11-05-2014, 09:21 AM
Your values aren't that bad. They work relative to each other and show the form, however I think the problem at the moment is that you're trying to use the whole, or most, of the grayscale, across the whole skull. Try instead to use only 3 or 4 values, starting with only 2 (light and shadow) and then adding in more values as you go. If you dont see the form emerging just from 2 values, move your light. Your light is squarely illuminating half of the skull. Try moving it so a bit of light catches the far side of the skull
take a look at these figure drawings. Notice how distinct the light and shadow side are. That's because once the initial line sketch laying out the proportions was done, the artist then drew in a shadow shape and filled it in with a flat value, then slowly pushed the values outwards until the forms read. Its surprising how much information you can show just from 2 values.
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/1...a3f2c2.jpg
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/d...1945c5.jpg
These videos might also help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dqGkHWC5IU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pVufSOk61I
If you already know that you should be looking for the big light and dark shapes first but aren't doing so, there's not much we can do to help! It's really down to you to force yourself to do it even if you don't like it or don't think you can do it. Try using only 2 values as I said earlier, maybe then you will be forced to see the bigger picture first then you can work outwards.
also if you're not satisfied with acrylic, try switching to another medium like charcoal which is much easier to control, especially for grayscale, than paint; at least until you get a good understanding of value. I know you said you don't think its medium specific, but charcoal/soft pencils are objectively simpler and easier to control a grayscale in than in paint. Might make a big difference! If you decide to try out pencil again, check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_W9sZ8S7RM. He shows how to sharpen a pencil for easy shading and such, if you don't already do so
Hope that helps and good luck!
take a look at these figure drawings. Notice how distinct the light and shadow side are. That's because once the initial line sketch laying out the proportions was done, the artist then drew in a shadow shape and filled it in with a flat value, then slowly pushed the values outwards until the forms read. Its surprising how much information you can show just from 2 values.
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/1...a3f2c2.jpg
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/d...1945c5.jpg
These videos might also help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dqGkHWC5IU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pVufSOk61I
If you already know that you should be looking for the big light and dark shapes first but aren't doing so, there's not much we can do to help! It's really down to you to force yourself to do it even if you don't like it or don't think you can do it. Try using only 2 values as I said earlier, maybe then you will be forced to see the bigger picture first then you can work outwards.
also if you're not satisfied with acrylic, try switching to another medium like charcoal which is much easier to control, especially for grayscale, than paint; at least until you get a good understanding of value. I know you said you don't think its medium specific, but charcoal/soft pencils are objectively simpler and easier to control a grayscale in than in paint. Might make a big difference! If you decide to try out pencil again, check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_W9sZ8S7RM. He shows how to sharpen a pencil for easy shading and such, if you don't already do so
Hope that helps and good luck!