photoshop Learning to use values (inglês)

[Oragah 708]

Aperture, on 17 Nov 2014 - 21:24, said:

 

 

 

Introduction

 

 

 

 

 

Today we will talk about Values, and how they play a role in your art, woops, I mean tags.

 

First, lets start off with the definition of “Value” in regard to art.

 

 

 

Value is defined as the Lightness or Darkness of a color.

 

 

 

Here is an example of a value scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each and every color has a value, and the amount of white or black present in the color affects where it sits on the scale.

 

 

 

Here are a few colors, and their values.

 

 

 

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As you can see, each of these colors has a value which can be found somewhere along the scale. Brighter and more vibrant colors are closer to white, whereas darker colors are closer to black. Notice how each color has a clearly defined block, except for the red and orange. The reason these two seem blend together is because their values are very close. In tagging, if values are too close together, the tag appears flat and very little can be distinguished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Values Matter

 

 

 

Okay, so now that we understand what values are, how do we apply them to art? Well, since every color has it’s own value we can use differences in value to create the illusions of depth and form. Now, here's a little secret. If your art piece works in black and white, it makes no difference what colors it is. As long as your values read well, your colors will make sense. Thats not saying they won't be ugly, but they will read how you want them to. Take a look at this Obama poster:

 

 

 

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Last I checked, Obama looked nothing like an american flag. I could be wrong though, I don't watch the news very much. But for some reason, this is still clearly obama, and it gives off the appearance of a 3d figure. How? The values make sense. The color's values match, in black and white, how the human form reacts to light.

 

 

 

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Using values to create Depth

 

 

 

Separating your values is vital to making your piece understandable. If everything is the same value, it all blends together and very little depth is achieved. This effect can however be used to your advantage, for when you want something to recede into another object. Though, in most cases you need to be able to clearly see whats close to the camera and whats far away. On earth, which is where a few of us live most days, we experience something called atmospheric perspective. This is a light gradient which makes things in the distance appear lighter, and things that are closer, darker. Take a look at this picture to see a nice example of how the separation of values creates a layering effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This occurs due to light hitting particles in the air. Atmospheric perspective is why mountains in the distance appear blue in normal daylight. The mountains closest to the camera appear darker, and if this were a color photo, they’d also appear more saturated.

 

 

 

In tagging, this same idea applies. If you want something to recede into the background, you’d make it lighter, and if you wanted it to appear closer, make it darker. This however is not the only way to use values. Value also plays a very important in controlling composition. Composition is the arrangement of elements, or effects, in a piece. These elements affect where the viewer looks, and the path that is created with these elements ultimately decide whether or not a tag is successful. A good composition is critical to making appealing tags. Luckily, values play a pretty heavy roll in composition. You can use values to control where the viewer looks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Controlling Your Viewers Attention with Value

 

 

 

In many cases, a bright object in a dark field will attract attention. This idea is used in many fine art pieces, and tags, in order to draw the viewer into looking at a certain spot first. This is called Emphasis. Emphasis is basically drawing importance to a person place or thing in order to show that it is the primary point of interest in the tag. One way Emphasis can be created is by using brighter values (closer to white) around the subject of the tag, or by making the subject itself the brightest point in the piece. The goal is to create the most contrast in one point as possible. Contrast basically meaning a bright spot hitting a dark spot.

 

 

 

Check it out.

 

 

 

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Here it is in color:

 

 

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Notice how the first thing you see is the bright stream of light, and the rocket at the top? That’s because the values are being controlled so that this point is the brightest and most noticeable. The rocket at the top is also the most highly contrasted object in the piece. It is the darkest thing hitting the light. More contrast = more attention. Okay, so what do you notice next? Well probably the streams, which leads your eye down to the 2nd brightest point; the rocket in the pool. It is the 2nd most contrasted point in the piece. This is how you control your viewers eye.

 

 

 

Here is another example of creating emphasis using values:

 

 

 

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Color:

 

 

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What I’m doing here is using the brightness behind the renders head to draw attention to this point first, as it’s the most important part of the tag.

 

 

 

 

 

Heres another:

 

 

 

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Color:

 

 

 

 

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Notice how the text is huge and bright. It attracts the attention to the spot/s I want it, then leads the eye down to the other brightest point: the man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Check Your Tag's Values

 

 

 

So, now we know what values are, and how they can be used in composition. So how do you find your tag's values? It's very simple.

 

 

 

Take a solid black layer, and set it to color overtop your image.

 

 

 

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Bam. There they are, in all their glory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And that's it! Now you know how values work!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any questions, post them here. I'd be happy to help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another helpful link for more advanced use of values, and how the masters over time have used them to create effective color pallets. Courtesy of Divi!

 

 

 

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PS if anything is left out of this guide, let me know and I'll be sure to address it!