Elements of Art: Value
- Art Studio 760
- Feb 17
- 2 min read
Darkest Dark, Lightest Light
At Art Studio 760, value is one of the most exciting elements to teach—because it’s the one that makes artwork pop.
A Pencil Can Do More Than You Think
One of the first things I show students is that almost any pencil—even a regular #2 school pencil—can create a full range of value. With the same pencil, you can go from darkest dark to lightest light just by changing pressure.
Value means how light or dark something is. We keep a value chart on the wall for students to reference—a grayscale from black (darkest dark) to white (lightest light) with several steps of gray in between.
We practice by starting in the middle:
begin with a middle value using gentle, even pressure
press a little more to move darker
lighten your pressure to move lighter
That “middle value first” approach helps students build shading that feels smooth and controlled.
Erasers Are Drawing Tools
We also use mini erasers to pull out highlights. I like students to think of erasers as a tool for drawing light, not just fixing mistakes.
And we save the biggest impact for last:
The darkest darks and the lightest lights usually go in at the end.
There’s often not much of them—but they make the biggest difference. They’re what make a drawing feel dimensional and help the subject truly stand out.
Just like with texture, value takes “magnifying glass” looking. The true darkest darks and lightest lights are often tiny—and they’re what make a drawing come alive.
Why Students Love Value
This is often one of students’ favorite skills because it feels like a superpower: shading turns flat shapes into forms. We explore value using:
graphite pencils
charcoal
and, as students grow, the whole range of pencil weights (different hardness/softness) so they can control their lights and darks even more.
Try It at Home: The Dimmer Switch Test
If you have a dimmer light switch at home, try this: stand in one spot and slowly slide the dimmer from bright to dark. Watch how the room changes from lightest light to darkest dark, and notice all the in-between shades showing up as the light fades.
No dimmer switch? That’s okay—just imagine it (or picture the sun slowly setting). The big idea is the same: value is a smooth range, not just “light” and “dark.”
Wrap-Up
Value is all about light, shadow, and contrast. When students learn to use a middle value, push into a few darks, save a few bright highlights for the end, and commit to a true darkest dark—suddenly their work looks more real, more dramatic, and more finished.
Want to practice value with us? Visit Art Studio 760 to view class offerings, register online, and follow along with our Elements of Art series.
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