How to Find the KEY To Paintings? 🎨 (Values, Tone and Key Explained)

What is meant by "key" in a painting? In this lesson you will find out what this term means. How this relates to values and tone in paintings. Also why it is important. Plus how you can adjust the key to suit the mood you want to create in a painting. It is a powerful idea and with practice you will see the key to every painting.
✅ Start a FREE Painting course and learn more about values in paintings: social.malcolmdewey.com/Paint...

[@patricia7434]

Thank you for everything you do. I especially appreciate your slower, calm way of speaking, giving us beginners the time we need to absorb, learn and imagine how we might apply what you are teaching. Again, thank you so much.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you so much!

[@ZeeZeeSmokes]

Very true and well written. Also love that it doesn’t have lots of music.

[@ZeeZeeSmokes]

Very true and well written. Also love that it doesn’t have lots of music.

[@lisafred1362]

I have never seen anyone demonstrate low key and high side to side. Very interesting.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you Lisa

[@marinashaduri7836]

Thank you, Malcolm. Maybe some of us, beginners, already know about the importance of values, but usually we rely upon our eyes, which leads to errors and ruins the painting. A perfect demonstration and a reminder of the value of "value"!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you Marina

[@highphysics3617]

Yesssthe eyes can be devilishly deceiving.

[@lukemotivationalideas4415]

I m ur student. I m learning a lot . After 5 month ,I will saw u my paintings

[@BarbrajoanOriginals]

Even though I’m a longtime self taught watercolor painter, value, key, etc always was a bit hard to understand . The word value, temperature, key are all words that are used a lot, but you are explaining clearly. We appreciate that. Thank you . I’m now attempting oils ( in my old age) 🤓 so I value the sharing of your knowledge. 🌴 Tallahassee, Florida 🌴

[@MalcolmDewey]

Wonderful! Enjoy it

[@ceciliamateu]

Wonderful lesson, Malcom. The comparison of the same scene in the two keys is amazing, makes the difference in feel so very clear. Loving your classes!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Glad you liked it Cecilia, thank you.

[@mona2242]

Agree !

[@a.m.6208]

Really appreciate the way you illustrate high key, low key paintings,thank you for that great explanation.

[@SuperLaura516]

This helps tremendously!!! Thank you!!!!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Excellent!

[@jenny12050]

Best video I have seen on values

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you very much!

[@melindabrummer1803]

Thanks. Very valuable art class.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thanks Melinda

[@natesoilpaints]

I really enjoyed the Monet examples and the demo! Thank you =D

[@MalcolmDewey]

Excellent, thank you

[@nicoleweddepohl]

Thank you 😊

[@joannemurphy4636]

Great teaching! thank you, Malcolm.

[@judymiller8883]

Thank you Malcolm . You really have a way of explaining things well. I’m really enjoying your classes and noticing a big difference in my work. Thank you for taking the time to make these videos and sharing your knowledge with us.

[@barbmummey5467]

Really helpful. Thank you.

[@MalcolmDewey]

It's a pleasure!

[@AbiNomac]

I LOVE this video. THANK YOU

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you 😊

[@Eva-iy6vy]

This is very important lesson about values. I understand values better when it comes to black and white but not in color. Thank you, perfect as usual..

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you Eva!

[@janetcollamer4048]

Very interesting, I think the mood of the painting really shifted from happy to somber with the change of value. I'm going to think about what mood I want to portray in terms of darks and lights now. Thanks for your excellent teaching.

[@anasuya55]

Excellent demo. Perfect key to stay within the 'keyness' we'd like for our painting. thank you.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you!

[@heidikarpa2278]

Thank you. Really well done. Appreciate your help!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you Heidi

[@terratarango4668]

Thank you for sharing such an intriguing concept in such a practical way. Makes me curious to explore the various way mood is impacted by values.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you, Glad it was helpful!

[@theponderingpilgrim4342]

Very interesting video Malcolm. The way you described it (also in relation to the Key of it) the concept of it, makes a bit more sense to me now. Thanks for posting it, much appreciated.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thanks for watching!

[@nakedanunnaki4432]

Excellent! Nice clear, uncluttered demonstration. Effective......

[@MalcolmDewey]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@selmaabbott7234]

Thank you. I am very happy to be one of your students, I've been learning and painting according your lessons and examples. Lots to learn and I am very happy with the results. I am improving as I practice!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Lovely to hear that Selma

[@boomerartist9772]

Thank you for the demonstration it really made it easy to understand. You are a fantastic teacher!! 💕

[@MalcolmDewey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@oficinamaolivre]

thank you so much for sharing! Like

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you

[@edbianchi8839]

Great demo, thank you, one will never forget your explanation of the key value

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you very much.

