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You’ll learn the most important foundational concepts for drawing anything and soon you’ll be drawing pictures out of your imagination or from reference.
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Founder of Proko, artist and teacher of drawing, painting, and anatomy. I try to make my lessons fun and ultra packed with information.
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project-value-composition-thumbnails.mp4
224 MB
project-value-composition-thumbnails-transcript-english.txt
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project-value-composition-thumbnails-transcript-spanish.txt
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project-value-composition-thumbnails-captions-english.srt
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project-value-composition-thumbnails-captions-spanish.srt
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ASSIGNMENTS![]()
![@nabilkaz]()
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![@jfd]()
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![Camille Varner Kolafa]()
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![Silviu]()
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![Camille Varner Kolafa]()
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![Alice Charlington]()
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![Aura]()
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![Jonah Jenkins]()
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![Rain Kipper]()
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![Rain Kipper]()
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![K. Williams]()
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![@na_talie]()
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![@pablo_dispatch]()
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![Hernan Rueda]()
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![Emily]()
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![@chrisdzy]()
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![@kotka]()
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![@notapirate]()
Level 1
Let's practice what we've learned about value composition by creating exploring several thumbnail sketches from the provided reference photos. Simplify each image into just three values in small thumbnails (between the size of your thumbnail and palm). Create at least five variations for each photo.
Some tips:
- Keep It Simple: Start small, capture the main big shapes and avoid adding details. If you overcomplicate, try again and simplify.
- Explore Multiple Ideas: Experiment by modifying value groupings and rearranging value shapes. Don't settle on your first idea. Often, initial concepts aren't the best.
- Ask "What If?": Experiment with backgrounds, clothing values, and cropping. You have the freedom to adjust these elements.
You can use pencils or markers. Choose whichever tool you're comfortable with, or try both for their unique benefits.
Pencils
- Use a dull pencil to draw larger value masses and avoid details.
- Pencils allow erasing and adjusting shapes and values.
Markers
- Markers are faster allowing you to do more quick variations.
- Markers provide predefined values for easy value separation.
- They encourage simplification due to their thick tips.
Level 2
After warming up with the first photos, move on to the Level 2 images. These are more complex and offer more exploration and room for error.
After several iterations, select a favorite thumbnail to refine. Create a slightly larger sketch with a little more details and up to five values.
Remember:
- Prioritize Simplicity and Clarity: Don't worry about perfect proportions or details.
- Focus on Values: Make deliberate decisions about value groups and execute them confidently.
- Guide the Viewer: Simplify, control your value range, and create a clear hierarchy.
Deadline - submit by Jan 31, 2025 for a chance to be in the critique video!
Finished Assignment for Level 1
Feedback: Would love feedback on what's working and not. Also if you notice any glaring mistakes not caught in the self critique that will help my journey along the way. Or if you notice something Im doing well and I should keep doing it.
Key learnings: Always keep the whole composition in mind. I noticed when I gave a value a job in one place like highlighting a shape but then in the other I just used it to show light they will often conflict and create a terrible outcome. Whatever you do be consistent.
I think the results are alright, but I found it very hard. Had to think a lot while doing these.
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5d
Good job conquering the challenge! I love that you got experimental with the angle on 1B.
Here are my attempts at level 1 and 2 before watching the demos.
It seems like I spent a bit to much time on each and went too broad with some of the variations.
Feedback is very much appreciated.
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8d
These are great! I don't think you went too broad with your variations. That is the point! The project is meant to stretch your brain by seeing the possibilities you can create with just 3 values :) This becomes important when you create original artwork because you want to be able to determine the most "successful" and balanced composition. You did some great exploration and assigned your values really well!
A fun assignment, tried to keep it really simple to start with but I feel I need to work on my shapes
This was really fun!! Definitely training my eye to SEE values in everything instead of just colors.
As for the more detailed sketch - I went in with the idea of making the background the darkest value, but I actually really like it high key. I may add a ring of darkness around his head but for now I really like it!
Very fun assignment. Simplifying shapes while keeping representation is hard. I also noticed that I was afraid of leaving eyes and noses unfinished. Rather than shade what I was seeing, I just wanted to complete the familiar shapes.
Any feedback is welcomed
Level 1, before looking at demos and critics. I like the playing around with values, but do feel that at some points feel that i interpret things too loosely. Had fun doing the project.
I started to like the nose of the guy in the 1st picture: just bit curved that from there the rhythm extending into a background circle (extended the same to foreground too). Was not able to reproduce the nose curvature, but still tried to connect it. Got the feeling that the guy was hesitantly escaping some bubble into some bigger world...
My house is kind of dark so I tried to take some photos outside. Not really the best solution!
I found the Roman portrait harder to play with for some reason... maybe because the brightness of the tunic draws the eye more than the face? Ah well. More to practice!
Also, how detailed should we be aiming for with things like facial features/planes of the face and clothing folds? I know the answer is partially "not too detailed," but should we be aiming to include certain things? Like eye sockets, cheekbones, shadow vs light sides? Just wondering...
I think, that depends on the goal of your thumbnail. If you do it for a scene, like the ones in the assignment, I would not include too much details in the face. If you are thumbnailing for a portrait, I would definitely plan some key features of the face.
Very educational! When I was working on the thumbnails for the mystical lady something just clicked in my brain and freed me from the need to blindly follow the source values and composition 🤯
Hello everyone! These are my first tries for level 1 and 2. i'm pretty satisfied with the results indeed, but I think I need to play more with my values. Any advice is welcome!
Level 1. I spent too much time on each one even though i know these are supposed to be quick. And in the bigger potrait i feel like i should have kept the hair lightest and the white background a little darker.
For my level 2 attempt I liked versions 3 and 4 and tried to implement both of them into the bigger thumbnail.
I think it's very interesting that some elements reappear among different submissions - a moon behind the priest/Greek man, an archway behind the woman. At first, it was hard for me to iterate between different elements, but at the end of the last image I decided to let myself go for a bit with the markers. I now realize my knowledge about where to put shadows and highlights is quite shaky, everything is guesstimated.
So, I was really trying to focus on the amount of time I was using when I was doing the Thumbnails because I'm not really fast when drawing, so I decided to keep everything simple so I could go fast, and avoid the pitfall of adding too much detail into my small thumbnails ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
(Now, did I oversimplify my thumbnails? I probably did, but it did give me a chance to easily experiment and change stuff around to see what I like, but next time, when I'm doing a value study, I'll definitely do more detail ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°).
