Today I took another fascinating Zoom online class with Vlad Yesilesev in Value Sketching today. He always does one before he paints a scene or a photo.

These value sketches will be used for this months paint alongs on Sunday afternoons.

He says a value sketch determines your Composition and Value which are the most important things in any painting.

After you determine your Composition you do Value with the highest contrast in your focal point with lightest and darkest. There will also be more detail in this area. NEVER copy a photo.

It does not have to be pretty.

So here’s what we did today. The photo. Kind of Ho hum boring.

Cortez Fl Cottage cropped. changed a lot hasn’t it??!

The value sketch. The Adirondack chair is the focal point. I think these things are really cool. That chair just really pops when you see it in person.

Venice

Cropped.

You can highlight what you want to like that great arches bridge.

Provence

This one was not cropped.

My value sketch. Now to try to do this on my own before I forget how. So little time and so much to do.

Margaret putting her feet up for now. Xoxoxo