide the cat drawing into shapes using lines, shapes and patterns.

Value Painting (+ a little gold)

To create grey scale, place some black and white liquid tempera paint in a muffin-style tray. Kids can mixed bits of white with black to create varying shades of gray. If you are anything like me, you might need a little glam. If this is the case, throw in some gold metallic paint and allow the kids to add it where they want.

When dry, cut out cat and glue onto black 12″ x 18″ paper. Using gold, white and black oil pastels, trace over all the lines you want to highlight. This is the time to add whiskers.

Painted Paper Flowers

Using painted paper scraps, add colorful flower details to glue on and around the cat. Don’t forget the leaves.

Here’s another post that duplicates the same instructions but has a different outcome.

WANT THE DOWNLOAD?

To watch previous art tutorials and download the worksheets, click the links below:

Line & Pattern Art Tutorial & Worksheet

Shape Art Tutorial & Worksheet

Color Art Tutorial & Worksheet

Contrast & Emphasis Art Tutorial & Worksheet

Movement & Rhythm Art Tutorial & Worksheet

ARE YOU A SPARKLER?

Head over to the private Sparklers’ Club website and click on EPIC Curriculum. You can watch the edited Art Tutorial Videos and download all of the lessons and resources to support the Contrast & Emphasis Bundle.

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4 Engaging Alternatives to Value Scales

color photo and black and white photo of present bows arranged by value

If you ask students to choose one skill they’d like to improve; chances are, the majority will say drawing. Whether students come across a drawing time-lapse video on Instagram or see you or another classmate with out-of-this-world skills, they’re envious. And, they want to be able to create similar drawings instantly! So many of your students long to draw realistically, but what they don’t realize is drawing takes practice. Just as an athlete or a musician improves their craft through practice, drawing requires the same .

When it comes to drawing, teaching the foundation is vital . Our students must first learn how to observe and to see. For thousands of years, artists have been practicing this skill through observational drawing exercises, so we know it works. Another key to drawing is teaching our students to identify light. Teaching students to shade to create the illusion of three-dimension isn’t always easy. The concept of value is easy to understand, but for beginning students, it can be challenging to apply those skills to their drawings.

If you’re looking for ways to go beyond filling in the squares on a value scale, these 4 lessons will do just that.

1. value layers exercise.

When exploring value through drawing, it is crucial for students to learn pencil control. This lesson is an excellent way for students to experiment with different drawing pencils and learn best practices like how to hold the pencil and how to apply appropriate pressure. To start, students draw and cut out a shape to use as a stencil. They will then use that stencil to trace layers that will get darker in value.

Here is a breakdown of the layers using a 5×7 inch piece of paper:

Layer 1: Trace stencil 5-7 times and fill in using the lightest value
Layer 2 : Trace stencil 3-5 times overlapping behind the first layer. Fill in with a light-medium value.
Layer 3: Trace stencil 3-5 times overlapping behind the first and second layers. Fill in with a medium-dark value.
Layer 4: Fill in any remaining white spaces in the background with the darkest value.

Depending on the paper and stencil size, the layer numbers will vary. Trying a value lesson like this will allow students to see a value scale differently.

If you’re looking for even more tips about developing students’ drawing skills, don’t miss the Teaching the Building Blocks of Drawing PRO Pack which you can find in PRO Learning . Among other things, you’ll explore techniques to help with realistic and observational drawing and discover new lessons for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students!

2. Shattered Value Drawings

This lesson serves as an excellent stepping stone before you begin grid drawing with your students. Start by drawing a subject on the page using contour lines only. Next, divide the drawing into sections using shapes and lines. As a result, the line will appear to shatter the drawing, making it look like a giant puzzle. Encourage your students to get creative with this part! In each shape, students will use a full range of values to fill it in. It is best to treat the positive space slightly different than the negative space.

The best part about a project like this is students are focusing on small sections at a time and are not overwhelmed or worried about making their drawing appear realistic. As a result, students will create a value filled drawing with a cubist-inspired feel!

3. Photo Scavenger Hunt

When students first learn about value, they generally work in grayscale, or perhaps with a monochromatic color scheme. So, when students are asked to work with value using multiple colors, it can become challenging.

One way to help students see how the values of different hues relate to one another is through photography. Have your students find and arrange objects of different colors from the lightest value to the darkest value. Then, have them snap a photo using a tablet, phone, or other digital camera. After they take the photo, have them check to see how they did by making the photo black and white. This mini-lesson is an excellent way to introduce your students to comparing values and color.