[@user-eq2cw2db7h]

Great info 👍 From Frances uk

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thanks for watching!

[@jayarnbert6137]

Excellent Work Malcolm, Good on ya mate! cheers!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you!

[@edgardelmundo2711]

Thank you , that was a very informative lesson I learned in painting.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thanks Edgar!

[@fatoomgierdien2181]

Interesting and informative. Thank You MUCH

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you!

[@ZeeZeeSmokes]

Very helpful!!

[@ZeeZeeSmokes]

I fixed a painting that I liked but it always seemed too dark today after watching your video. Now I feel it’s represents the same ideas but much brighter and more contrast where I originally intended.

[@shanoyavashi2611]

Thank you so much. Learning so much about impressionism. I am an artist from Pretoria ☺️

[@MalcolmDewey]

Glad to hear that, thank you

[@bob_lazart3281]

Thank you this’ll help alot

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thank you, glad to hear that.

[@Meisuko]

Thank you for the video

[@MalcolmDewey]

It's a pleasure

[@bartsenders]

thank you for this video

[@MalcolmDewey]

It's a pleasure

[@suzannewebb2418]

Really useful to watch this demonstration as it is often confusing to try and keep to the “key”

[@MalcolmDewey]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@paulettesmyte3950]

Thank you for the clear demonstration. I would like to see one on the focal point.🤔

[@MalcolmDewey]

Sounds good!

[@lynncooper1781]

Always great videos,awesome. ❤👍

[@MalcolmDewey]

Thanks Lynn!

[@lynncooper1781]

@@MalcolmDewey your welcome ❤👍

[@dankennedy553]

May I ask, would you ever put values down as you did in the video (blacks and whites etc) and then add necessary colour values and do you think it best to work from the darkest to light to get the best results for proper values or does it matter. I find myself that I am drawn to compositions that have lots of shadow and light and I quickly block in the shadows as they light changes so fast but realizing that those shadows are created by the light. If that makes any sense. Thank you so much for all your videos they are SO helpful. I really want to achieve that loose style and am finding that your instruction really helps.

[@MalcolmDewey]

No I will start with color values / mass shapes from the start. Then work over with color temperature changes, always keeping the values the same. Thank you very much.

[@carolclay7082]

High key, low key, values....all such important things to learn...which is what I'm trying to do. So I have a question. Should a painting be one or the other? Or is it more dynamic to have, say the landscape foreground low key and the sunset be more high key? Would that make for a successful contrast or just create confusion (mostly for me! LOL). Thanks in advance. I look forward to learning more from you.

[@MalcolmDewey]

Best results often come from a low key "entry point" to unlock the painting. A dark mass shape like a tree line, for example. Then secondary shapes that are light and shapes in between those two. The overall appearance of the panting will still be low key because everything relates to the initial key. Your sunset example would be a low key painting. High key is more likely in bright overhead light in open areas like a beach or desert or field.

[@carolclay7082]

@@MalcolmDewey - Perfect. Thanks!

[@mona2242]

Another great lesson. Now I have in mind to paint an autumn scene in high key, should I worry / be concerned about warm and cool colours? Help, cannot start without solving this issue. Thanks!

[@MalcolmDewey]

Not at all. Monet has warm and cool in these examples. Temperature is relative - compare one color to another. Warm pink next to light, cool blue and so on.

[@mona2242]

@@MalcolmDewey would it be smarter/ more effective if one keeps all the same values together or mix them up? Basically, I’m wondering if there’s a rule referring to same values being side by side. Thx

[@mona2242]

@@MalcolmDewey thank you!

[@tkikpar4882]

This is very helpful. Is there a site to download the Munsell value scale? I saw the scale online for over $100. Huh?

[@MalcolmDewey]

Yes you can simply do a web search for munsell image. Or send me a message on my website and I will send you one.

[@tetianaabramov]

🧡💛❤️👍

[@Debra-oz4zs]

I just obtain a George Earle key that describes and numbered every one of the prominent men from 1800, s that were painted with their names and titles. Can anyone help me figure out what it means to the original oil? This is the painting the original. A FIELD TRIAL MEETING AT BALA, NORTH WALES, WITH PORTRAITS OF JUDGES, OWNERS, BREAKERS AND WINNING DOGS oil on canvas 52¼ by 77¾ in. 132.7 by 197.5 cm