CREATING TONAL VALUES
Using the traditional media of pencil and pen-andink to make dark marks on a light surface. there are
several basic techniques for creating tonal values.
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Hatching
Crosshatching
Scribbling
Stippling
These shading techniques all require agradual
building up or layering of strokes or dots. T visual
he
effect of each technique varies according to the
nature of t he stroke, the medium. and the texture of
the drawing surface. Regardless of the shading
technique we use, we must always be fully aware of
the tonal value being depicted.
• Because tonal value is expressed primarily through t he relative
proportion of light to dark areas on t hedrawing surface. the
most important characteristicof these techniques is the
spacing and density of the strokes or dots.
• The law of simultaneous contrast states that the stimulation
of one tonal value is projected instantaneously on ajuxtaposed
value. For example, atonal valuesuperimposed upon a darker
tone will appear lighter than the same value set against a lighter
tone.
• Secondary characteristics include the visual texture. grain, and
direction of the strokes.
• When rendering the darkest values, we should be careful n to
ot
lose the white of the paper. Covering the paper surface entirely
can cause adrawing to lose depth and vitality
Digital Tonal Values
Paint and drawing programs usually permit colors and tonal values
to be selected from amenu or palette. Image-processing software
further allows the creation and application of visual textures.
some of which mimic the traditional techniques outlined onthe
following pages.
RENDERING TONAl VALUES/ 127