4. Oil Pastels Blended with Baby Oil

As mentioned above, it typically seems that value and drawing are viewed as a package deal. However, exploring value using different mediums can be beneficial for your students. Try using oil pastels and baby oil together . This process will teach students how to blend values to create a seamless transition. It takes far less time than practicing with pencil and will help students gain confidence in their skills more quickly.

Teaching value does not need to be confined to a dull value scale. Even though we know our students want immediate results when it comes to drawing, it’s important they understand it takes practice and time. The next time you teach value to your students, keep one of these four lessons in mind!

What is your favorite way to teach value?

With which concepts of drawing do your students struggle?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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Third Assignment / Team Value Drawing

For our third week, we’re going to do four small drawings that explore value in both pencil and pen, and in two different idioms. These drawings will then come together (in virtual space) to create two larger drawings by the entire class.

To make this work in unison, please read and adhere to the following guidelines:

Team Value Drawing

For this project I’ve drawn a grid on an image and divided it into 36 equal rectangles. I’ll be sending each of you two of the pieces. Your job will be to reproduce the two images I send you as accurately as possible in terms of line, shape, proportion, value relationships, edges, and gradations. In addition to teaching us an important lesson about seeing and drawing values (lights and darks), it should be fun to see the “reveal” when I send the reconstructed image back to you, comprised of all 36 “tiles” (two from each person in the class) and you get to see how your two pieces contribute to the whole.

None of the sections, like the one shown here, will be recognizable. While each of them is a specific but abstract arrangement of forms and values, when they’re placed together they’ll create a recognizable image. The more accurate your individual drawings, the more accurate the overall image will be.

1. Using a sharp 2B pencil (like our Sharpwriter pencil) and a ruler on 8-1/2 x 11″ copy paper ( not drawing paper ), mark off a border as shown, so that your drawing area in 6 x 4.5″ <—-

2. I’ll be emailing a video demonstration, which will start with a lightly drawn schematic drawing to locate the shapes in their correct proportion and location within the rectangle.

3. It’s especially important that your shapes intersect the edge of the rectangle in the correct location so that they match up with the neighboring tile when the 36 tiles are assembled. Make careful note of each location by visualizing its relationship to the major divisions of each side–quarters, thirds, and halves.

For example, note how the shape on the left doesn’t quite reach the 1/4 mark and the shape in the middle is just to the right of the 1/2 mark. No need to use rulers (although you’re welcome to). Eyeballing it should work fine.

4. Once the shapes are located and sketched in lightly , begin developing your value drawing, with particular attention to where each value falls on the value scale from white to black. Artists use two types of value scales–continuous tone or steps:

Note the illusion of a “scalloped” space in the step scale. This is due to a phenomenon that perceptual psychologists refer to as simultaneous contrast. When two values meet–right where they meet–the darker one will appear a bit darker than its overall tone and the lighter one a bit lighter than its overall tone, resulting in this effect. There’s not an actual gradation there but an illusion as the eye responds to the two values simultaneously.

Most importantly, you can capitalize on this phenomenon in your value drawings, adjusting values not only within themselves but in relation to one another, so that another way to make something look darker is to make its neighbor lighter, and visa versa.

5. The goal of your shading technique , which I’ll demonstrate in the video, is to create a high-resolution, fine grain value drawing. In addition to matching up shapes along each border, matching up values will be a goal as well. The closer each of us comes to the values on our original, the better all 36 tiles will work together.

6. If you’re tempted to smudge the graphite to speed things up, don’t . Smudged graphite is much harder to control and looks like hell. Build your values with hatching, as shown in the video, for a much “brighter” and richer visual texture.

7. Also key to this assignment–and a critical skill in value drawing–is recognizing and recording different types of edges and gradations from the sharpest to the softest, most gradual, and everything in between.

8. When your two pencil drawings are complete, prepare two more pieces of copy paper in the same way as before and do the identical drawings a second time but this time in pen, with a 30-minute time limit to complete each drawing –meaning that your cross-hatching will be fast and furious; basically a controlled scribble. An upcoming video demo will show you how.

9. In short, you’ll be making four drawings in all–two high-resolution value drawings in pencil and two scribbled cross-hatch drawings in pen, of the same two images.

10. When your drawings are complete, please photograph, edit, and post them on Blackboard, under Team Value Drawing.

11. I’ll reassemble them into the overall images and post them here.

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Value scale and shading techniques. Lesson plan for beginners.

