Knowing the value of a color is the key to building an interesting image. Color is one of the fundamental elements in pictorial works, graphics or illustrations. I'll give you 7 keys that will help you use it better.

Color is a perception of the eye, made possible by the light of the sun or other light source. We can see the things around us, and appreciate their color because the color is the light that reflects the objects. Therefore, the color is light. The color changes depending on the greater or lesser light that this object receives, it can be light or dark, and this we call the value of the color. The value is the degree of clarity or darkness of a color.

If you look at color from this point of view, everything changes.

All colors have a value. The value shows the greater or lesser degree of light intensity. The white (greater light) to the black (greater shade), produces different shades or shades of gray as more white or black mix.

When each of the colors or shades of the chromatic circle are mixed with the white to gain luminosity or with black to darken it, what we are doing is a change of value.

Here is many video tutorials to learn color more.

Why it is important to know the value of a color.

1. - Thanks to the color value we create volumes.

"When we illuminate a round body we perceive that the light is distributed gradually from a zone of maximum illumination to another dark zone.

This effect is called chiaroscuro and is represented by the scale of values. In it, the light is suggested by the white, the absence of light by the black and the intermediate variations by a succession of grays that go from one extreme to another.

2. - Thanks to the value of color we create depth in an image, things that go away, things that come closer.

3. - Each color has a scale of values. Each color has its own values ​​scale. For example, the yellow that goes from white to black through light yellow, intermediate yellow and dark yellow. It is surprising to see how, for example, the yellow to darken becomes greenish.

Colors that have a high value (clear), reflect more light and low value (dark) absorb more light. Within the chromatic circle, yellow is the color of greater luminosity (closer to white) and violet is the color of smaller (closer to black).

For example, yellow on a scale of 1 to 10 brightness, would have a value of 9, orange an 8, red and green a 6, blue a 4 and violet a 3.

5. - How to read the value of a color. The best way is to move it to the gray range. It is as if a photo in color was passed to a photo in black and white. There are apps that do apppxnxnncbxnc, and computer programs like...... Photoshop

6. Analyze the value of colors in an image will help you understand how it is built.

Two different colors (like red and blue) can have the same value. This depends on the proper value of the color (clarity or darkness) and the intrinsic value of the color (relative to the other colors).

Similar values ​​on the image may cause contrast problems. The way to find out is to transfer the image in color to a black and white image to analyze it.

7. - Make a scale of values

Make your own values ​​scale. The scale of values ​​is the distribution of lights and shades of a color. Adding little by little different amounts of white to color or black to color, we will get the scale of values. (Tip: note that the color you add white or black is always the same)

Making a scale of values ​​helps in many ways, first you learn the properties of color, and it also helps in choosing your palette for the image, in creating volume or depth and in solving color problems. The scale of values ​​is a key reference.

Conclusion

From now, on when you think in color the word changes color, by light. "I will use the red color to create contrast", "I will use the red light to create contrast". If you look at the color in this way, everything changes. I paint pictures full of color, but I am always thinking of the light.

Before I begin to paint, I decide how I will translate the light into the canvas, which will be the zone of clarity and darkness, the area of ​​light and shadow. I build the picture from the white (the canvas is white) and the first colors I place are always light tones. As progress in the work progresses I move on the scale of values, gradually I approach the midtones and end with the dark tones.

Have you ever worked in this way?