Element of Design - Value

Value: The relative darkness or lightness of a color. Value is also called tone. Value is the contrast between black and white and all the tones in between. Value can be used with color as well as black and white. Make sure the colors you put on your design are dark or light enough for the proper mood. If you want to show a sad figure in your design, most people would give the design a darker value. On the other hand to show happy children playing around most people would recommend lighter colors.

Increase/Decrease Contrast
The greater the difference in value between an object and its background, the greater the contrast

Choose the value that creates the amount of contrast and effect that you want for your design. In the above examples, the lighter value recedes into the light background. The design with the greatest contrast makes the darker object more dominant.


Create Movement
Objects of the same value create a static design with all objects equal in visual importance. Introducing varying values gives the page a more dynamic appearance and creates a 'pecking order' among the objects. Some stand out while others recede.

Mix elements of different values to add visual movement to your design or to create a hierarchy of importance.


Lead the Eye
By creating a pattern of dark to light values, even when the objects are equal in shape and size, it leads the eye in the direction of dark to light.

In the above example, the first set of all dark lines are static. The middle example leads the eye in a downward direction (dark to light). Reversing the values of the lines leads the eye upward.


Color Changes the Effect of Value
Color has the power to override the effects of value. In a high contrast black & white design, introducing a single, small bit of color will change the focus and balance of the design.

The eye is drawn to that spot of color even if other elements are designed to draw the eye in some other direction or the objects are otherwise equal. That's the power of color.