How do we measure the differences in light or dark necessary to recognize values with our eye or realize in paints our intended value design? We use a value scale or photographer's grayscale.

Somewhere along the way between psychology lab and art tests, the rule developed that the eye can discriminate no more than 9 distinct gradations in lightness, from lightest to darkest. Of course, we can see a much larger number of value differences than that. The actual limitation is that a larger number of value steps becomes impractical to recognize across different situations and match accurately with paints.

The nine step rule suggested the design of the standard nine step value scale, originally proposed by Denman Ross in 1907. His value terms are useful and easy to memorize.

More advanced shading assignment is here:

materials used:

sulphite 90lb

drawing pencils set

gum erasers

kneaded erasers

tortillions

There are many shading techniques.

Practice each of the technique below to create value scales.

Start with the darkest value.

Remember: smaller strokes are easier to control while shading

hatching - a shading technique that uses lines drawn closely together

cross-hatching

crosshatching - a shading technique that uses sets of lines (strokes) that overlap.

stippling (pointillism)

pointillism (stippling) - creating value in a drawing by placing dots.

This is time consuming technique. It looks good when all dots are the same size.

To change value - alter space between the dots.

Works great with a felt pen, fine point markers, etc.

blending - a shading technique that is used mainly with soft materials (graphite, charcoal, pastel, etc.).

It involves rubbing strokes with a blending tool.

Draw with brushes
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Learn how to use the extensive library of brushes in Adobe Express to create drawings.

Try it in the app Draw with brushes in a few simple steps.

On the Adobe Express homepage, select the plus icon.

Type Drawing in the search bar, and then select Drawing .

Use the Size slider to adjust the size of the brush.

Select Colors for your brush. You can select More colors to add a custom color.

Use the eyedropper within the More colors panel to select any color from the page. You can also use this tool to pull colors from applications and windows outside of Adobe Express.

Select a brush style from the Basic , Multicolor , Art supplies , or Decorative options within the Brush panel, and then select View all to see all available brushes.

Use the brush on your canvas to create a drawing.

Select Download to save a PNG of your drawing.

A drawing is created using the library of brushes available in Adobe Express.

Drawing in Adobe Express is integrated with Canvas and will soon work with Google Classroom. Read more about Adobe Express for Education .
To access your drawings, go to Your stuff in the left panel on the Adobe Express homepage and select Files .

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Powerball winning numbers for May 1: Jackpot rises to $203 million with no winners

New month, even bigger jackpot.

After there were no winners in the Wednesday, May 1 Powerball drawing, the jackpot has grown again: now worth an estimated $203 million ahead of Saturday's drawing.

If someone wins the Powerball jackpot on Saturday and chooses to walk away with the cash-value option, they'll take home more than $92.7 million, according to the lottery's estimates.

The winning numbers were drawn just after 11 p.m. ET Wednesday, and we have the results below.

Here's what to know about the Wednesday, May 1 Powerball drawing.

Powerball jackpot winners: $1.3 billion Powerball winners revealed, cancer survivor said he 'prayed to God' for win

Powerball winning numbers for 5/1/2024

The winning numbers for Wednesday night's Powerball drawing were 1, 11, 19, 21 and 68. The red Powerball was 15 and the Power Play was 2X.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY network .

Did anyone win Powerball?

In addition to no overall jackpot Powerball winners, there were also no Match 5 + Power Play $2 million winners or Match 5 $1 million winners reported in Wednesday's drawing..

To find the full list of previous Powerball winners, click the link to the lottery's website .

How to play Powerball

In order to purchase a $2 Powerball ticket, you'll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store − and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online.

To play, you will need to pick six numbers in total to mark on your ticket. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from numbers 1 to 69. The Powerball is red and one number which is between 1 and 26.

If you want to increase your chances of winning, you can add a “Power Play” for $1 which increases the winnings for all non-jackpot prizes. This addition can multiply winnings by 2X , 3X , 4X , 5X , or 10X .

Players can also ask a cashier for a "Quick Pick" where a cashier will give you a computer generated numbers on a printed Powerball ticket.

Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If there's no jackpot winner, the cash prize will increase by millions.

Where to purchase lottery tickets

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network , in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.

Powerball winning numbers for Monday, May 6, 2024. Florida ticket wins $214M jackpot

After no grand prize winner from Saturday's drawing , the Powerball jackpot for Monday now sits at $214 million with a cash value of $99.7 million .

Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday rose to $306 million with a cash value of $140.1 million after there was no grand winner during Friday's drawing.

Ready to try your luck with Powerball? Here's everything you need to know.

Powerball winning numbers 5/6/24

The winning numbers from the Monday, May 6 drawing were 7-23-24-56-60 and the Powerball was 25 . The Power Play was 2X .

Did anyone win Powerball drawing, Monday, May 6, 2024?

There was a grand prize winner in Florida that matched all five numbers and the Powerball.

There also was a Match 5 plus Power Play winner worth $2 million in Idaho.

The jackpot rest to $20 million with a cash value of $9.3 million .

Powerball: Winning numbers for Saturday, May 4, 2024 lottery drawing. Jackpot hits $203M

Mega Million: Winning numbers for Friday, May 3, 2024 lottery drawing. Jackpot at $284M

When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next drawing will be Wednesday, May 8, at 10:59 p.m. ET.

What times does Powerball close?

In Delaware, tickets may be purchased until 9:45 p.m. ET on the day of the drawing.

In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, you can purchase tickets until 9:59 p.m.

What days are the Powerball drawings? What time does Powerball go off?

Powerball drawings are held three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.

How much are Powerball tickets?

The Powerball costs $2 per play.

In Pennsylvania, you can buy tickets online: www.pailottery.com/games/draw-games/ .

Tickets can be bought online as well in New Jersey: njlotto.com .

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the nine ways to win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

There's a chance to have your winnings increased two, three, four, five and 10 times through the Power Play for an additional $1 per play. Players can multiply non-jackpot wins up to 10 times when the jackpot is $150 million or less.

All prizes are set cash amounts, except for the grand prize. In California, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel, meaning it's determined by the sales and the number of winners.

What are the odds of winning the Powerball?

The odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338. The odds for the lowest prize, $4 for one red Powerball, are 1 in 38.32.

According to Powerball, the overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.87, based on a $2 play and rounded to two decimal places.

What is the largest Powerball jackpot ?

$2.04 billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
$1.765 billion – Oct. 11, 2023 – CA
$1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
$1.3 billion – April 6, 2024 – OR
$1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
$842 million – Jan. 1, 2024 – MI
$768.4 million – March 27, 2019 – WI
$758.7 million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
$754.6 million – Feb. 6, 2023 - WA
$731.1 million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD

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Using Value in Landscape Drawing with Bill Perkins

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In this lesson, instructor Bill Perkins will teach you how to establish a value matrix within a landscape drawing. You will learn to create two and three value matrices; this will allow you to design a powerful composition in your drawings and expand your ability to simplify values and shapes.

This lesson belongs to the course Drawing Foundations II . This course is designed to empower new students with a structured approach to learning how to draw. Join instructors Bill Perkins, John Asaro, and Mark Westermoe as you learn the fundamentals of figure and cast drawing, understand values, study major and minor keys, and take the first look at the landscape drawing genre. After completing this course, you will develop a solid foundation in drawing any subject matter.

Throughout this course, explore our Interactive Courses format. Submit assignments via our Digital Campus or Jotform/email, and receive tailored feedback. Enhance your understanding with this interactive approach. Learn more: https://live.nma.art/interactive-courses/ .

You do not need to purchase specific materials to take this course . We have included a materials list as recommendation only. If you cannot find a specific material in your area, use the closest equivalent available to you. Doing so will allow you to have the best possible learning outcome from this course. For help with finding alternative materials, including how to take this course with digital tools, please join our community Discord .

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Winning Powerball numbers for May 1, 2024. Anyone win last night's drawing jackpot?

The Powerball lottery jackpot continues to grow after no one matched all six numbers from Monday night's drawing .

Grab your tickets and let's check your numbers to see if you're the game's newest millionaire.

Here are the numbers for the Wednesday, May 1, Powerball jackpot worth an estimated $178 million with a cash option of $81.3 million.

Powerball, Mega Millions: Want to win the lottery? Here are luckiest numbers, places to play

Powerball numbers 5/1/24

The winning numbers for Wednesday night's drawing were 1, 11, 19, 21, 68, and the Powerball is 15. The Power Play was 2X.

Did anyone win Powerball last night, Wednesday, May 1st, 2024?

No one matched all six numbers to win the Powerball jackpot.

Zero tickets matched all five numbers except for the Powerball worth $1 million.

Double Play numbers are 6, 15, 19, 42, 45, and the Powerball is 16.

