Tonal Value Studies: Two Fun Value Excercises for Stronger Paintings

Improve Your Art Instantly: Master Values in Digital & Traditional Painting (Procreate, Photoshop, Acrylic, Oil & More)

If you want to level up your digital painting or traditional art skills, mastering values is one of the most powerful ways to do it—no matter your medium or style.

Whether you're painting digitally in Procreate or Photoshop, or working traditionally with acrylics, oil painting, gouache, or pencil, learning to see and paint tonal values more accurately can transform your entire approach to art.

In this class, you'll learn how to improve your paintings through clear, easy-to-follow exercises that build your understanding of grayscale, black and white studies, and tonal structure.

Here's what you'll learn:

• How the Old Masters used value in classic paintings to guide the viewer’s eye and create powerful storytelling.

• How to break down any reference photo—portrait, landscape, still life—into just a few simple value groups.

• How values impact form, composition, lighting, and mood in your artwork.

• How to create more readable and professional-looking illustrations, concept art, and fine art pieces.

Painting Exercises (for both digital and traditional artists):

• A 3-value black and white study: simplify any image into clear shapes and structure using only black, gray, and white.

• A full-value digital painting: explore subtle tonal shifts while maintaining clarity and composition.

• Perfect for digital artists working in Procreate, Photoshop, or Clip Studio Paint, and for traditional painters using oil, acrylic, or graphite.

This class includes free high-quality reference images so you can jump straight into painting, whether you're building a personal project or practicing fundamentals.

These exercises will strengthen your ability to see values, make better choices, and bring more confidence into your work—whether you're creating illustrations, character art, fantasy scenes, or realistic paintings.

No polished final artwork required—just a commitment to improve your painting skills one study at a time.

Music: Massobeats - daydream and Massobeats - Lush