tonal values
Light and dark
Tonal values are the range of light and dark in an image or artwork, from pure white through grays to deep black.
Artists and photographers use tonal values to create depth, contrast, and dimension: The photograph's rich tonal values gave the portrait a dramatic quality.
In painting, understanding tonal values often matters more than color for achieving realistic form.
- shadingDepicting light and darkness
- highlightsNotable moments emphasized
- high keyOpenly intense or obvious
- exposureState of being unprotected
- midtonesMedium brightness range
low key · contrast · gradient · histogram · shadows · chiaroscuro · visual hierarchy · balance · dynamic range · composition · color theory · aperture · ISO · grayscale · aesthetic appeal · Ansel Adams · black and white · light and shadow
- coloringcoloring book, dye, colorize, coloring books, coloring page
- art termspainting, sculpture, drawing, portrait, landscape
- drawing lessonsperspective drawing, figure drawing, beginner exercises, line drawing, pencil shading
- drawing termscontour drawing, foreshortening, shading, pencil sketch, life drawing
- landscape sketchingsketching, plein air, en plein air, horizon line, foreground
- plein airen plein air, field kit, natural light, golden hour, direct observation
tonal valuescolor
Visual hue property
hue · saturation · line · contour · outline
tonal valuesflat color
Uniform hue, no shading
solid color · hard edges · posterization · silhouette · high contrast
tonal valuescolor
Visual hue property
hue · chroma · saturation · color temperature · pigmentation
tone, tones, toned, toning, tonal, tonality, toneless, atonal, atonality