Zero tickets matched all six numbers , and no one matched all five numbers except for the Powerball worth $500,000.

Powerball winner? Lock up your ticket and go hide. What to know if you win the jackpot

How many Powerball numbers do you need to win a prize?

You only need to match one number in Powerball to win a prize. However, that number must be the Powerball worth $4. Visit powerball.com for the entire prize chart.

What is the Powerball payout on matching 2 lottery numbers?

Matching two numbers won't win anything in Powerball unless one of the numbers is the Powerball. A ticket matching one of the five numbers and the Powerball is also worth $4. Visit powerball.com for the entire prize chart.

Powerball numbers you need to know: These most commonly drawn numbers could help you win

How much is the Powerball drawing jackpot?

The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday, May 1, 2024, rose to an estimated $208 million with a cash option of $92.7 million, according to powerball.com .

When is the next Powerball drawing?

Drawings are held three times per week at approximately 10:59 p.m. ET every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

How much is a Powerball lottery ticket?

A single Powerball ticket costs $2. Pay an additional $1 to add the Power Play for a chance to multiply all Powerball winnings except for the jackpot. Players can also add the Double Play for one more $1 to have a second chance at winning $10 million.

How to play Powerball

Mega Millions numbers: Anyone win Tuesday night's drawing jackpot?

Mega Millions winning numbers

The Mega Millions continued to rise after nobody matched all six numbers from Tuesday night's drawing . Tuesday night's winning numbers were 10, 18, 27, 37, 61, and the Mega Ball was 5. The Megaplier was 3X.

How much is the Mega Millions drawing jackpot?

The current Mega Millions jackpot is worth an estimated $284 million, with a cash option of $127.6 million.

Powerball 2024 drawing jackpot winners

Here is the list of 2024 Powerball jackpot wins, according to powerball.com :

$842.4 million — Jan. 1; Michigan .
$1.362 million — April 6; Oregon .

Powerball Top 10 lottery drawing jackpot results

Here are the all-time top 10 Powerball jackpots, according to powerball.com :

$2.04 billion — Nov. 7, 2022; California.
$1.765 billion — Oct. 11, 2023; California.
$1.586 billion — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida, Tennessee.
$1.326 billion — April 6, 2024; Oregon.
$1.08 billion — July 19, 2023; California.
$842 million — Jan. 1, 2024; Michigan.
$768.4 million — March 27, 2019; Wisconsin.
$758.7 million — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts.
$754.6 million — Feb. 6, 2023; Washington.
$731.1 million — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland.

Powerball numbers: Anyone win Monday night's drawing jackpot?

Powerball, Mega Millions history: Top 10 U.S. lottery drawing jackpot results

Here are the nation's all-time top 10 Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, according to powerball.com :

$2.04 billion, Powerball — Nov. 7, 2022; California.
$1.765 billion, Powerball — Oct. 11, 2023; California.
$1.586 billion, Powerball — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida, Tennessee.
$1.58 million, Mega Millions — Aug. 8, 2023; Florida.
$1.537 billion, Mega Millions — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina.
$1.35 billion, Mega Millions — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine.
$1.337 billion, Mega Millions — July 29, 2022; Illinois.
$1.326 billion, Powerball — April 6, 2024; Oregon
$1.13 billion, Mega Millions — March 26, 2024; New Jersey.
$1.08 billion, Powerball — July 19, 2023; California.

Chris Sims is a digital content producer at Midwest Connect Gannett. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims .

Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, May 8, 2024 lottery drawing. Did anyone win?

A fter a lucky ticket hit the $214 million grand prize winner from Monday ' s drawing , the Powerball jackpot for Wednesday reset to $20 million with a cash value of $9.3 million .

Ready to try your luck with Powerball? Here's everything you need to know.

Powerball winning numbers 5/8/24

The winning numbers from the Wednesday, May 8 drawing were 7-41-43-44-51 and the Powerball was 5 . The Power Play was 2X .

Did anyone win Powerball drawing, Wednesday, May 86, 2024?

There was no grand prize winner, but there was a Match 5 winner worth $1 million in Michigan.

The jackpot rose to $36 million with a cash value of $16.8 million .

Powerball winning numbers 5/6/24

The winning numbers from the Monday, May 6 drawing were 7-23-24-56-60 and the Powerball was 25 . The Power Play was 2X .

Did anyone win Powerball drawing, Monday, May 6, 2024?

