Colored Pencil

CREATING FORM

Value is the term used to describe the relative lightness or darkness of a color (or of black). By adding a range of values to your subjects, you create the illusion of depth and form. Color can confuse our eyes when it comes to value, so a helpful tool can be a black-and-white copy of your reference photo (if you’re using one). This will take color out of the equation and leave only the shades of gray that define each form. Value defines form, not color, so if you choose the appropriate values, the color isn’t important—you can draw purple trees or blue dogs and still captivate your viewers.

Creating Form with Value In this example, ...