Stick to Your Values

"Tangled Up in Blue", oil, 12x12"

The dictionary says...

"Core values are the guiding principles that dictate behavior and action."

I hold many core values that have been defined by my faith and my upbringing. I try to stick with them in all that I do as a person and a citizen.

As an artist the concepts of value and color guide my palette choices. I try to always begin a painting with a small value study such as this one for "Tangled Up in Blue". (The tick marks guide me when I transfer my composition to my painting surface.)

I have a little trick I use to check my values as I paint...

I take a photo of the painting and use the mono filter to change it to a black and white version of the painting.

It is pretty close to the value study! Yeah! When it isn't, this trick helps me make adjustments. Notice how I added some highlight to the spoon.


Stick to your values in life and in painting!
Judy