There was a grand prize winner in Florida that matched all five numbers and the Powerball.

There also was a Match 5 plus Power Play winner worth $2 million in Idaho.

Powerball: Winning numbers for Monday, May 6, 2024. Florida ticket wins $214M jackpot

Mega Millions: Winning numbers for Tuesday, May 7, 2024 lottery drawing worth $306M

When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next drawing will be Wednesday, May 8, at 10:59 p.m. ET.

What times does Powerball close?

In Delaware, tickets may be purchased until 9:45 p.m. ET on the day of the drawing.

In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, you can purchase tickets until 9:59 p.m.

What days are the Powerball drawings? What time does Powerball go off?

Powerball drawings are held three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.

How much are Powerball tickets?

The Powerball costs $2 per play.

In Pennsylvania, you can buy tickets online: www.pailottery.com/games/draw-games/ .

Tickets can be bought online as well in New Jersey: njlotto.com .

To play, select five numbers from 1 to 69 for the white balls, then select one number from 1 to 26 for the red Powerball.

You can choose your lucky numbers on a play slip or let the lottery terminal randomly pick your numbers.

To win, match one of the nine ways to win:

5 white balls + 1 red Powerball = Grand prize.
5 white balls = $1 million.
4 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $50,000.
4 white balls = $100.
3 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $100.
3 white balls = $7.
2 white balls + 1 red Powerball = $7.
1 white ball + 1 red Powerball = $4.
1 red Powerball = $4.

All prizes are set cash amounts, except for the grand prize. In California, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel, meaning it's determined by the sales and the number of winners.

What are the odds of winning the Powerball?

The odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338. The odds for the lowest prize, $4 for one red Powerball, are 1 in 38.32.

According to Powerball, the overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.87, based on a $2 play and rounded to two decimal places.

What is the largest Powerball jackpot ?

$2.04 billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA
$1.765 billion – Oct. 11, 2023 – CA
$1.586 billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN
$1.3 billion – April 6, 2024 – OR
$1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – CA
$842 million – Jan. 1, 2024 – MI
$768.4 million – March 27, 2019 – WI
$758.7 million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA
$754.6 million – Feb. 6, 2023 - WA
$731.1 million – Jan. 20, 2021 – MD

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, May 8, 2024 lottery drawing. Did anyone win?

After a lucky ticket hit the $214 million grand prize winner from Monday's drawing, the Powerball jackpot for Wednesday reset to $20 million with a cash value of $9.3 million.

IMAGES

Value Drawing
Value drawing, Drawings, Elements of art
Value Drawing Practice Assignment
Value Shading example
Value Shading in Layers: Drawing Exercise and Lesson
The smARTteacher Resource: Value Scale Worksheet

VIDEO

Assignment with a Returned Value (Basic JavaScript) freeCodeCamp tutorial
Art Value Drawing Tutorial is live
-Negative Space Color Value Drawing: Straight Lines!! #art #drawing #tutorial
Understanding Value Scale in Drawing #drawingtutorial #drawing #shading #shadingtutorial
The Value Study
Value Scale

