See Value: A Fantastic Tool for Artists Who Care About Values

As artists, we constantly talk about the importance of values, and for good reason. 

Value structure (the contrast between lights and darks) is one of the most powerful tools for readability, composition, and mood. But seeing values clearly isn't always easy, especially when working in color.

That’s where See Value comes in. This small but brilliant app does one thing, and does it extremely well: it helps you see the values in your reference or artwork instantly.

See Value App lets you check the values of anything, and you can choose 2, 3, or 4 values only if you want 

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What Is See Value?

See Value is a mobile app that overlays a value filter over your camera or photo gallery. You can use it in real time or on imported images to instantly understand the light/dark relationships in your reference.

It’s perfect for:

• Studying photo references

• Capturing plein air scenes with better value awareness

• Checking your own digital or traditional work for value grouping issues

• Understanding why something feels "off" in a painting

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Why It’s So Effective

In digital painting software, it’s easy to toggle a grayscale filter. But when you're out in the world, or working traditionally, that option vanishes.

See Value brings that tool into the physical world, letting you:

• Instantly check value balance in real scenes or photos

• Train your eye to group values more effectively

• Compare different references quickly without second-guessing

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Use Case: How I Use It

I often use See Value when scouting references or setting up a sketch from life. A quick check through the app tells me what to emphasize, what to simplify, and where my focal areas could land. It’s especially helpful when the lighting is soft or complex.

It’s also a great tool to show students when explaining why certain areas of a composition work or don’t.

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Final Thoughts

See Value is a tiny tool with a big impact. It won’t make your painting for you, but it will train your eye and boost your awareness of one of the most foundational aspects of visual storytelling.

Highly recommended for any artist who wants to improve their value structure, whether you're painting, drawing, or simply observing.

See Value in the app store (FREE): https://apps.apple.com/in/app/see-value/id1312532225

The one value filter is very useful for Notan studies for example

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