Free tool
Value Study: Turn a Photo Into Value Zones
Painters squint at a subject to lose the detail and see the big lights and darks. This tool does the squinting for you: it splits a reference photo into 3, 5 or 7 value zones so you can block in the main shapes before you think about color, then mix each zone's average color in one tap.
Your photo never leaves this device.
How it works
- Load a reference photo from your device, or take one with your phone camera.
- Pick how many values you want. Each zone holds a similar share of the picture, from darkest to lightest, with small specks smoothed away.
- Compare the study with the original, then tap "Mix this" on any zone to open its average color in the mixer.
Ready to paint it? A Guided Session turns the same photo into a step-by-step plan with a mix for every area.
Questions
What is a notan?
Notan is a Japanese term for the arrangement of light and dark in an image. A notan study reduces a scene to a few flat values, often just two or three, so you can judge the design of the big shapes before any color or detail goes down.
How many values should I use?
Start with three: light, middle and dark. Three values show whether the composition reads at a glance. Five or seven values help once the big shapes work and you want to plan half-tones in skin, skies or foliage.
Why paint values before color?
Value carries the form and the composition. A painting with the right values and odd colors still reads, while the right colors at the wrong values look flat. Blocking in values first means color choices only have to match a value you already settled.