COMMENTS

What Is Value In Drawing (With Examples And Ideas!)
The value in drawing or painting basically means how light or dark something is. We use value to add depth and perspective to a drawing. For example, one of the most common exercises we can do to practice value is by shading a sphere! At first, it looks just like a circle, something very flat.
Value drawing. Holes and layers. Art lesson.
step 2. Shade inside each shape. Start at the edge (incorporate the outline into the shading). Value should be placed from dark (at the edge) to mid-value - to light - and to fade. The transition from dark to light (fading or "drop-shadow effect) - should be between 1/2" and 1". If you shade too dark - use an eraser to lighten the area>.
Value in Art
Some of the best value in art examples that create strong visual effects using highlights and shadows can be seen in Albrecht Dürer's drawings and engravings. Examples include the renowned engraving of The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1498), Adam and Eve (1504), and Saint Jerome in His Study (1514).
Drawing a Value Study
With the highlight, mid tone, and shadow areas located, it's now easy to transfer these values to the final drawing. Here are the steps I used to create this landscape scene using colored pencils. (From photo to final drawing, I selectively added and removed some elements for aesthetics.) 1: Take the photo.
How to Draw a Value Scale (Step by Step Tutorial)
1. Using a ruler, draw nine equally sized and spaced boxes. 2. When you begin a drawing, in order to accurately capture the relationships between the values, you first establish your lightest and darkest values. That way, you have two points of reference to which you can compare all the other values. Use the same process when drawing the value ...
Analyzing the Elements of Art: Four Ways to Think About Value
Value defines how light or dark a given color or hue can be. Values are best understood when visualized as a scale or gradient, from dark to light. The more tonal variants in an image, the lower ...
How to Draw and Use a Value Scale in Your Artwork
Here's a step by step plan for drawing your first value scale! To create a value scale, begin by drawing out a rectangle and subdividing it into 5 even boxes. Grab a ruler and get going! Next begin shading the last box (it will eventually be black), but don't shade it in completely dark right away.
Value Scale Exercises and How to Use Value Scales to Improve Your Drawings
Choose a value on the subject matter (the item that you want to draw) and try to match it up with your value scale. You probably will need to move your value scale around to find a match. Do this with another value on the scale. (STEP 03) Now you have a good idea of what value to use in your drawing. Lay down that value.
Value Shading in Layers: Drawing Exercise and Lesson
This video will show you how to create a drawing that including four or more values and has the illusion of layers! Lesson idea came from the following websi...
Value design. Art lesson.
1. Extend the lines of the first design. 2. Add more lines (straight or curved) to divide each section into at least 4 shapes. 3. Shade each shape from black to white. 4. Start shading each shape with the darkest value. Change the direction of the shading in each shape.
Chapter 6: Value Readings and Exercises
Crumple a piece of lined paper. Use ink (micron pen) to stipple value and shadows. The white of your drawing paper will be the highlights/brightest whites found on the crumpled paper. Notice how Pissarro used stippling to illustrate distance, light, and value in this image: Marketplace in Pontoise, Camille Pissarro, 1886.
Value
Value can refer to black, white and ranges of grays or it can refer to color and the lights (tints) and darks (shades) of that color. Artists use values to translate the light and shadows they see into shading, thus creating the illusion of a third-dimension. A full range of values is the basic ingredient for a realistically shaded drawing.
How to Teach Value
Start by downloading the VALUE CAT handout below. It contains a simple cat drawing guide. Use either a directed drawing or allow children top create their own cat. If you have small children (younger than 7), consider using a pint size food container lid to trace the cat's head near the top corner of the paper. Drawing the Cat
5 Things to Make Your Value and Shading Middle or High School Art
People are often most impressed by drawings with good shading because adding value to an object makes them appear three-dimensional and can produce the effect of realism. Learning to see value and notice light on forms is an acquired skill that comes with practice. It is not an innate talent that only some people are born with, contrary to most ...
4 Engaging Alternatives to Value Scales
Layer 2: Trace stencil 3-5 times overlapping behind the first layer. Fill in with a light-medium value. Layer 3: Trace stencil 3-5 times overlapping behind the first and second layers. Fill in with a medium-dark value. Layer 4: Fill in any remaining white spaces in the background with the darkest value. Depending on the paper and stencil size ...
Third Assignment / Team Value Drawing
9. In short, you'll be making four drawings in all-two high-resolution value drawings in pencil and two scribbled cross-hatch drawings in pen, of the same two images. 10. When your drawings are complete, please photograph, edit, and post them on Blackboard, under Team Value Drawing. 11.
Value Scale and shading techniques. Art lesson.
stippling (pointillism) pointillism (stippling) - creating value in a drawing by placing dots. This is time consuming technique. It looks good when all dots are the same size. To change value - alter space between the dots. Works great with a felt pen, fine point markers, etc.
Value: Drawing and the art element of value
It defines value as the lights and darks in a work of art. Light is described as waves of energy that our eyes perceive as light or color. Shadows result when light is blocked. Key terms like high key, low key, and full value range are introduced. Drawing assignments are outlined that involve creating a value scale, reducing values to black and ...
150 Value Drawing Assignments ideas
Dec 11, 2023 - Explore Jessica Harris's board "Value Drawing Assignments", followed by 184 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about value drawing, art lessons, teaching art.
Basic Art Sketchbook Assignments
Drawing&Painting: Sketchbook Assignment 6, Due Friday 10/28. Page 1: Make 15-20 gesture drawings on one page, but only take one minute per drawing. Sketch 2: Set up a still life of 3 or more objects and draw them using shading and value. Try to draw them to scale and with the proportions correct.
PDF #1 SKETCHBOOK THE VALUE SCALE AND SHADING TECHNIQUES
value scales! The value scale shows a range from white to black with gray values in between. The number of boxes in the scale can vary, but the grays should become lighter or darker in regular intervals. ★ In your sketchbook, using your drawing pencils, and a ruler, . Draw TEN, 5-inch x 1-inch rectangles in your sketchbook.
Using Value in Landscape Drawing
Charcoal Pencil, Conté, Paper. Duration. 1h 45m 37s. In this lesson, instructor Bill Perkins will teach you how to establish a value matrix within a landscape drawing. You will learn to create two and three value matrices; this will allow you to design a powerful composition in your drawings and expand your ability to simplify values and shapes.
Draw with brushes
New drawing capabilities in Adobe Express provide a digital canvas for educators and students who want to elevate their assignments with our collection of expressive brushes. You can create a blank Drawing or select from a set of education-oriented Drawing worksheet templates.
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, May 7, 2024 lottery drawing
The jackpot rose to $331 million with a cash value of $153.1 million.. Mega Millions winning numbers 5/3/24. The winning numbers from Friday, May 3 drawing were 6-13-15-53-56 and the Mega Ball was 11.
Powerball winning numbers for Saturday, May 4, 2024 lottery drawing
After no grand prize winner from Wednesday's drawing, the Powerball jackpot for Saturday now sits at $203 million with a cash value of $94.6 million. Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot for ...
Powerball winning numbers for 5/1/24: Jackpot rises to $203 million
The winning numbers for Wednesday night's Powerball drawing were 1, 11, 19, 21 and 68.The red Powerball was 15 and the Power Play was 2X. Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the ...
Powerball winning numbers for Monday, May 6, 2024 lottery drawing
After no grand prize winner from Saturday's drawing, the Powerball jackpot for Monday now sits at $214 million with a cash value of $99.7 million. Meanwhile, the Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday ...
Using Value in Landscape Drawing
Duration. 1h 45m 37s. In this lesson, instructor Bill Perkins will teach you how to establish a value matrix within a landscape drawing. You will learn to create two and three value matrices; this will allow you to design a powerful composition in your drawings and expand your ability to simplify values and shapes.
Powerball drawing 5/1/24: Tonight's winning numbers, lottery results
$842.4 million — Jan. 1; Michigan. $1.362 million — April 6; Oregon. Powerball Top 10 lottery drawing jackpot results. Here are the all-time top 10 Powerball jackpots, according to powerball ...
Powerball winning numbers for Wednesday, May 8, 2024 lottery drawing
A fter a lucky ticket hit the $214 million grand prize winner from Monday ' s drawing, the Powerball jackpot for Wednesday reset to $20 million with a cash value of $9.3 million.

