Introduction

• Welcome to the Art Prof livestream with Professor Lou, Kat Hwang, and Alex Rowe.

• Focus on the element of art: Value.

• Resources available at Art Prof: critiques, tutorials, and professional development.

Elements of Art

Definition

• Elements of Art: Building blocks of art.

  • Key components: Shape, color, texture, line, value, form, space.

• Understanding all elements improves artistic skills.

Understanding Value

Value Chart

• Value chart as a helpful tool

  • Helps artists remember to incorporate (and explore) value in their work.

  • Value ranges from 1 to 10; encourages use of the full scale.

Common Issues with Value

• Value often overlooked compared to color

  • Color is exciting and often discussed in art.

  • Value is complex, especially with subtle grays.

  • Fear of dealing with nuanced shades can intimidate beginners.

Using the Value Chart

Techniques for Beginners

• Beginners should practice creating a value scale with their medium (charcoal, pencil, etc.).

• Awareness of the range achievable with tools is crucial.

  • Example: Students often uninformed about the potential darkness of charcoal.

Pencil Types and Values

• Explanation of pencil grades: H's (harder, lighter) vs. B's (softer, darker).

• Simple pencil starter kit recommended: 4H, HB, 3B.

• Personal preferences vary among artists regarding pencil types.

• Experience with pencil values is often gained early.

Analyzing Art with Value in Mind

Observing Photographs

• Example of photographer Brooke De Donato: value scale in art is relative.

• Darkest areas may not be pitch black; highlights may not be pure white.

• Importance of noticing contrasts: high vs low contrast in value.

Exercise: Value in Color

• Suggestion to convert colored images to black and white to analyze value.

• Helps artists recognize where their extremes of light and dark are misspecified.

Challenges of Color and Value

Common Misconceptions

• People often misinterpret different colors as different values.

• Example: Dark yellow may have the same value as blue.

• Clarifying that color and value are distinct concepts is essential for artists.

1. When they discuss "H & B's," they are referring to pencil grades where H's are harder and produce lighter marks, while B's are softer and produce darker marks.

2. To find value in color, they suggest converting colored images to black and white. This helps artists recognize where their extremes of light and dark may be misinterpreted because analyzing the value helps clarify the distinctions in tonal ranges.

3. No, a different color does not necessarily mean a different value. For example, dark yellow may have the same value as blue, highlighting the importance of understanding color and value as distinct concepts.

4. Alex's old drawing professor explained that the darkest areas in drawings may not actually be pitch black, nor will highlights necessarily be pure white. This emphasizes that value is often relative rather than absolute.

5. The explanation of value in Anthony Gormley's installation usually revolves around how value is perceived based on the light and shadows cast within the space and how artworks can express complex value ranges.

6. The two artists discussed that use a middle range value scale in their artwork are not specified in the provided notes.