Get to grips with tonal values
Tonal value is arguably the single most effective element in the development of any painting and, when used correctly, will help the artist to understand the importance of the lights, darks and mid-range values in between. Values will occur naturally, and getting them right is crucial to the success of any painting.
A trusted way to achieve a successful painting is to make full use of these values – helping to create an illusion of depth, as though we’re looking at a three-dimensional image, when we know it’s actually a two-dimensional flat plane. It sounds simple – and it is – but you will need to follow the basic rules. So, in essence, the contrast between light and dark in a painting could
