LESSON 1

The importance of grey in painting with acrylics

When painting, our goal is to recreate a three-dimensional world on a flat surface using light and dark tones. Accurate judgement of these tonal values is crucial for achieving realism in painting.

In the first video, we’ll show you the importance of greys and tonal values. We’ll also demonstrate how to create a value scale, which will help you practise working with tonal values and provide a useful tool for checking the tones in your work.

Essential materials

  • Acrylic paint in lamp black (702) and titanium white (105)
  • Flat brush (example link)
  • Acrylic paper
  • Marker
  • Pencil
  • Palette
  • Palette knife
  • Water bucket
  • Paper towel

Let's get started

Now it’s time to dive in. Follow the steps to discover the importance of grey in acrylic painting and create your own tonal value scale.