Examples of Tone and Value

The past two weeks in BDS 103, Drawing for Design, the class has been working with techniques involving shade and shadow. The use of shade and shadow is made possible by varying degrees of tone and value. Tone is the actual physical presence of pencil on the paper while value is the levels of dark and light. Tone and value are two of the most useful tools in creating effective drawings.

An exercise in variations of tone to create gradients.













Using tone and value to create a drawing of an assorted fruit arrangement.  












Using tone and value to show space within an irregular object.

An example of a gradient of value.

 An example of using value to show an object. (created by another artist)

An example of dark to bright values that create a full spectrum within a picture. (created by another artist)








Value and tone create the highlights and shadow that adds dimension to a picture. The practice of working with value added a new perspective to my Think/Make project design.

Elisabeth Barnes