What Is Value In Drawing (With Examples And Ideas!)

What Is A Value Drawing For?

Value Drawing Examples

Value Drawing Techniques

Value Drawing Ideas And Exercises To Practice

Seeing Values On Your Drawing Software

Tonal Value Chart

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Value in Art – In-Depth Guide with Examples and Overview

What Is Value in Art?

Where Color and Value Meet

Value as an Element of Art

What Is the Purpose of Value in Art?

More than Colors: Art with Value

The Many Shapes and Sizes of Value in Art

Learn Everything about the Elements of Art

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are the Different Types of Value in Art?

Why Is Value in Art Important?

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Value Scale Exercises and How to Use Value Scales to Improve Your Drawings

VALUE SCALES AND SMOOTH GRADIENTS: EXERCISE ONE

VALUE SCALES AND SMOOTH GRADIENTS: EXERCISE TWO

Practice it with different types of pencils

How Do I Use Value Scales to Improve My Drawings

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Chapter 6: Value Readings and Exercises

Drawing with Charcoal: Historical Techniques of 19th Century France

3 Ways to Use a Kneaded Eraser for Realistic Drawing

Fixative Spray Your Drawings Like a Pro! (Mistakes to avoid + tips)

Everything I know about charcoal drawing in one video

Sketchbook:

Creating Value Scales in Charcoal and Graphite

Chiaroscuro study:

Shading with Vine Charcoal:

Modeling planes:

Basic Drawing: Standard Flat Plane Exercise

Drawing Fundamentals: Modeling Planes, a how-to guide from ArtistsNetwork. By Jon deMartin.

Basic Drawing: Bent and Rounded Plane Exercise

Drawing on toned paper:

Black and white photo or photocopy:

Folded paper stippling:

Nazgul the Ringwraith – Charcoal Drawing – Miroslav Šunjkić

Artists and terms to research :

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How to Teach Value

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