Seventh Grade Value Studies

Seventh graders spend the first trimester learning about how to use value, or variations of light and darkness, to create special effects in their artwork. Value can be used for contrast, emphasis, or to create 3-dimensional effects, such as with shading. Each student created a contour drawing, or a drawing made only with lines. They used dividing lines to slice up the page and "shatter" their drawing into smaller pieces. Finally, they spent several classes on the task of shading each shape with a graduated value scale. If you look closely at the samples, each and every shape has a complete value scale, from darkest to lightest.