▲ Value diagram

After I have broken the scene down into simple shapes, I compare the values, one shape relative to the others. At this point I am not creating a value drawing; I’m looking at the shapes by value, relative to one another. What is the lightest shape? Conversely, what is the darkest shape? Using my sketchbook, I draw the shapes and number them with the lightest shape as No. 1, moving up in value to the darkest shape. I now have a visual diagram of the scene Continuing in my sketchbook, I create a values key from lightest to darkest using diagonal hatch marks. Using the key as a reference and my previous sketch in which I numbered the shapes, I darken the shapes with hatch marks. Again, this is not a value sketch but a value diagram of shapes, relative to one another